Amy L. Dabbs, Statewide School & Community Gardening Coordinator
The Clemson Extension TEACH Center at the Citadel Mall opened its doors on May 2, 2024. The new space serves as a regional meeting, teaching, and demonstration space for community-based Extension programming. “TEACH,” an acronym for Training, Education, Agriculture, and Community Health, aligns with the mission of the Healthy Me-Healthy SC Initiative, a partnership between MUSC and Clemson University that aims to improve healthcare access and health inequities in rural and underserved communities of South Carolina through impact and innovation.
The Clemson Extension TEACH Center at the Citadel Mall has an entrance to the classroom and the educational lobby area where visitors can pick up factsheets and chat with Master Gardeners.
Situated in the heart of West Ashley, just off I-526, the Citadel Mall is an ideal location for Clemson Extension to disseminate high-quality, research-based information to a broad audience. This prime location aims to serve our clients and overcome previous barriers such as limited meeting spaces, parking constraints, and heavy traffic.
The TEACH Center is over 6,000 square feet and includes a large training room with flexible classroom-style tables and chairs for thirty students, a laptop and a large-screen TV—a smaller conference room seats six for smaller meetings. Opening soon is a teaching kitchen and workshop space with commercial kitchen equipment, stainless steel worktables and sinks. Several flexible office spaces are open for daily use by visiting personnel, and “eduroam” is available throughout.
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The training room can be set up as a classroom. -
The training room can be set up as a meeting space.
The TEACH Center serves as a base of operations for two statewide programs, including The Rural Health and Nutrition team, which provides chronic disease prevention and self-management programs and policy, systems, and environmental approaches. The team also conducts programs to enhance healthy lifestyles, such as WalkSC, Yoga for Everybody, Know Diabetes by Heart, and Stirring Up Healthy Cooking.
The Clemson Extension School & Community Gardening program, also housed at the TEACH Center, has ample space for statewide program operations such as school garden transplant deliveries.
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Educational window display at the TEACH Center in the Citadel Mall featuring a Lettuce Grow ™ Farmstand Nook hydroponics garden. -
Tri-County Master Gardener, Elizabeth Connor with the TEACH Center seed library.
The Tri-County Master Gardener volunteers have been on hand since opening day to assist clients with gardening questions. The TCMGs staff the space Monday through Friday from 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm. In addition to sharing gardening advice and accepting soil samples, the volunteers also assist clients in choosing up to five packs of free seeds from the TEACH Center Seed Library, which Botanical Interests™ generously sponsors.
Visitors can learn about upcoming programs, such as the fall cohort of the Tri-County Master Gardener Training class, which will be held at the TEACH Center starting mid-September. Applications are now being accepted through July 31, 2024.
Registration is also open for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census Training Day on August 7, 2024, from 10:30-11:30 am. This free training is perfect for gardeners, families, and anyone interested in participating in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census.
The Tri-County Master Gardener volunteers first orientation at the TEACH Center.
The TEACH Center is available free of charge for Clemson Extension personnel and HMHSC partners to host meetings and programs. For information and availability, please contact Amy Dabbs adabbs@clemson.edu. Follow us on Facebook @Clemson Extension TEACH Center at the Citadel Mall.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
