Southeast Tech history

Glen Bunday served as the first Director of the school until he retired in 1969.

In 1970, the Sioux Falls School District purchased a building at 15th and Western.

1971 - The Milford college's name is changed to Nebraska Technical College.

1973 - The college's name is changed to Southeast Technical Community College Area; Doctor Robert Eicher is hired as president of the newly-formed college.

In 1975, the building’s name was changed to the West Campus of Southeast Tech to reflect the increased involvement of post-secondary vocational technical training.

The current Lincoln Campus at 8800 O St began in 1979.

In addition, just a short walk away, the former Beadle Elementary School had been used since 1981 to provide various training programs such as Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration, Franchise Restaurant Management, Accounting, Marketing, and Computer Literacy courses.

Prior to the passage of the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Act in 1985, Swainsboro Area Vocational Technical School was governed at the state level by the Department of Education through local administration under the Emanuel County Board of Education.

Since 1986, SCC has added a number of facilities and land to its Beatrice Campus.

Swainsboro Area Vocational Technical School converted to state governance in 1987 and inaugurated its charter board of directors in July of that year.

Through additional appropriations the following year, other state funds, and a Toombs County local option sales tax, total funding invested in the project came to $7,553,000, and construction of Southeastern Technical Institute began in 1988.

Also in 1989, the system implemented curriculum standards which are a nationally known model for post-secondary technical instruction.

Southeastern Technical College and Swainsboro Technical College have had a close working relationship since the opening of Southeastern Tech in 1990.

In March 1991, nine Practical Nursing students graduated in Southeastern Tech's first commencement exercise.

The College's first president was appointed by the Board of Trustees effective December 1, 1992.

In July of 1993, Southeast Area Vocational Technical Institute officially changed its name to Southeast Technical Institute.

In 1994, a fourth building opened its doors on campus to house the growing health programs.

1995 - SCC purchases the ground floor at 1111 O St in downtown Lincoln known as Energy Square.

In order to better reflect the College’s service area, the College changed its name from Pines Technical College to Southeast Arkansas Technical College on July 1, 1996.

The word “Technical” was removed from the College’s name on July 8, 1998.

The year 2000 saw another name change for both schools (becoming colleges rather than institutes) as part of Governor Roy Barnes's Education Reform Act.

Finally, the new health building was given the name “Health Science Center.” The name was changed in 2001 to the Terrence M. Sullivan Health Science Center in honor of Southeast Tech’s third director.

The renovation completed in 2002, and this facility now also houses regional operations for the TCSG's Quick Start program, an organization which serves the training needs of new and expanding industries.

Swainsboro Technical College opened its newest facility, the Larry J. (Butch) Parrish Technology Center, in the fall of 2003.

2004 - SCC purchases Continuing Education Center at 301 S. 68th St Place, Lincoln.

An expansion of Southeast Tech’s Sullivan Health Science Center opened in Fall 2005 and doubled the size of the facility.

2006 - SCC purchases Entrepreneurship Center at 285 S. 68th St Place, Lincoln.

So, on July 1, 2009, Swainsboro Technical College and Southeastern Technical College officially merged to form the new Southeastern Technical College, which serves Candler, Emanuel, Jenkins, Johnson, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs, and Treutlen counties.

2011 - SCC purchases second floor of Energy Square building (now Education Square) at 1111 O St, Lincoln.

2012 A 25,000-square-foot addition includes state-of-the-art paint booths and automotive technology shop.A partnership agreement with Quzhou College of Technology in China is signed.

2014 - Jack J. Huck retires after 20 years as president.

In Fall 2016, Southeast Tech established the following institutional strategic goals to achieve its mission: