By Paige Hendrickson
Motlow Buzz
Contributing Writer
SMYRNA - Most residents of Tennessee
are now familiar with TN Promise for graduating high school seniors. Now it is
time for those out of high school to have the opportunity for free education!
In response to growing needs for a more
educated workforce, Gov. Bill Haslam developed the “Drive to 55” program, which
is designed to increase the percentage of Tennesseans with post-secondary (college)
degrees or certificates to 55 percent by the year 2025. To more readily reach
this goal, the TN Reconnect grant was created to “reconnect” adults without
completed post-secondary education to institutions that can help them finish
these degrees or certificates, and then return to the workforce for better
prospects.
Here are the Fall 2018 Eligibility
Requirements:
* A prospective student may not have
previously earned an associate or baccalaureate degree.
* He or she must have been a Tennessee
resident for at least one year preceding the date of application for the grant.
* He or she must complete the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year and be deemed an
Independent student.
* The participant must be admitted to
an eligible postsecondary institution and enrolled part time (six hours) in
courses leading to completion of an eligible program of study.
* A successful applicant must participate
in a college success program through the TN Reconnect Community initiative as
created by the TN Higher Education Commission.
Motlow’s Director of Adult Initiatives
Allison Barton is the primary point-of-contact for TN Reconnect questions (abarton@mscc.edu or 615-220-7826). Motlow is hosting
“Adult Learner Information Nights” on select Tuesday nights on the following
campuses to help address people’s questions and concerns about this program. Session times are
Moore County/Tullahoma Campus - Nov.
14, 5 p.m. (Registration closed)
McMinnville Campus - Nov. 21, 5 p.m.
Smyrna Campus - Nov. 28, 5 p.m. (Registration closed)
Smyrna Campus – Dec. 12, 5 p.m.
According to Barton, these
informational sessions are to help answer questions about applying to Motlow,
enrolling in classes, and addressing the variety of services offered.
She
noted, “We have representatives [there] from Financial Aid, Recruitment, Veteran’s
Affairs, Adult College Express (ACE), Weekend Warrior (only Smyrna campus), and
the Reconnect Communities,” which will assist people who would like to “submit
their Admissions applications and FAFSA.”
Visit the following link for
registration to these events: https://motlowstate.wufoo.com/forms/z5lk20m083awol/.
