KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A local organization is looking for volunteer mentors to help ensure every high school student in Tennessee has the chance to earn a college degree.
tnAchieves launched in 2008 and since then it has helped around 504,000 students in the state. The organization increases higher education opportunities for Tennessee high school students by providing last-dollar scholarships with mentor guidance.
"Mentors are the heart of our program," Krissy DeAlejandro, president and CEO of tnAchieves, said. "In fact, I would argue that free college would not be where it is in Tennessee without the mentor program."
The organization needs 9,000 volunteers in order to function properly and, while the deadline to apply is Friday, they are still looking for more than 2,000 volunteer mentors to sign up. 94 of those need to be from Knox County alone.
"Everyone can be a mentor," DeAlejandro added. "Remember that first test you failed in college? Or when you thought maybe college is not for me? Those moments for many of our mentors provide the platform for our students to think like, 'Oh, wait. You did this, so I can do this too'."
Being a volunteer mentor for tnAchieves is a one-hour-per-month commitment, according to DeAlejandro. She added people who participate will receive the appropriate training.
Even though an hour a month might not sound like something impactful, DeAlejandro said that commitment is more important now than ever.
"Everyone is busy and I totally understand the value of time," she mentioned. "But we have 7,000 less students going to college because of COVID and now is the time to lean into this space to ensure that we have a thriving Tennessee."
She said the program is not only about helping high school students secure a college degree but also about meeting 21st-century workforce demands, where high-quality credentials after high school are a must.
Someone who knows about that all too well is Abigail Creekmore.
Creekmore was a first-generation college student and came from a low-income household. Since she did not have the financial support to pursue higher education, she joined the tnAchieves program.
"Having a mentor to kind of help me transition into college was super beneficial to keep me on track with, like, filing my FAFSA, community service, all of that good stuff," she explained.
She said her experience with the program was so positive she has now joined the organization as a coach, helping southeast Tennessee college students with enrollment, financial aid and registration, among others.
"Going in and meeting my students and telling them that I was in the same place that they were just five years ago is super exciting for me," Creekmore added. "To be able to share that story, be an encouragement and a motivation for them to know that it is possible that, regardless of financial status or background upbringing, that you can go and achieve your degree."
The deadline to apply to become a volunteer mentor with tnAchieves is Friday, October 21. Those interested must fill out an online application here.