Students preparing for careers in dental assisting at Gadsden State Community College will have more room to study, work together and get support through a $200,000 grant from The Home Depot.
The college will use the Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant to expand and modernize its Dental Assisting facility at the Valley Street Campus. Gadsden State is one of 10 institutions nationwide and the only Alabama school selected for the 2026 Campus Improvement Grant.
“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,” said Alan Smith, president of Gadsden State. “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.”
The project will enclose an existing patio at the Dental Assisting facility, creating additional space for students and community use. Dedicated areas will accommodate studying, collaboration, meal breaks, advising, equipment and program operations.
Expected improvements also include ADA-compliant accessibility enhancements, energy-efficient storefront windows, upgraded heating and cooling ductwork, improved lighting and electrical enhancements. The work is designed to make the facility safer, more accessible and more energy efficient while improving its everyday use for students and employees.
According to the college, its Dental Assisting program is the only program of its kind within its service area. The expansion will also create opportunities for preventive-care outreach, workshops and other services benefiting underserved communities.
“This grant is a tremendous investment in the Valley Street Campus and, most importantly, in our students,” said Ricky Tillis, director of the Valley Street Campus. “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. We are excited to see the lasting impact these improvements will have on our campus and the community we serve.”
The project adds to other work underway at Valley Street, including instructional and technology upgrades, roof and gutter replacement at the Administration Building, and renovations to Licensed Practical Nursing and Cybersecurity classrooms.
By expanding an existing facility, the college plans to stretch the grant dollars further while addressing enrollment growth and infrastructure needs.
The Home Depot established Retool Your School in 2009 to support campus improvements at historically Black colleges and universities. Now in its 17th year, the program supports HBCUs and under-resourced colleges nationwide and has invested more than $18 million in campus improvements.
Two other Alabama institutions, Bishop State Community College and Tuskegee University, received funding through the program’s separate Innovation Lounge Grant category in 2026.
“We look forward to seeing the impact this investment will have on our students and the Valley Street community,” Tillis said. “These improvements are about more than updating a facility. They are about creating spaces where our students can learn, prepare for meaningful careers and better serve the communities around them.”
Sherri Blevins is a reporter for 256 Today.
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