Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) announced significant momentum today in increasing the state’s college-going rate, highlighted by a 2.4 percentage point increase for the class of 2023 over the class of 2022.

The state’s 56.7% college-going rate for the class of 2023 represents the largest year-over-year increase since the initial implementation of the tuition-free Tennessee Promise scholarship in 2015.

The college-going rate indicates the percentage of Tennessee’s public high school graduates who seamlessly enroll in postsecondary education immediately after high school.

“In the fall of 2022, THEC was pleased to work with partners across the state to launch a ‘Momentum Year’ to increase the college-going rate for the class of 2023, to increase adult enrollment in higher education through Tennessee Reconnect, and to improve coordination and alignment in education and workforce training,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC Executive Director.

“It is gratifying to see those efforts pay off in helping even more Tennessee students and adult learners pursue their dreams and careers with college degrees and workforce credentials beyond high school,” Gentile said.

“However, we know there is still so much more work to do to help ensure every Tennessean has the opportunity for college access and success, which is why we are doubling down on FAFSA completion with the class of 2024 this summer to help more students maximize free financial aid.”

In today’s report: Tennessee College Going and the Class of 2023, THEC provides valuable insights into the trends and progress of college enrollment among high school graduates in Tennessee, including for the first time differing college-going rates based on socioeconomic data.

These new findings showed economically disadvantaged students had a 39.3% college-going rate, while their non-economically disadvantaged peers had a 65.3% college-going rate.

Other major highlights from the class of 2023 college-going rate report include:

1. Overall College-Going Rate: The college-going rate for the class of 2023 is 56.7%, representing a 2.4 percentage point increase compared to the previous year. This increase for the class of 2023 represents the largest year-over-year increase since the initial implementation of the tuition-free Tennessee Promise scholarship in 2015.
2. Demographic Disparities in Access: College going for the class of 2023 is up across all race/ethnicity and gender pairs. However, these increases are not evenly distributed. White females, Hispanic/Latino males, and females in the “Other” race/ethnicity group saw growth in college-going rates above the statewide growth of 2.4 percentage points.
3. Dual Enrollment Impact: College-going rates for high school students who participate in the Dual Enrollment Grant remain high, and participation in the Dual Enrollment Grant has increased over time as the state has invested in wider opportunities for participation. Dual enrollment programs play a crucial role in fostering college readiness among Tennessee’s high school students. Students who were found to have participated in the Dual Enrollment Grant at any point in their high school career were found to have consistently higher college-going rates than their high school peers.

The release of today’s college-going rate report reaffirms THEC’s commitment to advancing educational attainment in Tennessee. The data not only highlights the progress being made, but also serves as a valuable tool for policymakers and educational institutions to identify areas for further improvement and enhance strategic planning.

For more information about THEC, and to access the full Class of 2023 college-going rate report, please visit www.tn.gov/thec/research/college-going-reports.

About the Tennessee Higher Education Commission

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Konstantin Kondylis was the first to ever carry the Olympic torch back in 1936.

The tradition of the Olympic torch relay continues on nearly 100 years later, with relays happening across France in preparation for this year’s Paris Olympics.

Rutherford County’s Andre Hillsman was chosen alongside 19 of his colleagues at Bridgestone to run a part of the relay in France.

“We always focus on dignity and respect,” Hillsman said. “I come to work every day, my thought process is to follow that.”

Hillsman joined the Bridgestone family 25 years ago at their La Vergne plant, which employs nearly 1,000 people.

Now in a position of leadership, he says he oversees the same quality control labs he trained on when he started.

“Even though I’m in leadership, I’m not one of those people that goes looking for accolades,” Hillsman said.

Hillsman says he never wants the spotlight, but the spotlight would find him a year ago. He found out a peer had nominated him to carry the torch for the 2024 games.

Even with that nomination, he’d have to be voted on globally in a company of nearly 120,000 people. It all became real when he found out he was 1 of 20 chosen.

“We have roughly over 120,000 employees worldwide,” Hillsman said. “To be considered in that top 20 is an amazing feeling.”

It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

With over 8 billion people estimated living in the world, and with 11,000 torch bearers between the Olympic and Paralympic games, Hillsman’s chance to carry sat at 0.0001375%.

He has a better chance statistically at winning the lottery.

“It’s going to be surreal, without a doubt,” Hillsman said.

Hillsman’s relay was a 200 meter stretch in Rouen, France. That’s about the length of half of a track.

“First thing I asked, I said, ‘How far is this thing we’re going to actually be running?’”

Two weeks ago, before his relay, his teammates in the La Vergne plant had a celebration to send him off and wish him well before the big trip.

One of his peers even 3D printed a model of this year’s torch design.

”God has always had a hand on me, I feel like that,” Hillsman said. “I’m blessed beyond belief, and I’m blessed to be able to touch these peoples’ lives everyday as well.”

Hillsman says when the relay is said and done, he’ll be spending time over in Europe with his family, making a trip of the opportunity.

“To have this honor, it’s quite high on my list of things in life,” Hillsman said.

Bridgestone is an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner. The company sent 20 employees over to be torch bearers for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.

SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Hurricane Beryl has been wreaking havoc on the Caribbean Islands. Strong winds and heavy storms destroyed towns and made life very hard on residents of the affected areas.

Here in East Tennessee, a local nonprofit is helping those affected people by supplying them with water purifiers.

“Clean water is a non negotiable, you have to have it,” Joe Hurston, the president and founder of Air Mobile Ministries said. “After a few days you’re sick and dying. We know this. Hurricanes destroy whatever source of water you had, it is going to be damaged.”

Air Mobile Ministries has been providing water purifiers to people affected by national and man-made disasters since 1978. They reach those people by a small plane, piloted by Hurston and his co-pilot, loaded up with all the water purifiers they can haul.

“When we land, we’re going to have 10 water purifiers on board. Any of which a single unit can give 1000 people a day drinking water,” Hurston said. “We’re loaded for bear. We can bring a lot of people clean water right now and that’s that’s our mission.”

Hurston planned to fly down to Puerto Rico first so he can help the area that was hit by the storm. After that, he plans to stop at other islands to continue dropping off his purifiers to different locations.

“It’s going to be a 1000 mile flight from Titusville to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. We’ll land, we’ll fuel. We’ll make our contacts and then we’ll we’ll go to the next phase of the mission from there,” Hurston said.

Hurston said the lord inspired him to help those in need. He does not know how long his journey will be, but he knows it won’t end until he helps all those that can.

“I’ve been doing this kind of work for 45 years, so it’s just living the life and you know, doing what we do. We fly and bring people clean water,” Hurston said.

To follow along with Hurston’s relief mission, you can check out his blog.

Copyright 2024 WVLT. All rights reserved.