August 12, 2026 – MONTGOMERY, ALA. – The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) and the Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) announced Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC) as one of seven ACCS schools serving as anchor institutions to the fiber network. The announcement was made during the ACCS Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday morning.
As anchor institutions, ACCS colleges will also act as a vital community hub and a structural launching pad to branch out last-mile connections into surrounding neighborhoods, especially in rural communities. Each school will be able to offer public access, Wi-Fi, and digital literacy training for vulnerable, low-income, or rural populations who lack home internet.
“The Alabama Fiber Network reaches every corner of the state and positively impacts Alabama communities, families and businesses. We pride ourselves on those strengths as well,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy Baker. “From the beginning of this partnership, we knew our colleges would benefit tremendously from these services. This network gives our colleges the infrastructure to share resources, strengthen academic and workforce programs, and better serve students across the state while preparing us for the technologies of tomorrow.”
ACCS colleges will have exclusive access to a dedicated data network which will provide resilient, scalable, high-capacity connectivity that allows colleges to securely share administrative tools, academic resources, research opportunities, and emerging technologies. It will also strengthen each institution’s ability to serve students, employers, and communities through workforce development, shared research, and community outreach.
“Connecting Alabama’s community colleges through a resilient, high-capacity network is a powerful example of our mission in action,” said Terry Metze, CEO of Alabama Fiber Network. “These institutions educate our workforce, support employers, and strengthen communities across the state. Giving them the infrastructure to connect and collaborate is an investment in Alabama’s future.”
“High speed, fiber networking is an essential component of pushing Alabama forward. It makes life better, including through education. The ACCS and the AFN are a perfect fit to help fulfill the needs of Alabamians in this area,” said Alabama Senator Donnie Chesteen (87th District), one of the main proponents of broadband expansion.
Gadsden State, Lurleen B. Wallace, Northwest Shoals, Shelton State, Snead State, Southern Union, Wallace Community College-Selma make up the first cohort of ACCS schools to go live on the fiber network. The goal is to have all 24 ACCS community and technical schools join the network by the end of 2027, strengthening teaching, learning and college operations.
“We are excited to be joining the Alabama Fiber Network as an anchor institution,” stated NWSCC President Dr. Jeff Goodwin. “High-speed, reliable connectivity is vital—not only for enhancing our academic instruction and workforce training programs, but also for bridging the digital divide in our surrounding rural areas. As a hub institution our connectivity infrastructure will increase dramatically. This will, in turn, increase reliability and access to public Wi-Fi and digital resources on our campuses.”
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About Northwest Shoals Community College: Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC) is part of the Alabama Community College System and home to over 5,000 students. NWSCC offers over 100 certificate and degree programs and is committed to providing academic, career, technical, athletic, and lifelong educational opportunities that promote economic growth and enrich the quality of life for the people it serves. For more information about NWSCC, visit https://nwscc.edu/.