State Representative Ron Travis joined with key educational leaders in seeking mentors for the state’s new Tennessee Promise plan which was adopted by the legislature earlier this year.
The Tennessee Promise plan allows for last dollar scholarships to community college or colleges of applied technology for Tennessee’s high school seniors. “Last dollar” means the state will pay the balance owed for tuition and fees after any other financial aid, such as Pell grants or the HOPE scholarship, have been applied. Tennessee is the first state in the nation to provide such a program for its students.
Currently, local community colleges and TCATs, parents, counselors and teachers are all working together to ensure that interested students are enrolled in the Tennessee Promise and are prepared for community college in the Fall. Additionally, stakeholders are reaching out to community members in order to locate mentors for the Tennessee Promise inaugural class.
“Mentors are crucial to the Tennessee Promise program,” said Rep. Travis. “They are the folks who will help students navigate the college admissions process and ensure they complete Tennessee Promise program requirements in order to receive the scholarship.”
The state is two weeks away from the Nov. 1 Tennessee Promise deadline for high school seniors. This date also marks the deadline for volunteer mentors to sign up. A mentor’s commitment typically takes 10 -15 hours annually, essentially making this a simple one hour a month commitment.
“Anyone interested in becoming a Tennessee Promise mentor can visit tennesseepromise.gov to sign up,” continued Rep. Travis. “By volunteering your time, you truly will make a difference in the lives of our students.”