Mentors Still Needed

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Oct. 25, 2014) - - - The Nov. 1 deadline is looming for students and mentors to enroll in the Tennessee Promise. High school seniors must apply for the Promise by this date in order to be eligible for free tuition. In addition, Columbia State Community College is waiving the $10 application fee for those who apply for the Promise and to the college by Nov. 1.

The 2015 high school graduating class is the first group of eligible students who can take advantage of the program. The statewide initiative is designed to provide two years of community college or technical school tuition-free for any student graduating from a Tennessee high school or home school.

There is also still a need for community members to get involved as mentors. Mentors are a critical component of the initiative. Each student will have an assigned mentor to ensure they complete all program requirements in order to receive the scholarship. Students and mentors can enroll online at www.tnpromise.gov/.

The Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship to cover tuition and fees not covered by the Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship or TSAA funds. Students may use the scholarship at any of the state's 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology or other eligible institution offering an associate's degree program.

Tennessee Promise is part of the Governor Bill Haslam's "Drive to 55" initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with some form of post-secondary credential. To learn more about the Promise, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Tennessee-Promise.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.

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