Tennessee Promise students can now meet service-hour goals at Carson-Newman

(March 11, 2016) – Starting this month, Carson-Newman University will serve as a host site to help qualifying Tennessee Promise freshmen meet their eight-hour community service goal.

Students’ first opportunity for service activities through Carson-Newman is March 19. They can also volunteer April 2 and June 18 by simply calling Carson-Newman Admissions Office at 865.471.3223. Other dates for service opportunities will be added in the future for Tennessee Promise students.

Volunteering students can expect to perform general yard work and cleaning duties, working in a food pantry with Carson-Newman’s Appalachian Outreach organization and more.

“tnAchieves is grateful for our partnership with Carson-Newman University as we seek to increase the number of students cultivating a love for giving back while also completing their Tennessee Promise community service requirement,” says Krissy DeAlejandro, executive director at tnAchieves.

Carson-Newman’s Associate of Arts degrees support Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s “Drive to 55” mission, of which the Tennessee Promise is a cornerstone initiative.

“Carson-Newman is a national leader in community service, and we want to help students meet their service goal regardless of whether they choose to enroll at Carson-Newman or another school,” said Dr. Paul Percy, provost and executive vice president at Carson-Newman.

When students are accepted at Carson-Newman and qualify for Tennessee Promise, the amount they can receive is equal to the cost of tuition at a Tennessee community college, Percy said.

The “Drive to 55” goal is designed to increase the percentage of working adults with some kind of postsecondary degree or credential from 32 to 55 percent by the year 2015.

Tennessee Promise makes a great school like Carson-Newman even more affordable, notes Percy. “Carson-Newman wants to support the initiative even more by being a place where students can complete volunteer service.”