Celebrating 60 years of Jefferson State — honoring our past, building our future
Jefferson State Community College – Birmingham Campus
By Keith A. Brown, President
Jefferson State Community College
This year marks a remarkable milestone for Jefferson State Community College – 60 years of opening doors, changing lives, and strengthening communities. Since our founding in 1965, Jefferson State has been committed to providing an accessible, quality education that prepares students for success in life and the workforce.
From our beginnings on Carson Road to our four campuses serving Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Chilton counties, we have grown alongside the communities we serve. One million Pioneers—our students and alumni—have gone on to make their mark as nurses, educators, entrepreneurs, skilled tradespeople, first responders, and leaders in every sector of Alabama’s economy.
As Alabama’s largest community college, Jefferson State serves approximately 15,000 students each year, and fall 2025 enrollment is the highest in college history. Students benefit from 116 university transfer programs, 40 career and technical education programs, 30 short-certificate “fast-track” programs, and more than 100 course options in dual enrollment.
We continue to remove barriers to education and training. The college provides extraordinary student support through emergency grants, mental health counseling, food assistance, financial counseling, academic support, and much more.
Our healthcare programs, particularly nursing, continue to be among the most respected in the state, producing highly skilled graduates who are in high demand across Alabama’s hospitals and clinics. In the skilled trades, we are preparing to open our new Center for Workforce Education, which will house high-demand training in electrical, multi-craft, and HVAC, equipping students for careers in critical industries. We are also expanding our highly successful Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program to Jefferson County, helping address the urgent need for qualified drivers in our state’s transportation and logistics sectors.
As we look back, we celebrate the visionaries, faculty, staff, and community partners who believed in the power of education to transform lives. As we look ahead, our mission is clear: to meet the evolving needs of our region through innovative programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and strong partnerships with business and industry.
Jefferson State’s story is one of student achievement, innovation, and community. As we celebrate 60 years, we renew our promise to be a place where opportunity begins and futures are built. Here’s to the next 60 years of pioneering success—together.
