At Scale Newsletter: May 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of the At Scale Newsletter, where we highlight the impactful programs and initiatives falling into one of our three priorities — all designed to drive our mission to Build Tennessee’s Future Workforce.
Click to read each section!
It’s Graduation Season!
We want to congratulate the Class of 2026 on their huge accomplishments!
Our coaches have been on various high school and college campuses across the state to see their students cross the stage and get that diploma. Check out some of the pictures!
Seniors are now preparing to enroll and register in their first college semester this fall. Our COMPLETE and Knox Promise Coaches will be reaching out over the summer to make sure they are ready to step onto their college campus with confidence!
For the tnAchieves students who received their associate degree or technical certificate, they will now enter the workforce OR prepare to transfer to a four-year university. These students will be supported by our Workforce Mentors as well as our COMPLETE and Knox Promise Coaches.
Building Tennessee’s Future Workforce means supporting a student in their next steps, even beyond accepting a diploma.
Congratulations to all of the graduates! We are so proud of you!
Listening to Partners, Strengthening Student Support
Throughout the spring term, the tnAchieves team visited more than 30 high schools across Tennessee to gather feedback directly from counselors and school partners.
These conversations provided valuable insight into the successes and ongoing challenges students continue to face as they navigate the college-going process.
Throughout these visits, counselors highlighted several key trends and opportunities:
Effective TN Promise Meeting Format: In-school and virtual TN Promise Meetings continue to reduce barriers like transportation and scheduling while helping more students access important college-going information.
FAFSA & Parent Engagement: FAFSA completion remains a major challenge, particularly regarding parent participation, account access issues and support for families without Social Security Numbers.
Career ROI & Workforce Interest: Students are increasingly focused on career outcomes, workforce opportunities and skilled trades, creating a need for clearer connections between education and careers.
Perception of Community College: While some stigma remains, there is growing opportunity to highlight the affordability, workforce readiness and transfer benefits of community college pathways.
Earlier Engagement & Job Shadowing: Counselors expressed strong interest in earlier engagement with juniors and expanded job shadowing opportunities to better connect students with career pathways.
Our work is only possible because of our partners and their commitment to students across Tennessee. Your feedback, collaboration and commitment to students continue to shape and strengthen this work across Tennessee.
Opening Doors Through Job Shadowing
Job shadowing ensures students gain meaningfulcareer experience and perspective. In a recent report, we found tnAchieves students who participate in a job shadowing experience are 24 percent more likely to graduate than their peers. We are deeply grateful to the businesses across the state who partner with us to give students a first-hand look at the day-to-day realities of careers in their fields.
This spring, we are aiming to have 500 students register across the state for Job Shadow Days.
tnAchieves hosts Job Shadow Days each spring and fall. Each time they are offered, more students register to explore a variety of career paths and get an inside look at leading local employers across the state. That includes the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Nissan, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Tennessee Titans and Dollywood!
Registration for job shadow days is open until June 26! Students can register here. Job shadowing (at a tnAchieves Job Shadow Day or on your own) does count as community service for the TN Promise requirement. Students, remember your next community service deadline is August 1!
If your business would like to host a future tnAchieves Job Shadow Day please reach out to our Vice President of Workforce, Tyler Ford (tyler@tnAchieves.org) or Director of Workforce, Lydia Stullken (lydia@tnAchieves.org). You can learn more about job shadowing here.
