Local University Celebrates 100 Years

COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. (WDEF) — A local college is celebrating a century in East Tennessee.

Southern Adventist University has been in Collegedale for 100 years.

And on Sunday, the school community celebrated the milestone with a fall festival at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Residents enjoyed gymnastics and jazz band performances, food vendors, and even an antique car show.

Organizers say it’s important for the university to remember its history.

“America is a very forward oriented country,” said history professor Ben Mcarthur. “We tend not to look too much to the past, and of course as a historian, I tend to regret that. So I’m happy when we have those few occasions when we stop and really think about what came before us, and has allowed us to be what we are today.”

A fun fact – Collegedale used to be known as Thatcher Switch, but its named changed when the university moved in.