A thank you from tnAchieves

At tnAchieves, we champion a simple but game-changing idea - a college credential can be a powerful equalizer. This guiding principle allows us to remain vigilant in our goal of Building Tennessee’s Future Workforce.

For nearly two decades, we have actively worked against relying on “the way it’s always been done.” We challenged the status quo. We never believed that good was good enough. We worked tirelessly to set the gold standard in serving our students, families, communities and state. And it has paid off.

In an effort not to bury the lede, tnAchieves crossed 50,000 (actually 53,168!) graduates and saw an unprecedented FIVE percentage point increase in our three-year college graduation rate. This not only means more vulnerable students are earning a college credential. It also means we are creating a turnkey workforce for our state.

Statistically, many of our students are considered underserved. In fact, more than 89 percent of our students come from a vulnerable student population. But these students are full of pluck, promise and possibility. With targeted support from tnAchieves and an eye on their future, our students defy the odds.

Encouragement, proactive coaching, mentorship, and in some cases, modest amounts of funding become game changers. Through Knox Promise, statewide COMPLETE Coaching and Grants, summer programming and our ACCESS work, we are digging deeper with students who need additional support to persist and complete that college credential. In fact, our privately-funded Knox Promise program informs the future of our work with its off-the chart results and success.

Beyond the classroom, our work continues to expand into hands-on experiences and community connections. More than 30 employers across the state—including partners such as 21st Mortgage, First Horizon Bank, St. Jude, Tennessee State Government and UT Medical Center — hosted job shadow days in the fall and spring, offering students direct exposure to high-demand careers.

We also continued to strengthen our coaching model through a public-private partnership between tnAchieves, Slingshot and MDRC, enhancing COMPLETE Coaching practices at Southwest Tennessee Community College and introducing new ACCESS coaching in Shelby County. This collaboration allows us to refine and scale what we know works for students.

And what we know works for students is true no matter where a student lives and goes to school. tnAchieves IS rural Tennessee. This year, we celebrated HUGE wins across our rural communities. This one always hits differently as I am a proud product of a rural Tennessee upbringing.

As questions about the value of higher education continue to surface nationally, tnAchieves offers a clear counter-narrative. Our students are better prepared and more likely to complete a credential that leads to a high-quality career and economic mobility. And, we are proud to say that 84.7% of our graduates live and work in Tennessee.

None of this is possible without you.

Every mentor who shows up for a student, every employer who opens their doors and every donor who chooses to invest—you are the reason these outcomes are real and not simply aspirational.

Thank you for walking alongside us, for trusting tnAchieves and for choosing to invest your time, resources and energy into this critical mission. We are deeply grateful for what we have accomplished together and incredibly excited for what lies ahead.

With sincere gratitude and excitement for 2026,

Krissy

Krissy DeAlejandro
President & CEO, tnAchieves