For more than 20 years, Snead State Community College teacher Grover Kitchens has influenced the lives of countless students.

The Gadsden native began working at Snead in 1999 and has continued growing his career as a Parson. He is now looking to move on to another career phase by publishing a dissertation of the history of Snead State.

Kitchens has been in the classroom at Snead since 2008 teaching Western Civilization and political science. His path to the classroom wasn’t typical.
For more than 20 years, Snead State Community College teacher Grover Kitchens has influenced the lives of countless students.

The Gadsden native began working at Snead in 1999 and has continued growing his career as a Parson. He is now looking to move on to another career phase by publishing a dissertation of the history of Snead State.

Kitchens has been in the classroom at Snead since 2008 teaching Western Civilization and political science. His path to the classroom wasn’t typical.

“I had gotten my degree in finance and originally wanted to get into banking,” he said. “But I figured out it just wasn’t for me. I began working in the bookstore at Gadsden State Community College and in 1999 took a job at the bookstore at Snead. I’ve loved it the whole time I’ve been here.”

Kitchens taught occasionally between 1999 and 2008 but became a full-time member of the Snead State faculty in 2008.

“I never really thought about writing a dissertation until I became a full-time employee,” he said. “Then, when I decided to finally do it I chose to focus on the history of Snead. Specifically, I focused on its transformation to a junior college in the 1930s.”

Snead State was officially designated as a junior college in 1935 and was known as Snead Junior College at the time. Kitchens said he spent a good amount of time focusing on just how the institution went from a grade school to a junior college.

“When I started researching the subject, I had preconceived notions about what I’d find in the research,” he said. “I actually found so much more than I thought I would. The history of this school is so interesting. One of the most interesting parts of its founding is all the different people who made it happen. I think anyone who has an interest in Snead will find the information just as interesting as I did.”

Kitchens said the dissertation should be ready by late fall.

“All of my work on it will be done in October,” he said. “Then I’ll defend the dissertation. After that, I believe we’ll have a copy of it in the Snead State archives and there will be a copy at the Boaz Public Library.”

The many hours of research he put into the subject helped Kitchens learn new things about the school but also reminded him of why he has a strong connection to the campus and its people.

“I love this place and it’s because of the atmosphere, the history and the Snead family,” he said. “If a student needs help I can direct them to the exact person who will help them best. It is absolutely like a family here and I love the campus. There aren’t many junior colleges in this state that have historical buildings on campus like we do. All of the school’s tradition is rooted in the founding, and that is a big part of my dissertation.”
Just because he’s getting ready to put together 200 pages worth of research doesn’t mean Kitchens won’t be in the classroom this fall. In fact, he’s gearing up to teach five different classes.

“I knew the first time I stepped into a classroom as the instructor I was in the right profession,” he said. “I absolutely love teaching, I love working with the students and the people I work with are great, too.”

He concluded, “My goal with the dissertation is tell a history of place for Snead going all the way back to 1898. It’s very unique school with an interesting history that deserves to be recognized.”