Chattanooga State Community College will offer a “sunny” welcome to both new and returning Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect students arriving on campus this coming week with a special celebration on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Amphitheater.
Under the theme “My Future’s So Bright,” Tennessee Promise and Reconnect students will be invited to participate in a variety of activities during the college’s annual Welcome Week. Students will write down the visions of their futures on a special banner and take a “future selfie” dressed in graduation attire or other gear associated with their future careers. A limited number of sunglasses also will be given away to attendees.
“As the second class of Tennessee Promise students arrive, and the first class returns, we want to give them a little extra recognition to make sure our students first days on campus are engaging,” said Nancy Patterson, vice president of College Advancement and Public Relations. “These students have taken a big step toward ensuring their futures are indeed bright. We want to show them that we are dedicated to helping them succeed.”
A number of special guests will join the students to celebrate their arrival on campus and encourage them to reach their full potential. These guests will include Regent Tom Griscom, Senator Bo Watson, Hamilton County Commissioner Warren Mackey, and Senator Todd Gardenhire.
Tennessee Promise, now in its second year, is a state program offering two years of free tuition at one of the state’s 13 community colleges or 27 colleges of applied technology in the state for any student graduating from a Tennessee high school. More than 16,000 students enrolled in the first Tennessee Promise class in fall 2015, contributing to a 10.1 percent increase in overall first-time freshman enrollment in Tennessee public higher education in the fall of 2015 over the previous year. The Tennessee Reconnect program is a newer program for eligible older Tennesseans to return to college.
“Our students have taken a big step toward ensuring their futures are indeed bright,” said Dr. Flora Tydings, president of Chattanooga State. “And we have a dedicated team of faculty and staff ready to help all of our students succeed and achieve their dreams.”