tnAchieves Receives a $300,000 Grant from Truist Foundation
tnAchieves announced it received a $300,000 grant from the Truist Foundation to continue providing crucial resources to the Class of 2021 TN Promise students – especially those who require additional support – as they transition from high school to college.
“We are so grateful for Truist Foundation’s support as we work to provide more opportunities for students to pursue an education after high school,” said tnAchieves Executive Director Krissy DeAlejandro. “tnAchieves exists to provide an opportunity for every student in Tennessee to earn a college degree. The non-financial support tnAchieves offers students to ensure they are more prepared for college often outweigh the financial support regarding student success. This grant will allow our organization to better prepare students for college-level work.
Many students need this type of support now more than ever.”
While TN Promise eliminates the financial barrier for students attending college via a last-dollar scholarship, tnAchieves offers a full range of non-financial support to ensure students are successful. tnAchieves operates a Summer Bridge Program to prepare students to begin classes more college-ready and provides every student with a volunteer mentor to help ease the transition from high school to college. The Bridge Program is available at all 13 of Tennessee’s community colleges free of charge to students who need additional academic support before beginning college. Full-time staff at tnAchieves also work to coach students throughout their college career.
“Inspiring and building better lives and communities is our purpose at Truist,” said Christian Corts, East Tennessee region president at Truist, speaking on behalf of the Truist Foundation. “Helping tnAchieves provide students with supportive services so they can be more successful in their college careers aligns perfectly with our purpose by inspiring students to achieve their dreams and build a fulfilling future.”
Since the launch of TN Promise in 2015, Tennessee’s college-going rate has increased by more than six percentage points. The tnAchieves Summer Bridge Program boasts an impressive 88% success rate preparing students to begin college more academically and socially prepared. Finally, students participating in tnAchieves are graduating at a rate of 11% higher than their peers at the same institutions.
About tnAchieves
tnAchieves is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has been providing scholarships with mentor support since 2008. To learn more about the program, please visit www.tnAchieves.org or contact tnAchieves Deputy Director of Partnerships Graham Thomas at (615) 604-1306.
About Truist Foundation
The Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. The Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities and educational equity. Learn more at Truist.com/Truist-Foundation.
