Discover Debt-Free Degrees Using TN Reconnect

  • Friday, May 29, 2020
  • Betty Proctor, Chattanooga State

The Tennessee Reconnect Scholarship at Chattanooga State Community College is a program that has enabled hundreds of students to either begin a new educational path or return to college, basically debt-free.

During this unprecedented economic downturn, TN Reconnect can provide the opportunity to further educational goals that may have been put off due to other obligations. “Most Tennessee Reconnect students are 24 or older,” said Adult Services Director Marsha Barker. “Students must first apply for the PELL grant, but if they do not qualify for PELL, or if they only qualify for a partial PELL grant, Reconnect, as a last-dollar scholarship, will pick up the rest of the cost so that 100 percent of your tuition and fees are paid for up to five years. Also, TN Reconnect has no income limit.” Ms. Barker says that Reconnect allows those five years because most adult students work full-time jobs.

Combinations of Virtual and In-Person Information Sessions about Tennessee Reconnect have been scheduled through June. With several choices of available days and times each week, participants can choose the best time to attend.

Reservations for Tennessee Reconnect Virtual and In-Person Information Sessions can be made at www.chattanoogastate.edu/tnreconnect for any of the following dates:

Mondays, June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 2 p.m. via Webex online
Thursdays, June 4 and 29 at 5 p.m. via Webex online
Thursdays, June 11, 18, and 25 at 5:30 p.m. in-person in Room C-30
Saturdays, June 6, 13, 20, and 27 at 10 a.m. via Webex online
 
Sessions last approximately 45-minutes and provide information about how to apply for TN Reconnect, FAFSA and to Chattanooga State, eligibility requirements, covered costs, and how to access Adult Student Success Stories for inspiration.

“I went to college right out of high school in 2007, but I was unsure about a career, unmotivated, and did not succeed in my courses. TN Reconnect made it possible for me to return to school and focus on a career in nursing that would have an impact on others,” said Olga Powers, 30, registered nursing major.

“Join me for a TN Reconnect Info Session to learn more about the last-dollar scholarship for adults to earn an associate degree free of tuition and mandatory fees,” said Ms. Barker. 

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