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HUNTSVILLE — Travis Laxton was introduced Wednesday as the instructor of Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville’s new digital graphic design class that is set to debut at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg.
Laxton returns to TCAT Oneida/Huntsville after a five-year stint with Target Corporation, and his educational background is in graphic design.
At Target, Laxton began as a seasonal hire and quickly moved into a property management lead role. Prior to that, he spent eight years as a government subcontractor in a marketing and graphic design role.
“I was looking for an opportunity to get back into a creative role and this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Laxton said.
Laxton has always had an artistic mindset. Following his graduation from Oneida High School, he began classes at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville and eventually settled on a fine arts degree in graphic design.
The digital graphic design class will be the first of its kind offered at Morgan County Correctional Complex through TCAT Oneida/Huntsville’s partnership with the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Once it begins in late February, as many as 20 students from the correctional complex can enroll in it at a time.
TCAT Oneida/Huntsville is one of several post-secondary education partners that offer options for inmates housed at the facility, along with Roane State Community College and Carson-Newman University, and offers several hands-on programs there.
The new digital graphic design program was the result of conversations between Julia Gregg, who is the principal of the educational programs at MCCX, and TCAT Oneida/Huntsville Vice President Tim Smith.
“Julia and I talked about a way that we can offer a program that is more aligned with the interests and talents of the students at Morgan County Correctional Complex,” Smith said. “There’s an abundant amount of creativity in the students who participate in the educational program and this will give them more of an outlet for that strength.”
Laxton said his goal as an instructor is to see the program become a difference-maker.
“My hopes are that we can give someone an opportunity,” he said. “A lot of what they currently have access to there is construction-based, like welding and carpentry. I’d like to see us create a successful program that can be copied and recreated at other facilities.”
Founded in 1967, TCAT Oneida/Huntsville serves five counties in East Tennessee, with its main campus in Huntsville, an extension campus in Oneida, and two instructional service centers in Jamestown and Wartburg, as well as CTE dual-enrollment offerings on high school campuses in Scott, Anderson, Campbell, Fentress and Morgan counties. Training and certifications are currently offered in 20 different programs of study. To learn more, contact Student Services at (423) 663-4900 or visit tcatoneida.edu.