Tennessee Rehabilitation Center Propels New Graduates Toward Greater Success
NASHVILLE — More than 70 trained and skilled students embarked on new journeys Friday, as they graduated from programs within the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center (TRC) in Smyrna. These students – whose disabilities include traumatic brain injury, cognitive impairments and blindness – have received workplace and life management skills to enhance their chosen occupational paths.
Through classroom and hands-on training that ranges from auto maintenance to business education and from food service to building maintenance, the graduates have learned skills to prepare them for success in the workforce.
“We are very excited to play an important role in the accomplishments of those we have the honor to serve through the program,” said Tennessee Department of Human Services Commissioner Raquel Hatter. “We’ll continue to encourage them and help in their journeys toward self-sufficiency and greater successes.”
“Students here at TRC take tremendous pride in the work they’re doing to reach their employment goals,” said Assistant Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Cherrell Campbell-Street. “Days like today celebrate their hard work, and serve as a stepping stone toward reaching their ultimate goal.”
Walgreens Community Leader Tom Kakac delivered the commencement address. A student speaker, LeVetta Lanier, shared the podium during the graduation program, which took place in the center’s gymnasium.
The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center is a state-operated comprehensive rehabilitation facility and is one of eight such centers in the nation. TRC provided vocational rehabilitation services to
nearly 1,100 students in FY 2013 and has an employment rate of 94 percent since 2011. Since opening its doors in 1977, the TRC has provided life and job skills training to more than 32,000 Tennesseans living with disabilities.
Services are provided on campus and the majority of students live in residential units on the campus, while receiving services. The TRC is located at 460 9th Ave. in Smyrna, just east of the Smyrna Airport near Sam Ridley Parkway. For more information on the center, please visit http://tn.gov/humanserv/rehab/trc.html or call (615) 459-6811.
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