TSC Announces $27.3 Million Investment in New Workforce Training and Resilience Facility in Wakulla County

September 21, 2026

New facility will expand workforce education, support economic growth, and strengthen community resilience

Tallahassee State College (TSC) today announced a $27.3 million investment in a new Workforce Training and Resilience Facility in Wakulla County, marking the largest TSC capital project in the county and a major step toward the College's long-term vision for a unified Wakulla campus.

The $27,338,737 project is supported by $17,064,633 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), $10,007,946 from Triumph Gulf Coast, and $266,158 from TSC Foundation donors.

The new facility will bring together programs currently offered at the TSC Wakulla Center, creating a central destination for education, workforce development, and community engagement in Wakulla County. The project builds on TSC's longstanding presence in the county and partnerships with local schools, employers, and community leaders.

"This investment represents the next chapter in Tallahassee State College's commitment to Wakulla County," said Dr. Jim Murdaugh, President of TSC. "For years, we have worked alongside this community to expand access to education and create pathways to opportunity. This facility will allow us to build on that foundation in a significant way, connecting students to high-demand careers, helping employers develop the skilled workforce they need, and creating an even stronger partnership between the College and the community we serve."

The facility will support education and workforce training in high-demand fields, including healthcare, education, environmental sciences, marine service technologies, construction trades, and other areas aligned with regional workforce needs.

Designed to support both education and community resilience, the two-story facility will feature classrooms, specialized laboratories, a healthcare simulation center, conference and community meeting spaces, and advanced instructional technology. Its elevated design will allow portions of the building to serve as a Category 3-rated hurricane shelter, providing an important resource for emergency response and disaster recovery in Wakulla County.

"As trustees, we are entrusted with making investments that create lasting value for the communities we serve," said Christian Caban, Chair of the TSC District Board of Trustees. "This project is a powerful example of what can happen when federal, regional, local, educational, and community partners come together around a shared vision. We are investing not only in a stronger workforce pipeline, but in the long-term economic vitality and resilience of Wakulla County and our entire region."

The project received critical support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through the 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program and from Triumph Gulf Coast. The EDA award provided the final funding needed for TSC to move the project forward.

TSC leaders unveiled renderings of the new facility during a press conference Monday at the Wakulla Environmental Institute. "This is a vision we have been working toward for years, and I could not be more excited that we are now at the point where we can share what that vision will look like," said Shelly Bell, Vice President for Workforce Development at TSC. "Our goal has always been to connect people with opportunity while helping employers build the workforce they need to grow."

Bell said the project represents an important step toward TSC's broader vision for its presence in Wakulla County, bringing educational programs, workforce training, employers, and community partners together in one location.

"These investments are ultimately investments in people," Bell said. "Students who want to build careers here. Employers who need skilled workers. And the future economic growth of Wakulla County and our region."