JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class="outer-div">
  <div class="inner-div">
    <span class="course-name">This grand expanse of text should be cut off</span>
  </div>
</div>


<br><br>

<div class="outer-div" style="top: 75px;">
  <div class="inner-div">
    <span class="course-name">v-centered</span>
  </div>
</div>

CSS

.outer-div, span {
  width: 120px;
  height: 45px;
}

.outer-div {
  text-align: center;
  display: table;
  background-color: blue;
  color: white;
}

.inner-div {
  display: table-row;
  vertical-align: middle;
}

span {
  font-weight: bold;
  overflow: hidden;
  text-overflow: ellipsis;
   display: table-cell;   
   vertical-align:middle;
  /* The line in question */
  /* display: inline-block; */
}