Aug 22nd, 2016
Jackson State Community College will offer a "sunny" welcome to both new and returning Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect students this week with a special celebration on Wednesday, August 24.
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 to Campus celebrations, including writing down their visions of their futures on a special banner and taking a "future selfie" dressed in graduation attire or other gear associated with their future careers. A limited number of sunglasses will also be given away to attendees.
"As the second class of Tennessee Promise students arrives, and the first class returns, we want to give them a little extra recognition and make their first days on campus exciting," said Brian Gann, VP of student services. "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."
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.
"We are looking forward to our second year of Tennessee Promise," said Bruce Blanding, JSCC president. "The positive impact that this program has had on higher education in our state has given all of us a renewed energy for helping our students and ensuring that they achieve their dreams."