From high school to college to career.
tnAchieves is a Tennessee nonprofit that helps students earn a postsecondary credential and turn it into a meaningful career. Through mentors, coaches, grants and employer connections, we make sure the right support shows up at the right time.
tnAchieves graduates with a postsecondary credential
Mentors recruited across Tennessee since 2008
Tennessee counties served by tnAchieves
Three-year graduation rate, the highest in program history
Our mission
The mission of tnAchieves is to enhance postsecondary opportunities and outcomes by providing holistic student supports rooted in community and accountability. Economic prosperity has always been the goal.
A local idea that became a statewide model
For nearly two decades, tnAchieves has followed the data and listened to students. Each chapter added the next support students needed to keep moving forward.
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2008
It started in Knox County
tnAchieves began as knoxAchieves, a local scholarship and mentoring program built on a simple belief: every student, regardless of income, zip code or background, deserves a clear and affordable path beyond high school. Community volunteers signed on as mentors from the very first class.
The launch of knoxAchieves, 2008 -
Growing
The model spread county by county
As tnAchieves, the program expanded beyond Knox County one community at a time, pairing last-dollar scholarships with volunteer mentors and building a milestone-driven approach that helped students follow through.
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2014
tnAchieves goes statewide
tnAchieves began working statewide, and Tennessee built its new last-dollar scholarship, Tennessee Promise, on the tnAchieves model.
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Class of 2015
Tennessee Promise is born
The first Tennessee Promise class enrolled in tuition-free community and technical college, with tnAchieves serving as a partnering organization. Mentors across Tennessee stepped up to meet the need, and 196 of them have shown up for students every single year since.
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2021
Opening the door was never enough
The data showed that economically disadvantaged students were far less likely to graduate without continued support. So in 2021, tnAchieves launched COMPLETE, a coaching and completion grant model that walks beside students when financial pressures, academic challenges and life circumstances could pull them away.
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2026
Record results, statewide conversations
The Class of 2022 earned the highest three-year graduation rate in tnAchieves history. MemAccess launched in Memphis, and tnAchieves met with community leaders in all 67 counties it serves on the 2026 Prosperity Tour.
The tnAchieves team at the MemAccess launch
A student-centered continuum
There are a lot of moving parts at tnAchieves, but for students it is intentionally simple. Their job is to keep moving forward. Our job is to make sure the right support shows up at the right time.
Access
Since our founding, tnAchieves has believed that every student deserves the opportunity to pursue a high-quality postsecondary pathway.
- Apply for Tennessee Promise, file the FAFSA and complete college applications
- Connect with an Access Mentor
- Meet a Knox Access or MemAccess coach
Tennessee Promise
Tennessee’s last-dollar scholarship for tuition-free community and technical college. As a partnering organization, tnAchieves guides students through every milestone and deadline.
Access Mentors
Volunteers who guide high school seniors through college access milestones and career exploration.
Knox Access
A privately funded program that embeds full-time college access coaches in all 18 Knox County high schools.
MemAccess
A new model launching in 2026 with Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Slingshot Memphis and MDRC, expanding the proven Knox Access strategy.
COMPLETE
COMPLETE is the driver of tnAchieves’ success. The belief is simple: build deep, meaningful relationships, help define pathways for students and address issues in real time.
- Gain college experience at a Summer Program
- Connect with a COMPLETE, MemCOMPLETE or Knox Promise coach
- Apply for COMPLETE Grants
COMPLETE Coaching
Proactive, career-focused coaches who do not wait for students to ask for help. Their curriculum includes financial literacy, workforce readiness and skill development.
COMPLETE Grants
Up to $1,000 per term for eligible students to cover the costs that can pull a student away from class, such as groceries, transportation, computers and textbooks.
Summer Programs
A head start on college life, coursework and expectations before the first fall semester.
Knox Promise and MemCOMPLETE
Knox Promise, in partnership with SCORE, brings COMPLETE to every tnAchieves student in Knox County, regardless of income. MemCOMPLETE enhances the model in Memphis with Slingshot Memphis and MDRC.
Workforce
Nearly two-thirds of tnAchieves students tell us they need help navigating the workforce. That is why workforce preparation is our next frontier. A credential alone is not enough.
- Explore careers through job shadowing
- Become workforce ready with a Workforce Mentor
- Turn a credential into a high-demand career
Job Shadow Days
Each summer, Tennessee employers, from UT Medical Center to Hilton, open their doors so students can see a real workplace firsthand.
Virtual Job Shadowing
Recorded sessions with employers across Tennessee, available anytime to every tnAchieves student.
Workforce Mentors
Professionals who help college students plan their next step after graduation and build a network in their field.
Mentor Network
Access and Workforce Mentors help students build a network and gain insight from someone with real career experience.
Students who participate in a job shadowing experience are 24% more likely to graduate from college.
To us, tnAchieves is a continuum. To a student, it should simply feel like someone is there when they need them.
Students are graduating at record rates
Because of the statewide implementation of COMPLETE, the Class of 2022 achieved the highest three-year graduation rate in tnAchieves history, up 8 percentage points since 2020.
| Class | tnAchieves | National | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 34% | 29% | 26% |
| 2016 | 35% | 30% | 27% |
| 2017 | 35% | 31% | 27% |
| 2018 | 37% | 31% | 28% |
| 2019 | 36% | 31% | 28% |
| 2020 | 37% | 34% | 29% |
| 2021 | 42% | 37% | 32% |
| 2022 | 45% | Not available | 35% |
is the national six-year completion average. tnAchieves students outpace it in just three years.
Background should never limit opportunity
tnAchieves designs intentional programming for every student population it serves and tracks graduation outcomes every year. Since 2020, tnAchieves graduation rates have grown faster than the statewide rate for all four populations shown here. Because tnAchieves students are part of the statewide number, their progress lifts Tennessee too.
The continuum in real life
Two students, two pathways and the same support system from high school to college to a high-demand Tennessee career.
Abbigail Early
tnAchieves took away so much of the stress that comes with college. They helped me tremendously in being able to complete my education.
Access 2023
Applied for Tennessee Promise and was paired with her mentor, Amanda. She attended Roane State free of tuition and fees.
COMPLETE 2023–2025
Drove more than an hour each way to clinicals. Her COMPLETE Coach, Meghan, connected her to COMPLETE Grants for gas and groceries and helped with time management.
Workforce 2025
Confirmed her career path in a workshop with Meghan, then job shadowed at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
Roderick Wilkins
My coach Jessica made it stress-free. She checked on me to make sure I was doing well, mentally and physically, and guided my steps whenever I was confused or unsure.
Access 2024
Applied for Tennessee Promise, filed the FAFSA and chose Industrial Maintenance at TCAT Memphis for its pathway to prosperity.
COMPLETE 2024–2025
Worked at the FedEx hub while in school. His MemCOMPLETE Coach, Jessica, connected him to COMPLETE Grants for gas, groceries and a computer.
Workforce 2025
Completed 13 hours of virtual job shadowing and worked with Workforce Mentor Deidre to plan his next steps.
Economic impact
in estimated lifetime earnings for 57,767 tnAchieves graduates, a direct return on helping more Tennessee students complete a postsecondary credential.
Because when tnAchieves students prosper, Tennessee prospers.Krissy DeAlejandro, President and CEO, tnAchieves
Sources: “The Economic Impact of tnAchieves,” Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (see independent evaluation); data commissioned by the Tennessee Office of Evidence and Impact through the Department of Labor.
Independent evaluation
tnAchieves tracks the data, measures what works and invites independent researchers to evaluate the results. Their findings shape what comes next for students.
Coaching and Completion Grants: Five Years of Evidence and Impact
Read reportThe Economic Impact of tnAchieves
Read reportKnox Promise: Final Report
Read reportImplementation and Impact of tnAchieves Coaching in Tennessee Community Colleges
Read reportGoing Beyond Free College: Initial Findings on College Success with Supplemental Coaching and Grants
Read reportKnox Promise: College Persistence and Completion for the First Three Cohorts
Read reportExamining the Impact, Implementation, and Cost Effectiveness of Completion Coaching in a Statewide College Promise Program
Read reportWant to see results where you live?
Explore county-specific data updatesRooted in community and accountability
tnAchieves exists because Tennessee businesses, foundations and individuals believe every student deserves a path to prosperity. Student success takes all of us.
- Axle Logistics
- Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation
- ChoiceData
- FedEx
- Haslam3 Foundation
- Haslam Family Foundation
- HC*Excell
- Hyde Family Foundation
- JPMorgan Chase
- Knox County
- Lawson Family Foundation
- Louisiana Pacific Foundation
- Pilot Corporation
- Rich Ray
- Ryman Hospitality Foundation
- SCORE
- SoFi
- Southeast Bank
- State of Tennessee
- Sylvamo
- The Boyd Foundation
- The City of Knoxville
- The Clayton Homes Foundation
- The Kresge Foundation
- United Way of Greater Knoxville
- Unum
- Williams Family Fund
New to tnAchieves?
Quick answers to the questions we hear most about who we are and how we work.
Is tnAchieves the same as Tennessee Promise?
No. Tennessee Promise is the state’s last-dollar scholarship for tuition-free community and technical college. tnAchieves is a partnering organization that helps students apply, connects them with mentors and guides them through milestones and deadlines. Through COMPLETE, tnAchieves continues to support students in college as they work toward graduation and a career.
Who does tnAchieves serve?
tnAchieves works with students in 67 Tennessee counties, from high school seniors pursuing a postsecondary pathway to college students working toward a credential. Along the way, coaches and mentors help students prepare for a high-demand career.
What is COMPLETE?
COMPLETE is the tnAchieves coaching and completion grant model. COMPLETE Coaches proactively support students from enrollment through graduation, and COMPLETE Grants of up to $1,000 per term help eligible students cover costs like groceries, transportation and textbooks.
How is tnAchieves funded?
tnAchieves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by Tennessee businesses, foundations, individuals and public partners. Its FY 2025-26 operating budget was $7,434,505. At $93 per student, tnAchieves delivers a cost-efficient model for turning community investment into lasting prosperity.
Can my community launch a promise program?
Yes. tnAchieves offers consultations for communities interested in launching a promise program. Learn more about a consultation
Who leads tnAchieves?
Krissy DeAlejandro serves as President and CEO. The tnAchieves Board of Directors includes:
- Randy Boyd, ChairmanPresident, University of Tennessee System
- Governor Bill Haslam49th Governor of Tennessee
- Dr. Linda MartinExecutive Vice President, University of Tennessee System
- Mike RagsdalePresident, Tennessee Strategies
- Tim WilliamsFounder and CEO, 21st Mortgage
Serve as an advocate in your community
There has never been a more important time to connect business and industry with education. Here is how you can help students take their next step.
Become a mentor
Support students as they navigate critical transitions from high school into a Tennessee career.
Learn moreCreate career connections
When students job shadow, they are 24% more likely to graduate. Help identify job shadow hosts in your community or industry.
Learn moreInvest in students
tnAchieves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your investment turns community support into lasting prosperity for Tennessee students.
Give todayListen to At Scale
The tnAchieves podcast explores the stories, data and partnerships driving economic prosperity across Tennessee.
Listen nowGraduation rates reflect the share of an entering class that completed a credential within three years. Population data: Tennessee Board of Regents Office of Policy and Research; students can be represented in multiple categories. Persistence data: Tennessee SCORE, “Coaching and Completion Grants: Five Years of Evidence and Impact,” April 2026. Knox Promise data: “Knox Promise: Final Report,” Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Knox County enrollment and FAFSA data: Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Source for all figures: tnAchieves 2026 Prosperity Report.