Dr. Vernon Price’s name is easily one of the most recognizable among students at Henderson County Junior College and Trinity Valley Community College over the past half-century. When students are asked to name a teacher who made a lasting impact, his name comes up time and again.

He has received multiple accolades during his tenure, including being honored with the Teaching Excellence Award three times. But perhaps even more meaningful to him are the heartfelt letters and testimonials from former students over the years:

“Each student is reached in a different manner,” shared TVCC alum Kent Franklin. “Often the smartest people do poorly because of their method of study. The beauty of Dr. Price’s teaching is his great desire to see each student learn and his awesome knowledge of his field. He takes boring material and makes it come alive and easy to understand.”

“Everything Dr. Price taught me I was being reintroduced to as a fourth-level student in the University of Texas Bachelor of Science in Nursing program,” said alumna Amber Scheppler. “I was prepared for nursing school because of Dr. Price and all the information he provided us. I was never an A student—until I made an A in his class. He gave me a positive academic experience that changed my life.”

Over the years, he has taught under every HCJC and TVCC college president and notable alumni including TVCC Board of Trustees President Steve Grant. In addition to his influence in the classroom, countless students were impacted by his book, What Every Student Should Know About Studying, but Didn’t Know to Ask!

But Price’s journey with TVCC began long before he stepped into a classroom as a student or professor—it began under a circus tent.

In the mid-1940s, a young Price—just four or five years old—attended a traveling circus set up on what was then the Henderson County Fairgrounds, now the site of TVCC’s Technology Building in Athens. That day, he saw his first elephant—and tragically, witnessed an acrobat fall to their death. It was a formative moment, one of many that would tie his life to this place.

His childhood was filled with vivid memories of the area: catching crawfish in Dilsey Creek, learning to play tennis on courts where the Academic Building now stands, and growing up just blocks from the college—then called Henderson County Junior College until 1986. In 1959, he enrolled as a student, graduating two years later before pursuing graduate studies and launching a career in the food industry.

After five years in a research and development role that required frequent travel, Price, who at the time was a young father of two, realized that big-city life wasn’t for him. In 1969, he and his family returned to Athens, where they built a home and settled down for good.

Thanks to a recommendation from his former professor and mentor, Mr. Rosco Francis—the college’s first biology instructor—Price was hired to teach biology at HCJC.

“I loved teaching from the very first day,” he said. “TVCC is such a family-oriented place to work, and there’s nothing more rewarding than teaching students, if you ask me.

Over the next five decades, Dr. Price became a cornerstone of the biology department. He played a pivotal role in developing its curriculum and mentored generations of educators—including Thomas Booth, the department’s third biology instructor and someone Price proudly helped guide from student to colleague.

“This place has always been within walking distance of my heart,” he reflected. “Fifty-eight years total—two as a student, fifty-six as a teacher—it’s not just a job, it’s a life.”

Dr. Price’s influence extended far beyond lectures and lab experiments. Recognizing that standard textbooks at times failed to prepare students for the demands of nursing and medical professions, he reimagined his microbiology course to ensure students truly understood and could apply what they learned.

“I’ve taught future doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses,” he said. “Their success—and the lives they touch—began, in part, with the expectations we held here.”

His teaching philosophy was grounded in three simple rules: keep going as long as you feel good, still love your students, and can walk into class and teach without notes. For decades, those conditions remained true. But as academic trends shifted—shorter semesters, the rise of online testing, and increasing use of AI—Dr. Price found himself re-evaluating.

The decision he once thought unimaginable became necessary: Dr. Price will retire at the end of the Spring 2025 semester.

“It’s hard,” he admitted. “I’ll miss the classroom. I’ll miss my science family—people who stood by me during the hardest times of my life, including the loss of my wife. But I also have things to do and places to see.”

Clicking “send” on his retirement letter, he said, was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.

Though he’s stepping away, Dr. Price is proud of the department and confident in the people who will carry it forward—especially Booth.

“I had Thomas as a student, and when we had the opportunity to add a biology professor, I had to recommend him,” Price said. “I instilled many lessons in him as a student, and as a fellow professor, I’ve had the joy of watching him grow. I’m proud to leave the biology classes in his hands.”

Dr. Price turns 85 in December 2025. His father retired at 65 and lived to be 102, and Price has every intention of making the most of the years ahead. He remains active—lifting weights, playing tennis, and staying sharp.

“Thank you, HCJC and TVCC,” he said. “You’ve given me a life filled with meaning, purpose, and people I’ll never forget.”

On May 15 at 11 a.m., TVCC will celebrate his retirement and recognize and honor his remarkable 56 years of dedicated service to students at TVCC. The retirement party will be held in the Gibbs Academic Building on the Athens Campus.