Cindy Hernandez

Collegedale – a place of scenic mountain landscapes, the tranquility of Happy Valley and the hum of rumbling trains; a place of perpetual traditional values, community pride and Southern hospitality.

But how will the city look, feel and change over the next five to 10 years?

Boasting a population of 11,000, this sleepy college town is the fastest growing part of Hamilton County, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. And, while growth might offer some advantages, such as increased tax revenue, more businesses, higher property values and better housing options, it also poses challenges for the community, including:

• The proliferation of housing developments in rural areas
• Traffic congestion on narrow neighborhood roadways
• Infrastructure inadequate for the growing population

As students in the W25 Interactive Journalism class at Southern Adventist University, we aim to tell the compelling story of Collegedale’s rapid growth, exploring where people are coming from, why they are moving here, how the community is impacted and what leaders are doing to manage the growth, all within the historical context of the city’s small-town roots.

Listen to the students share about their expectations for the project:

This project – led by professors Alva James-Johnson and Ryan Harrell in partnership with the Southern Accent – will result in an interactive website with loads of information. Along the way, we will update you – our audience – on our findings through weekly postings on this blog and social media. So please look for our posts on the Southern Accent Instagram and Facebook accounts.

To get started, please read our team-member profiles on this platform or jump directly to the final project below.

About the Team