Tyler Junior College officials and members of the Perkins family have officially broken ground on a new regional educational facility located at 175 S. Henderson St. in downtown Rusk, as Jacksonville Daily Progress reported. The project will establish TJC South, a facility designed to serve both the city of Rusk and the greater surrounding area across East Texas.
The ceremonial event brought together members of the college administration and representatives of the Perkins family to participate in the traditional turning of dirt at the 175 S. Henderson St. location. The site choice places TJC South directly within downtown Rusk, creating a dedicated physical location to extend educational programming and institutional resources directly into the city of Rusk and the broader surrounding community.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Tyler Junior College Board of Trustees President Lonny Uzzell addressed those in attendance to outline the upcoming administrative steps required to formalize the official designation of the new facility. Uzzell announced that the board of trustees will take official administrative action during its scheduled November board meeting to designate the site as TJC South/The Perkins Family Education Center.
Uzzell explained that the board's planned vote is intended to pay tribute to the Perkins family and recognize their sustained contributions throughout the area. The board president noted that the upcoming board action is wholehearted in its purpose to honor the family members and the broader legacy that the Perkins family has established across the East Texas region.
A comprehensive group of executive officers from Tyler Junior College attended the ceremony in downtown Rusk to take part in the official shoveling of dirt. The administrative delegation was led by Juan E. Mejia, who serves as the president and chief executive officer of Tyler Junior College. Senior academic leadership was represented by Lee Grimes, who serves as interim provost and vice president for academic and student affairs for the institution.
Financial management and physical operations leadership were also represented on site during the ceremonial gathering. Sarah E. Van Cleef, vice president for financial and administrative affairs and chief financial officer, joined the official party at the groundbreaking. Kimberly G. Lessner, who serves the college as vice president for operations and chief operations officer, was also present for the ceremony at 175 S. Henderson St.
The institutional advancement and community engagement divisions of the college were similarly represented at the downtown site. Mitch Andrews, vice president for institutional advancement and chief advancement officer, participated in the proceedings alongside Kevin Fowler, who serves as executive director of regional community engagement for Tyler Junior College.
Members of the Perkins family were present to participate directly in the dirt-turning ceremony alongside President Mejia and the assembled college leaders. Family members participating in the event at 175 S. Henderson St. included Jim Perkins, Margaret Perkins, and Laura Perkins. Their direct involvement highlighted the formal connection between the family name and the future education center.
The location of TJC South at 175 S. Henderson St. places the incoming Perkins Family Education Center within the central downtown district of Rusk. The institution has established the site to deliver educational access to residents within the city limits as well as students coming from the greater surrounding East Texas territory.
The next formal step for the project will take place at the institutional level when the Tyler Junior College Board of Trustees holds its official November meeting. At that time, the board is scheduled to consider and vote on the formal resolution naming the facility TJC South/The Perkins Family Education Center, ratifying the designation announced by Board President Uzzell during the groundbreaking ceremony in downtown Rusk.
