Gadsden, AL — Gadsden State Community College has been awarded a $200,000 Campus Improvement Grant through The Home Depot’s Retool Your School program, with the funding designated for improvements to the college’s Valley Street Campus.
Gadsden State is one of 10 institutions selected to receive a 2026 Campus Improvement Grant. College officials said the funding will be used to expand and modernize facilities supporting the Dental Assisting program.
The planned project includes enclosing an existing patio area at the Dental Assisting facility to create additional space for students, faculty and program operations. Plans call for dedicated areas for studying, collaboration, meal breaks, advising and equipment.
Additional improvements are expected to include ADA-compliant accessibility upgrades, energy-efficient storefront windows, upgraded HVAC ductwork, improved lighting and electrical enhancements.
“We are incredibly grateful to The Home Depot and the Retool Your School program for this investment in our students and the Valley Street Campus,” Gadsden State President Alan Smith said. “This grant allows us to make meaningful improvements to an existing facility while creating additional space that supports student success, workforce development, and service to our community.”
According to the college, Gadsden State’s Dental Assisting program is the only program of its kind within the college’s service area. Officials said the expanded facility could also provide additional opportunities for preventive-care outreach, workshops and other community services.
Ricky Tillis, director of the Valley Street Campus, said the additional space is expected to provide students and faculty with a more functional environment for instruction and collaboration.
“This grant is a tremendous investment in the Valley Street Campus and, most importantly, in our students,” Tillis said. “The additional space and facility improvements will give our students and faculty a more functional environment for teaching, learning, and collaboration while allowing us to continue strengthening a program that prepares students to enter the healthcare workforce.”
The grant-funded project follows other improvements underway at the Valley Street Campus. Those projects include instructional and technology upgrades, roof and gutter replacement at the Administration Building and renovations to the Licensed Practical Nursing and Cybersecurity classrooms.
College officials said using the grant to improve and expand an existing facility rather than construct a new building will allow Gadsden State to address enrollment growth and infrastructure needs within the existing campus.
The Home Depot established Retool Your School to support campus improvement projects at historically Black colleges and universities. The program has since expanded to support HBCUs and other under-resourced colleges nationwide.
According to information provided by Gadsden State, The Home Depot has invested more than $18 million through the program since 2009.
“These improvements are about more than updating a facility,” Tillis said. “They are about creating spaces where our students can learn, prepare for meaningful careers and better serve the communities around them.”
