Nestled in East Tennessee’s Nuclear Corridor, Chattanooga State Community College is powering the nuclear workforce in the region and beyond. 

This spring, ChattState’s American Nuclear Society chapter attended the annual ANS conference in College Station, Texas, where chapter president Kit Hart received recognition for efforts to connect students with nuclear employers and arranging nuclear site tours and community service projects. 

2026 marks the third year ChattState’s ANS chapter has attended the national conference. According to Hart, the conference gives students the opportunity to interface with employers in the nuclear industry, sometimes leading to job opportunities. 

Hart, a Nuclear Power Engineering Technology student, was recognized because of his chapter’s “demonstrated leadership and commitment to service and outreach,” he said. “Our chapter showed significant achievements and advancement of the nuclear community.” 

A ChattState alumnus and former boilermaker, Hart said the chapter participated in a river walk cleanup alongside Waterways and toured nuclear facilities at Westinghouse, TVA, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

“The American Nuclear Society opens your eyes to how broad the field is and how many nuclear companies there are,” Hart said. “It’s surreal. The possibilities are endless in what you can do and the different career avenues that are available.” 

ChattState is the only community college in the country to host an ANS chapter, but it grants the same opportunities as chapters hosted by four-year universities. 

According to Addison McMullin, a Radiation Protection student and the president of ChattState’s Women in Nuclear chapter, ChattState’s nuclear students are well respected by the industry’s largest employers. 

“As a community college student, it’s easy to feel like you don’t fit in at the conference,” she said. “But, as soon as people started talking to me and asking what I do and where I go, they all knew about ChattState.” 

Both Hart and McMullin came to ChattState in search of a meaningful career. What they found was not only quality hands-on education, but also close friends, industry connections, and dedicated, experienced faculty. 

“Not only is nuclear really sustainable, but we need more people to run these plants and make new technology,” McMullin said. “It’s a lot easier to pursue something when the teachers are passionate about it and passionate about helping you succeed.”  

ChattState will host a Nuclear Power Open House from 4 to 7 p.m. on July 14, 2026. To learn more about the nuclear industry and ChattState's nuclear programs, RSVP online.