At Scale Newsletter: September 2025
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!
Coaches ARE Back on Campus
The school year is back in full swing! That means our coaches are back on campus and ready to meet with and support students. If you see them around, make sure to say hello!
In Knox County, seniors will see our Knox Access Coaches at their high schools. Knox Access Coaches will help seniors meet those college access milestones and goals like applying for TN Promise (reminder the deadline is November 3rd!), applying for college and completing the FAFSA (open now!).
For college students, our COMPLETE and Knox Promise Coaches are back on community college and TCAT campuses across the state to meet one-on-one with students! Their goal? Inspire and encourage students to complete their degree or credential by serving as a trusted accountability partner. From there, coaches can support a student who wants to transfer into a four-year university for their bachelor’s degree, or they can assist a student into the workforce alongside our new tnAchieves Workforce Mentors.
Rural Impact Celebration & Report
Thanks to TCAT Upper Cumberland for hosting the tnAchieves Rural Impact Celebration! Since 2011, tnAchieves has served 257,956 rural Tennessee students across 75 rural counties. That is why we wanted to pause and celebrate the rural students, families and communities we proudly serve.
At tnAchieves, we believe deeply in Building Tennessee’s Future Workforce. That is not possible without building RURAL Tennessee’s Future Workforce. It means ensuring that every community, especially our rural ones, has a seat at the table.
If you could not join the celebration (or even if you did), we encourage you to check out the recorded live stream and read the report at tnAchieves.org/rural. It’s proof that when rural communities thrive, Tennessee thrives. It is also a reflection of our deep commitment to meeting every student where they are, at scale, regardless of zip code. Here is what the return on investment looks like for rural Tennessee:
🎙️ Krissy Featured on Catalysts for Change Podcast
tnAchieves President & CEO Krissy DeAlejandro joined Adam Lister on the Catalysts for Change podcast to share her journey from rural McMinnville to leading one of the nation’s most ambitious college access programs. A first-generation student herself, she reflected on overcoming self-doubt and how those experiences fuel her mission to expand opportunity through last-dollar scholarships, mentoring, college coaching and community service—all while building Tennessee’s future workforce.
Listen and Subscribe: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube / RSS
Home Stretch of Mentor Recruitment
Engaging communities through mentorship has always been central to the tnAchieves mission, and NOW is the time to apply to support the Class of 2026. Mentors play a critical role in helping students see how their education connects to real-world careers, opening doors to new possibilities. By sharing insights, experiences and connections, mentors give students access to opportunities that can shape their future workforce success.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: November 14
THIS YEAR, mentors will have two ways to support students:
Workforce Mentorship: A new, career-focused option pairing second-year college students with mentors in their field to provide real-world perspective and workforce skills.
Access Mentorship: Our long-standing model matching high school seniors with mentors by school or county to guide them through the transition to college.
Williamson Inc. Welcomes tnAchieves
The tnAchieves team has been across the state sharing the impact of our mentor program, including a recent visit to Williamson Inc. to discuss how mentoring supports workforce development. Thank you to the businesses and organizations that welcomed us—and especially to those who committed to mentoring. To schedule a visit about the power of mentors, contact our Director of Mentors, Baylor Atkins, at baylor@tnachieves.org.
