Nashville Flex: Redesigning policies to better serve the part-time college student.

“It’s care. It’s support. It’s knowing that you are not just kind of on your own.” – Shane, Flex student

Like community colleges nationally, more than half of Nashville State Community College’s student body enroll part-time (56%). Part-time students face different financial, social and academic challenges than traditional students. Colleges face unique challenges engaging part-time students to help them persist and succeed to degree completion. Part-time students have much to offer to their communities, and higher education policies (federal, state, and institutional) need to pivot to address their needs if they are to succeed.

Coming from all walks of life, and despite their experiences and skill sets, part-time students are traditionally overlooked. Unlike full-time students who are seen as the fuel of college budgeting, recruitment, retention, and completion efforts – these efforts tend to focus on part-time students more as an afterthought – part-time students can be invisible since they pay less tuition and spend less time on campus. State policies and programs are often designed with the full-time student in mind, overlooking the part-time student. Scholarships, including “Promise” scholarships, often require students to be full-time.

Like most other states, Tennessee’s last-dollar promise scholarship known as the TN Promise Scholarship, is limited to students who enroll full-time. Recognizing these and other barriers, The TN College Access and Success Network (TCASN), Nashville State, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, and Kresge Foundation for Education made the decision to focus on the success of part-time students with a demonstration project called Nashville Flex.

“Part-time students have the same affordability issues, and academic issues, as any other student.  In fact, probably more so. They are often trying to balance a job, family, kids, and college all at once. Since COVID, there has been a dramatic shift in college-going and we believe the future of postsecondary education will require a pivot to better serving the part-time student,” said Bob Obrohta, executive director of TCASN.

“Nashville State is focused on being a student ready college. A critical piece is understanding what supports our students need to succeed,” said Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, president of Nashville State. “Like Nashville GRAD, Flex provides wrap-around services, helping remove financial barriers and providing social and emotional support to our part-time students as they persist and graduate.”  

Flex is modeled after the successful Nashville GRAD program. GRAD students’ 2-year graduation rate is nearly double that of other NSCC students, and GRAD students persist (84.5% vs. 68.5%) and are retained (57% vs. 45%) at higher rates than TN Promise students.

“Nashville GRAD and Flex students frequently describe their interactions with program advisers as key to their success in college,” said Dr. Carolyn Heinrich, Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Public Policy, Education and Economics in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. “They greatly appreciate the connections their advisers help them to make with financial supports that allow them to devote more time to their studies and with social workers and other services that help to ease their stress and support their social and emotional well-being.”

As part of Nashville Flex, part-time students receive: $150 per semester for textbooks, $100 monthly for transit and/or food, a loaner laptop, a strong peer network, and a dedicated advisor who provides mentoring and support. Flex students can also request emergency funds to help support them when unexpected financial challenges arise – such as car repairs or medical bills.

Flex soft-launched in January with 11 students. With full implementation beginning this fall semester, the roster for the demonstration project has grown to 52 students.

“My students are so resilient,” said Lindsay Hager, manager of peer mentoring and Flex student success advisor. “They are fighting so much, and yet they still prioritize their education. They prioritize it because they know it will better their future, no matter how hard it is right now.”

Hager knows her role is crucial in the success of her students. “The mental health aspect of knowing you have someone you can trust and count on is key. Flex students know they can come to me with their problems, and I will help them troubleshoot them and find the right resource, if needed.”

Kyle, a Nashville Flex student, returned to college after a multi-year break to study nursing. He shared his worries about the transition back, “It was scary. I mean, I didn’t really know what to expect.” Kyle works full-time in a public service role so he can only take three classes a semester. Being connected to a success advisor has helped him feel more confident, “And so having somebody that would, like, walk alongside me, throughout the whole thing is definitely comforting.”

Antoinette, a Nashville Flex student, shared that her success advisor has played a huge role in supporting her during her first semester. She decided to pursue her college degree after a period of long-term incarceration and explained that going to college has been “overwhelming.” She currently works 30+ hours per week as a manager at a local business.

“I’m still always either on the phone or text to [advisor’s name], because she’s a lifesaver.” After experiencing an emergency while enrolled, Antoinette shared that her advisor stepped up to assist her in completing tasks that enabled her to stay enrolled the following semester: “She registered me for this semester and next semester. I mean... she just did everything that I couldn’t mentally do... She really put my mind at ease,” she said.

The financial supports provided through Flex help keep students from feeling forced to choose between employment or postsecondary. “The $100 a month is huge to these students,” says Hager.

Kyle explained that Flex’s financial supports enable him to work less overtime, focus on his schoolwork, spend more time with his family, and achieve his degree goals. “I’m working full time and some overtime. But even working full time isn’t really covering all of the bills, with everything being so high right now... I think if I wasn’t in the Flex program, I would probably have to sign up for another one or two shifts,” he said.

Shane, another Nashville Flex student, shared how the financial support has allowed her focus on her classes rather than work. “I can work 8 hours less this week and still be able to get groceries. It really, really does give you this sense of comfort and this level of ‘things are going to be okay,’” she said.

In addition to the supports provided to Nashville State part-time students, Flex works in the Nashville Promise Zone neighborhoods to increase the number of students enrolling and re-engaging in higher education. More than half of households in Nashville Promise Zone neighborhoods report zero income, and residents have the city’s lowest postsecondary education levels (28% have a degree), making upward mobility, affordable housing and employment more difficult to obtain. Flex has trained more than 100 community members as Reconnect Ambassadors. Reconnect Ambassadors are trusted individuals who live within the targeted communities who can help connect potential students to the individuals and resources they need to succeed at Nashville State and other college campuses.

“Working adults face numerous barriers in their journey to gain upward economic mobility. The support of employers and community members is a critical component to successfully completing postsecondary education. That’s why we train community organizations and employers to serve as Reconnect Ambassadors,” said Stephanie Coleman, Chief Talent Development Officer at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. “Reconnect Ambassadors inspire employees and adults in their community to upskill or reskill to further their career opportunities. Ambassadors have the information needed to connect people to resources and navigation support that will allow them to successfully enroll, persist, and complete a degree or credential.”

Nashville Flex is funded through The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0, short for College Promise 2.0. CoPro2.0 funds research and programming innovations that help to scale and improve the next generations of equitable, financially sustainable College Promise programs, or “free college” programs, working with community colleges across the United States.

To learn more about Nashville Flex, please visit: https://www.nscc.edu/admissions/nashville-flex.

To learn about becoming a Reconnect Ambassador, please email Shohreh Daraei – sdaraei@nashvillechamber.com.

TCASN Welcomes Three New Board Members

TCASN proudly welcomes Vanessa Lazón, Marcy Singer-Gabella, and Eric Stokes to its board.

Vanessa Lazón works for the Office of English Learners (EL) at Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) as the EL Family & Community Specialist. In this role, she works directly with EL families and schools to solidify the pivotal partnership needed for students to be successful. Vanessa spent a big part of her first year with MNPS helping families overcome the challenges that come with virtual learning due to the pandemic but has since been working to plan and implement initiatives and community partnerships to support EL students and their families. 

Vanessa moved to Nashville from Lima, Perú in the late nineties and got to finish high school locally. Her immigration experience along with her college years and the experiences at the beginning of her professional career in non-profit helped her understand that having the appropriate resources and supports is vital for New Americans/English Learners to successfully face challenges and start their journey towards a thriving and engaged life in their new home. Her vast experiences working with diverse populations helped her become an advocate and in turn fueled her passion to help immigrants and refugees by connecting their needs with appropriate resources, as well as supporting them as they learn how to navigate existing systems, and begin to offer their talents, knowledge, and wisdom to their new community.  

Vanessa is a graduate of Lipscomb University and a “MyCity Academy” program graduate. She is part of the inaugural cohort of the Mosaic Fellowship, served as co-chair for the Mayor’s New Americans Advisory Council, led the Mayor’s Office of New Americans for four years, and is a board member for The Nashville Food Project.

Marcy Singer-Gabella is a professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt, and faculty director of the Nashville Partnership for Educational Equity Research (PEER), a research-practice partnership between Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and Vanderbilt University. Over the past 30 years, she has collaborated with school, district and university educators to address barriers to equitable educational opportunity and post-secondary success for students, and to build professional learning cultures for teachers. She has served on the provost’s staff to foster partnerships with K-12 and higher education institutions in Tennessee, and led degree programs in curriculum and teacher education.  In 2018-19 she served as Chief of Staff of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools while on leave from the university.

Her scholarship centers on designing inclusive contexts that bring together stakeholders -- from families to non-profits to government agencies -- to investigate and address pressing problems of inequity.  Singer-Gabella teaches courses in the Learning, Diversity and Urban Studies program (M.Ed.), Learning, Teaching and Diversity program (Ph.D.), and undergraduate teacher education programs.  She also directs “Tutor Nashville”, a partnership between Vanderbilt and MNPS’ Accelerating Scholars program.

Dr. Eric Stokes is the Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Services and Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation at the University of Memphis.  He proudly joined the Tiger family in the summer of 2017.  In his 18-year college admissions career he has traveled nationally to inspire students.  A few career highlights include directed a summer institute for at-risk college freshmen, coordinated overnight campus visit programs, and mentored students to become college graduates, leaders, and young professionals.  Currently, he leads a team of 40 people to recruit and enroll new Tigers.  Eric is an enthusiastic educator with a passion to serve his community. 

Eric is a native of Knoxville, TN.  He is an alumnus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (2002) and The University of Tennessee Knoxville (2004, 2017).  His dissertation title was: The impact of non-cognitive factors on first-year GPA for university eligible students from low-performing high schools.  Eric was a 2021-2022 Maxine Smith Fellow, a 2017-2019 board member of SACAC (Southern Association of College Admissions Counselors), as well as the 2015-2018 co-chair for NACAC’s (National Association of College Admissions Counselors) African American Special Interest Group. 

Eric has a beautiful and phenomenal wife, Dr. Jamia Stokes, who is the Senior Director of Postsecondary Pathways for TN SCORE. They have been married for sixteen years and have three children.  Kendalyn is a sophomore at the University of Memphis, Evan is an energetic 8-year-old and granddaughter, Kylinn, is 3 years old and full of personality.  Eric is the son of Douglas and Beverly Stokes, long-time educators in Knoxville, and has an older brother and younger sister, both college graduates as well.  In his spare time, Eric enjoys interacting with family and friends, traveling, watching TV and movies, trying to be something-like-a pit master on the grill, playing PlayStation, and coaching sports.  He is a second-generation brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  Eric is a most proud to be a Christian and a member of Rogers Memorial Baptist Church (Knoxville, TN). 

GOAL Collective joins the Tennessee College Access and Success Network

The Tennessee College Access and Success Network (TCASN) announced today that it will begin oversight and serve as the backbone organization for Nashville’s GOAL Collective. GOAL Collective is an adult education initiative of 20 providers that aims to create an efficient adult education system with resources for both agencies and learners alike.

With the collective mission of tripling the number of Nashville adults achieving their educational goals by 2025, the Goal Collective serves to identify opportunities, understand barriers, and make data-informed decisions around future programming and other needs for adult learners. 

Having previously been overseen by three agencies - Begin Anew of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Adult Literacy Council, and the Nashville Public Library – TCASN will assume the backbone role and support the project, while adding its expertise to further expand postsecondary opportunities for adult learners. 

“We are excited to become part of the GOAL Collective community and see our role as building on the already accomplished excellent work,” said Bob Obrohta, TCASN’s executive director.  “Supporting adult learners along their educational path, so that everyone can benefit from Nashville’s economic growth, is essential. Barriers such as limited English proficiency, unreliable care for children or elders, literacy, and lack of access to transportation have prevented many adults from accessing vital education and skills training to engage in the thriving economy and secure gainful employment. Our collective mission is to reverse that trend.”

Goal Collective is generously supported by the following funding partners: The Community Foundation of Middle TN, Dollar General Literacy Fund, Scarlett Family Foundation, Joe C. Davis Foundation, The Frist Foundation, HCA Healthcare Foundation, and The Memorial Foundation. For a complete list of the community-based partners, see www.goalcollective.org

College and Post-Secondary Enrollments of Metro Nashville Public Schools Graduates Hit 10-Year Low

Nashville Public Education Foundation’s Bridge to Completion report also finds college-going equity gap greater than ever as Black and Hispanic losses double those of White and Asian students

NASHVILLE, TENN. – April 13, 2022 – Exploring the college-going trends for Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) students and graduates, the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) released its 2022 Bridge to Completion Report in partnership with research partner Tennessee College Access and Success Network (TCASN). The fifth edition of the annual report, this year’s findings emphasize pandemic losses and equity gaps in college-going trends in 2021. Despite its challenges, the report also highlights favorable trends in college persistence and completion rates of prior graduates. Notably, the report offers specific recommendations for city and state leaders to improve college going and completion rates, and successful student outcomes across Nashville.

“Last year’s data prepared us for continued declines in college-going for the class of 2021, but it didn’t illustrate the distinct equity disparity that this year’s report does,” said Jennifer Hill, Vice President, Policy and Programming at the Nashville Public Education Foundation. “It’s critical that our community use the knowledge and data we have to increase supports and implement vital changes to ensure Nashville’s students have the best chance at postsecondary attainment.”

Already in decline prior to the pandemic, the college-going rate (CGR) for graduates of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) in 2021 fell further by 5% vs 2020 to the lowest point in more than a decade. The total pandemic loss is now estimated at 9% spanning 2020-21 data. While the overall CGR continues to show decline, losses are now more specific to Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx students (down 3% and 6% respectively from 2020). While not returning to pre-pandemic levels, White and Asian students’ CGR increased in 2021 (up 1% and 3% respectively from 2020).

“No surprise, the pandemic continues to intensify existing inequities in college access,” said Bob Obrohta, Executive Director of the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. “This year’s findings further illustrate the critical need for systemic changes to support education professionals and community organizations who are working tirelessly to ensure Nashville’s students and families are well-supported in attaining postsecondary education.”

The 2022 Bridge to Completion report makes two key recommendations: 1) the creation of a citywide college completion initiative and report on annual metrics of success and 2) the reform of state tuition and financial aid policies to be more inclusive and supportive of low-income students and students of color.

“As we enter the era of post-pandemic learning, it’s critical that we examine the inequities exacerbated since March of 2020,” said Hill. “The losses experienced during the pandemic will continue to impact our schools and students so we must actively address the barriers to attainment for low-income students and students of color so that ALL Nashville’s students can thrive in school and pursue their postsecondary aspirations.”

The Bridge to Completion report is conducted in collaboration with MNPS and analyzes National Student Clearinghouse data on MNPS graduates from the last seven years as well as data from interviews with college and career professionals. As such, the 2022 Bridge to Completion report finds favorable trends in college persistence and completion, with 4-year college persistence holding from 2018 and college completion holding from the previous year, maintaining, or increasing for the fourth consecutive year. Positively, college completion has either increased or remained consistent over the last five years and is consistent with the national average for similar districts.

NPEF regularly convenes stakeholders to advocate for data-driven solutions in public education. In addition to college access and success, NPEF addresses topics such as education funding, the importance of effective principals and leaders, teacher recruitment and retention, and the conditions that must be present in schools for children to thrive.

About the Nashville Public Education Foundation

The Nashville Public Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works to remove barriers for students by promoting excellence, serving as a critical friend to Metro Nashville Public Schools, convening stakeholders, and advocating for change so all students can thrive in school. More information is available at nashvillepef.org.

Media Contact: Paul Oakley / poakley@tinymightyco.com; Kathleen Grooms / kgrooms@tinymightyco.com

UBS Provides Critical Funding in Support of College Access and Completion Programs at Nashville State Community College

NASHVILLE, TN, February 9, 2022 – Nashville State Community College today announced that UBS, the leading global wealth manager, has committed funding for two strategic grants, aimed at local programs focused on increasing access to college and supporting students while in school. UBS will contribute $75,000 to Nashville Flex, a new program that supports part-time students through mentoring and financial aid, and $50,000 to Beyond Financial Aid, a program that helps students with support for childcare expenses, transportation, textbooks, and hardware. 

“We are incredibly grateful to UBS for their investments. This will allow us to provide much-needed support for our students,” said Nashville State Community College Foundation’s Executive Director Lauren Bell. “Often, these resources are a bridge to graduation, and as Nashville State is a workforce solution partner, they help keep talented people in that pipeline. Our work is centered on making sure everyone has the same opportunities to a successful career.”

“With UBS’s significant presence in Nashville and across the state, we see first-hand the benefits of increased college completion for individuals as well as the broader community,” said Jamie Sears, Head of Community Impact and Corporate Responsibility, Americas at UBS. “We are committed to supporting programs with measurable outcomes that drive educational attainment and economic opportunity, and we’re confident that through Nashville Flex and Beyond Financial Aid, these students will go on to thrive and achieve college and career success.”

Nashville Flex

Nashville Flex, is a new program created by The Tennessee College Access and Success Network that supports part-time students residing in Davidson County and attend Nashville State Community College. Nashville Flex closely mirrors Nashville GRAD, a similar program that provides support beyond just tuition assistance to full-time students. GRAD data shows that wraparound support is making a difference in student persistence. As part of Nashville Flex, part-time students will receive:

·       $150 per semester for textbooks

·       $100 monthly for transit and/or food

·       A new laptop

·       Advisor/mentoring support

Additionally, Nashville Flex aims to support neighborhoods that fall into the Nashville Promise Zone, to increase the number of students enrolling and re-engaging in higher education. Nashville Flex will train an additional 100 community members to become Reconnect Ambassadors, who will help connect potential students to the program, especially from the Classes of 2020 and 2021, to the individuals and resources they need to succeed.

“UBS’s investment in Nashville Flex is a commitment to advancing equity and opportunity in Nashville,” said Bob Obrohta, executive director of The Tennessee College Access and Success Network. “State-funded programs, such as Tennessee Promise, are only available to full-time students. Nashville Flex provides opportunities and support to students forced to choose between attending college or meeting their family’s basic needs.”

Beyond Financial Aid

Beyond Financial Aid is a student-support program administered by the Nashville State Community College Foundation. Over the past few years, programs have been developed and implemented that aid with childcare, nutrition, textbooks, and transportation. There is also a Helping Hand Fund that provides students with immediate, short-term emergency financial assistance to keep them from dropping out in times of crisis. While the Tennessee Promise scholarship and Tennessee Reconnect grant get students to college, Beyond Financial Aid helps students get through college, to graduation and beyond.

However, the pandemic has compounded the effects of the challenge’s students face, and the utilization of the Beyond Financial Aid program has increased significantly during the past year:

Food Assistance (Campus Cupboard)

·       Over the last year, an online ordering system to access the Campus Cupboard was implemented and physical facilities were added at the Southeast (Antioch), Humphreys County, and Clarksville campuses.

·       375 students served.

Transit Assistance

·       Due to partnerships with WeGo Public Transit and the Clarksville Transit Authority, free bus passes are available for students. Students can also request electronic gift cards for ride-share services.

Child Care Assistance

·       $24,850 has been paid in daycare fees.

Textbook Assistance

·       So far, during the 2021-2022 academic year 755 students have received textbook assistance, with average award being $182.00.

Nashville State and its supportive strategic partners will continue to look holistically at the needs of students to ensure they are successful in college and beyond.

Kresge Foundation Grant Provides for Creation of Program to Better Serve Part-Time College Students in Davidson County

Tennessee College Access and Success Network Awarded $299,575 as part of

The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0 Initiative

The Tennessee College Access and Success Network announced today that it was awarded a $299,575 grant from The Kresge Foundation to implement Nashville Flex, a program that will provide supports to increase the number of historically marginalized students succeeding in college.

Through Flex, Davidson County students attending Nashville State Community College part-time will be able to receive the same supports as students participating in Nashville GRAD, the first program in the state to add a layer of support to TN Promise by providing free, targeted financial assistance beyond tuition and wrap-around supports to full-time students. GRAD is a public-private partnership being implemented through investments from Metro Nashville Government and several private business partners.

Additionally, Nashville Flex will work in the Nashville Promise Zone neighborhoods to increase the number of students enrolling and re-engaging in higher education. Flex will train an additional 100 community members to become Reconnect Ambassadors who can help connect potential students, especially those from the Classes of 2020 and 2021, to the individuals and resources they need to succeed.

The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0, short for College Promise 2.0, funds research and programming innovations that help to scale and improve the next generations of equitable, financially sustainable College Promise programs, or “free college” programs, working with community colleges across the United States.

“The needs of part-time college students have been grossly overlooked by higher education systems. The Nashville Flex program recognizes the sophistication of their lives and is uniquely positioned to curate the necessary conditions that enable their postsecondary success,” said Kresge Program Officer Ed Smith, a published scholar on the topic of free college programs. “We are excited to welcome the Tennessee College Access and Success Network to the CoPro 2.0 cohort and look forward to being a supportive partner in their service to the students of Nashville State Community College.” “The Kresge Foundation’s investment in helping Nashville implement a Promise program specifically designed to serve part-time students recognizes that many students struggle with the choice between attending college or meeting their family’s basic needs,” said Bob Obrohta, executive director of TCASN. “The reality is, many students can only attend part-time due to work and family commitments, and these students need the same, if not greater, supports to persist and succeed. We are committed to equity and opportunity; therefore, we must meet students where they are.”

Flex aims to help working students succeed in their higher education journey by providing supports that focus on barriers beyond tuition and fees such as transportation and food. Flex students will receive a monthly stipend for gas and groceries, a textbook/supply stipend each semester, a loaner laptop to use as long as they are enrolled, a dedicated advisor who will provide personalized guidance, career development support, and a strong peer network.

"Nashville GRAD data shows personalized support for full-time students is making a difference in persistence,” said Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, president of Nashville State. “Nashville Flex is an exciting opportunity for part-time students to receive the same program benefits of GRAD.  Both programs expand access for Davidson County residents to become economically mobile while increasing the talent pipeline for the region. We are proud to partner with Kresge, Tennessee College Access and Success Network, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Vanderbilt University.”

The Nashville Talent Hub’s Reconnect Ambassador Program, led by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, will oversee outreach to increase higher education enrollment among students and families living in Nashville Promise Zone neighborhoods. The Chamber will train an additional 100 Reconnect Ambassadors to work with potential students to ensure they are connected to individuals and resources they need to succeed. Reconnect Ambassadors live and work in the same neighborhoods as the potential students and are trusted sources. Many students and families in these neighborhoods are unaware of the programs that can help them succeed in higher education – such as Nashville GRAD and now Flex.

“The Chamber is thrilled to be part of this team. Building local talent pipelines is part of the Chamber’s long-term strategy for prosperity in the region,” said Laura Ward, Senior Vice President, Talent Development at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. “Building on systems of support that already exist, Nashville Flex ensures students attending Nashville State Community College have the opportunity to attend part-time and receive the additional support needed to persist while also building a community of support at a grassroots level in Nashville.”

Additional outreach efforts will include virtual trainings with school counselors and nonprofit professionals; printed materials to be shared at employers, faith-based organizations, and schools; direct student outreach; and social media campaigns.

The full Nashville Flex team includes TCASN, Nashville State Community College, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, who will serve as the project’s evaluator.

“Our early analyses of the effectiveness of Nashville GRAD in providing essential supports for community college students suggest the program is making important contributions to students’ persistence toward their college degrees,” said Carolyn Heinrich, Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Public Policy, Education and Economics at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. “We are excited about this partnership that will facilitate a crucial extension of program supports to part-time students, who face even greater barriers to college completion.”

TCASN is one of five CoPro2.0 programming grant recipients. Two research grants and four implementation grants were also awarded.

TCASN Welcomes Two New Board Members

TCASN proudly welcomes Dr. Adam Green and Jason Hamilton to its board of directors.

Green is the chief of staff at East Tennessee State University and secretary of the Board of Trustees. He has 15 years of college access and success experience focused on increasing college attainment rates of low-income, underrepresented and first generation students. Prior to his role at ETSU, he spent 12 years working for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Green’s tenure with the commission included more than four years as vice chancellor for Student Affairs and an additional four years as senior director of the Division of Student Success and P-20 Initiatives. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in journalism and his master’s degree in educational leadership studies at West Virginia University. Green also holds a post-graduate certificate in education awarded by the Manchester (England) Metropolitan University. He completed his doctoral degree in educational leadership studies at WVU.

Hamilton currently serves as the assistant vice president for graduate and corporate recruiting at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. Hamilton’s professional experience spans 20 years in education, college admission, recruitment, marketing, non-profit work, and student access and success. During his career, he has worked at various higher education institutions including Sewanee, Oglethorpe University and Hollins University. He served as executive director with the Arkansas Commitment Program, an educational and leadership development non-profit that works with African-American students.

Tennessee College Access and Success Network Awarded $225,000 from The Kresge Foundation

The Tennessee College Access and Success Network announced today that it was awarded a $225,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation to continue its work expanding higher education access and success for low-income and underrepresented students. The grant will also be used to build on a new mission to advance efforts to improve college success for Tennessee students through research, facilitation, best practices and expertise.

“The Kresge Foundation’s continued support and multiple commitments, not only to the Network but across the state of Tennessee, has helped to transform the college-going landscape for so many students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go to college,” said Bob Obrohta, executive director of TCASN. “We are grateful for all the support The Kresge Foundation provides to help low-income students access and succeed in higher education.”

 “Our desire is to see this grant significantly improve access and college completion for Tennessee students wishing to pursue higher education,” said Ashley Johnson, Education Program Officer at The Kresge Foundation. “We are proud to support the work of the Tennessee College Access and Success Network in this effort and look forward to being a productive partner on this important undertaking.”

The Kresge Foundation grant supports TCASN over the next three years while the organization broadens and deepens partnerships with communities and higher education institutions interested in improving their college completion results, continues facilitating connections between those in the field of college access in an effort to scale best practices and remove barriers to higher education for underrepresented students, and expands its board and development efforts.

“For over a decade, the Tennessee College Access and Success Network has worked to increase access and success for all Tennessee students, particularly those with high-financial need and from traditionally underserved communities,” said Katie Brock TCASN interim board of directors’ chair and senior director at the University of Texas at Austin. “This support from the Kresge Foundation allows us to reach even more students and communities with enhanced efforts and services to help students attain degrees or certifications.”

The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information visit kresge.org.

COVID Is Worsening College Access Disparities; Here's What Needs to Happen to Reverse This Trend

By Bob Obrohta, Executive Director, Tennessee College Access and Success Network

The numbers are in, and what we expected has come to pass: college enrollment is down across the country. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, in their November 2020 report, total enrollments are down -4.4% at all undergraduate institutions and -9.5% at community colleges. Undergraduate enrollment for first-time freshman students is down -13% at all undergraduate institutions, and -18.9% at community colleges.

The Tennessee Board of Regents released preliminary community college data for our state, which gives insight into how COVID-19 is most likely playing out across the country. The virus isn’t affecting everyone equally and it is no different in postsecondary education. All indications are that young people, particularly those from low-income families and African American students, are feeling the full brunt of COVID-19.

Students from the 2020 high school graduating class, first-time full-time students (FTFT), were hit hard. All student demographic groups show double-digit declines. However, the majority of the loss is coming from students with lower ACT scores, and if ACT is any indicator of income (and it is), then the majority of students lost were low-income. In Tennessee, White students declined 17%, Hispanic students declined 18%, and Black student enrollment declined a staggering 31% (Black males declined 35%, Black females declined 27%).

It took all of us in the college access and success community a second to find our footing. When COVID-19 hit and the world shut down, we all had that initial moment of panic for our students. Stories of students whose only means of computer access was a college’s computer lab started coming in. One student went to the local pawn shop to purchase a computer in the hopes that the device would live long enough for her finish out the semester. A number of students were using cell phones as their primary device. We had to enlighten leaders that using a cell phone was a last, not first, resort. Wi-Fi, high-speed capability, hotspots, boost technology, dead zones – this became our new student support world.

Our organization, the Tennessee College Access and Success Network (TCASN), began holding weekly virtual meetings with urban and rural practitioners from across the state. With the few resources everyone had available, we began piecemeal approaches to help as many students as possible. Sharing ideas led to the creation of programs to provide technology access for students, communicating important updates, and sometimes helping just that one student get what they need to complete their college application.

Having found our footing, access programs are now figuring out the best approach to connect with students in schools that are stressed and virtual. One of TCASN’s current projects is expanding WiFi boost technology to 10 Nashville branch library parking lots in neighborhoods with heavy concentrations of high school and college students with limited access.

One advantage every organization had in 2020 that they will struggle with in 2021 is contact information for students. This impacts every organization from college access, to college admissions, to state-run programs, to scholarship providers. In 2020, we had student contact information when the virus hit – email addresses, cell phone numbers, completed FAFSAs, college applications, etc. More importantly, we had multiple means by which to collect data such as high school visits, college fairs, and state scholarship applications.

This data was used for multiple purposes, not the least of which was to give professionals the opportunity to build relationships with students. Additionally, the data was used between organizations and helped facilitate important milestones such as putting a student on a college admissions officer’s radar or having a college mentor hunt down a student to turn in a FAFSA verification form.

We had all of this data in 2020, and look how well that went. The college-going numbers speak for themselves. For many students in the class of 2021, we don’t have contact information. College enrollment management tells us the smaller the pool of students everyone begins with, the smaller the number of students who will eventually enroll in college. Admissions officers are starting to realize enrollment numbers for the class of 2021 might be worse than 2020.

College access organizations, practitioners, college admissions officers, student support programs, state departments of education, and higher education need to be in constant communication, working closer than ever before, sharing data, solving problems, and innovating. Here are recommendations for everyone to consider:

1. Everything is on the table: From extending critical deadlines to waiving requirements, everything should be considered open for revision. States, higher education institutions, schools, and college access organizations that figure out ways to eliminate bureaucratic barriers will be the most successful. We need to acknowledge the plight of students and modify our practices accordingly.

2. On the federal level:

   1. Any new stimulus needs to include a major investment in postsecondary education and workforce training. Higher education has been and will continue to be the fuel of the country’s economic engine. Current unemployment rates for those with a college degree have returned to pre-pandemic levels.
      

   2. Simplifying the FAFSA and doubling the Pell Grant should be a priority for our leaders. College affordability was a priority before COVID-19 and is even more so now. Additionally, federally funded college access programming such as TRIO and Americorps should be expanded.
      

3. On the state level: Avoid cutting funding to higher education and scholarship programs. As we’ve seen in previous economic downturns, higher education funding tends to be where state leaders first cut. While these are not easy decisions, states that can maintain funding will rebound quicker than those that don’t.

4. Philanthropy needs to step up and invest in direct service programs: Most nonprofit programs particular to serving students from low-income backgrounds and students of color live an existence of fragile funding. Many are in jeopardy of losing their lifelines as cities and rural communities are forced to make tough budget decisions. We have already witnessed New York City’s nationally recognized CUNY ASAP program threatened with funding cuts. Here in Nashville, the city is currently struggling with cutting the NashvilleGRAD program and other access programs designed to support college-bound students with limited financial resources. As national numbers continue to roll in from across the higher education community, unfortunately, we are going to see losses overwhelmingly coming from an entire generation of young, first-generation, low-income students – disproportionately represented by students of color. Supporting the organizations that serve them should be a priority.

We’ve always been in the business of eliminating barriers to postsecondary education for students, but it has never been as critical as it is at this moment. This heavy lift will happen one student at time.

TCASN partners with United Way and NPL to Bring Free Internet to Metro Nashville Students

The Tennessee College Access and Success Network is partnering with United Way of Greater Nashville and the Nashville Public Library to expand internet technology at five branch libraries:  Edmondson Pike, Looby, Pruitt, Bellevue and Hermitage. The technology will expand each branch’s internet Wi-Fi reach so students and families may access it from the branch’s parking lot, providing students and families in the area another internet access option to participate in K-12 and post-secondary virtual learning.

“Education success, especially college access & success, will be highly dependent on a student's ability to access Wi-Fi during this pandemic,” said Bob Obrohta, executive director of the TCASN. “We need multiple touch points in order for students to succeed. We want to help MNPS and current Nashville college students in the most efficient way possible, and right now, we see Wi-Fi expansion as the best strategy to reach the most students we can.”

"It's critically important that our students and their families are able to access the resources they need to be successful in school," said Brian Hassett, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville. "And we're so grateful for NPL's and the TN College Access and Success Network's innovation and dedication to supporting our families as they navigate new territory this school year."

“We are pleased to partner with TCASN and United Way on this initiative. Nashville Public Library is deeply committed to supporting public internet access and to serving learners of all ages in our city,” said Kent Oliver, Nashville Public Library director.

The sites, which were chosen by a working group of individuals from the Nashville State Community College Foundation, Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s Talent Division, Oasis College Connection and Nashville Public Library, were selected by the number of college students or Metro Nashville Public School students in the area.