In Tennessee, high school students are able to attend a community or technical college tuition-free thanks to a state scholarship and mentoring program called Tennessee Promise. A similar program called Tennessee Reconnect offers the same free tuition to adults returning to school.
Yet the Nashville State Community College Foundation has found that simply removing the initial barrier of paying tuition doesn’t ensure that students will complete their degree and secure a pathway toward the kinds of better-paying jobs that a two-year degree can open up.
One problem is that tuition is far from the only expense students face when they arrive on campus. That’s why the Foundation has launched the Beyond Financial Aid initiative to provide a more comprehensive range of support resources, helping students with essential living expenses such as transportation, textbooks, childcare and meals. A grant from Bank of America will support the program at the school’s Davidson County campuses.
By removing the financial hurdles to completing a degree, the Foundation will be helping students get through college, not just into college.
