If you’re a longtime Upstate resident, let us take you back for a moment. Picture the Barton Campus of Greenville Technical College on Pleasantburg Drive 10 or 20 years ago.
Now picture it today. And don’t forget that you’ll have to go across Greenville County to fully appreciate the growth of the college, because there are new locations and services throughout the area.
Though he might deny it, you can credit much of the success of this expansion to Dr. Keith Miller, who served as president of Greenville Technical College for 17 years. Dr. Miller retired June 30 and it feels like a good time to note some of the innovations spearheaded during his tenure.
Center for Manufacturing Innovation, 575 Millennium Drive
The Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI) opened in September of 2016 with the purpose of increasing the number of skilled workers for manufacturing in order to close to close a growing skills gap. Recently, the CMI campus was named in honor of Dr. Keith Miller, recognizing his visionary leadership and commitment to workforce development.
“Our CMI represents a game-changing approach to education,” Dr. Miller said in 2015. “We will fully integrate education from the K-12 system to the two-year college to the four-year university level order to advance our economy.”
Dresibach Anderson Student Success Center, Main Campus
Opened in August 2021, the Student Success Center serves as a one-stop shop for new student services, consolidating admissions, financial aid, testing, advising and registration into one location.
Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences, Main Campus
Opening its doors in the summer of 2024, the Prisma Health Center is a cutting-edge facility designed to revolutionize health care education, recruitment, staffing and training.
“This new facility is designed so that learning is on display,” Dr. Miller said in 2024, inviting all to “view the education taking place and enter the space as a learner.”
Barton Campus Pedestrian Bridge
Barton Campus 2008In November 2024, Greenville Tech opened the Barton Campus Pedestrian Bridge, which connects the Student Success Center and the new Prisma Health Center for Health and Life Sciences, providing a clear path from where students enroll to where they study.
Paving The Way
Dr. Miller’s influence will be felt long after his retirement, because of two projects born under his leadership: The Center for Welding and Automation Excellence and the Center for Industrial Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.
The Center for Welding and Automation Excellence, located at the Brashier Campus in Simpsonville, is scheduled to open in time for the Fall 2026 Semester and will have the latest technology and tools of the welding trade.
The just-announced Center for Industrial Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence will merge these two, high-demand skill sets, so that cybersecurity skills and artificial intelligence analytics protect plants against cyberattacks while anticipating and addressing maintenance needs and problems before they have a chance to occur.
Dr. Miller has shown a passion for education, innovation and leadership during his tenure. His legacy is Greenville Tech’s current and future success.
