At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast
Listening and learning to better serve Tennessee students, at scale.
About the show
Welcome to At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, where we tap into the wisdom, insights, and bold ideas of our partners to fuel the mission of tnAchieves—expanding college access and success for Tennessee students. Hosted by Krissy DeAlejandro, President & CEO of tnAchieves, this podcast spotlights the thought leaders, educators, and industry trailblazers who challenge us to learn, grow, and innovate as we work to transform lives through higher education. Since 2008, tnAchieves has leaned on collaboration to break barriers and scale impact for students often seen as underdogs, and our partners are at the heart of that journey.
Each episode brings candid conversations with state and national influencers—K-12 and college leaders, business visionaries, and student success advocates—who shape our strategies and push us forward. We’ll explore how these dialogues inspire us to refine our programs, rethink possibilities, and build a stronger Tennessee workforce.
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen, and join us as we harness these voices to innovate and grow—because at tnAchieves, our partners don’t just support us, they transform us. Let’s dive in!
At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast on social media
Episodes
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At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast Trailer
April 7th, 2025 | 4 mins 11 secs
college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development
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Mentor Moment: Summer Prep for Success
July 8th, 2024 | 17 mins 56 secs
college, higher education, mentoring, tennessee, tn promise
Welcome to another inspiring episode of the tnAchieves podcast! Join our hosts, Senior Director of Mentors Tyler Ford and Outreach Manager Baylor Williamson, as they delve into the critical role volunteer mentors play during the summer months in preparing students for their upcoming college journey in the fall.
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Mentor Moment: Community Service
June 12th, 2024 | 20 mins 55 secs
tnAchieves Sr. Director of Mentors Tyler Ford is joined by tnAchieves COMPLETE Coach Emily Jones to discuss the upcoming July 1 community service deadline. Learn how you can support your students as they complete this important TN Promise requirement!
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Mentor Moment: Preparing for Summer
May 8th, 2024 | 22 mins 51 secs
college, higher education, mentoring, tennessee, tn promise
In this episode, Tyler Ford sits down with Ben Sterling to discuss how mentors should be preparing to work with students this summer! Summer is a critical time for students as they graduate from high school, register for classes and make final preparations to begin in the fall.
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MENTOR MOMENT: Summer Bridge
April 23rd, 2024 | 22 mins 23 secs
act, college, higher education, mentoring, summer bridge, tennessee, tn promise
Mentor Moment host Tyler Ford is joined by tnAchieves Sr. Director of Communications Jessica Macey to discuss the upcoming tnAchieves Summer Bridge Program. Hosted at all 13 TN community colleges, Summer Bridge is a free, 14-day program designed to help students begin college more prepared.
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MENTOR MOMENT: Working With Your Students
April 10th, 2024 | 27 mins 21 secs
college, financial aid, higher education, mentoring, tennessee
The Mentor Moment is a podcast designed to enhance the tnAchieves mentor experience. Learn more about scholarship requirements, best practices and how to best serve students.
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MENTOR MOMENT: 2024-2025 FAFSA
March 27th, 2024 | 30 mins 31 secs
college, fafsa, financial aid, higher education, mentoring, tennessee
n this episode, the Mentor Moment delves into the 2024-2025 FAFSA and how tnAchieves mentors support students. Host Tyler Ford and Knox Access Director Allison Johnson dissect the FAFSA, sharing tips and updates. Listeners learn about the importance of timely FAFSA completion, gain insight into tnAchieves' support, and discover resources for accessing financial aid.
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Mentor Moment Trailer
March 25th, 2024 | 50 secs
college, higher education, mentoring, tennessee, tn promise
The Mentor Moment is a podcast influenced by and designed for tnAchieves mentors. Join Tyler Ford from tnAchieves every other week for an episode highlighting tips and best practices to enhance your mentoring experience!
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#FindYourWhyTN Panel Series: Breaking Family Cycles
February 18th, 2021 | 1 hr 1 min
breaking cycles, college, college student, education, first-generation, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
Hear from three individuals that represent the first person in their family to attend college. We hope this discussion inspires you to Find Your Why! Learn more about #FindYourWhyTN at tnAchieves.org/findyourwhy.
Get to know each panelist:
Krissy DeAlejandro: https://youtu.be/i1kqxAIROnU
Sumner Deason: https://youtu.be/DdRWFuloxzc
Mike Ragsdale: https://youtu.be/QxcG8ELuep8 -
On a Mission with Graham Thomas and Krissy DeAlejandro
March 23rd, 2020 | 40 mins 47 secs
college, college student, education, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
More than a decade has passed since knoxAchieves was launched from a whiteboard in the Knox County Mayor's office, but Executive Director Krissy DeAlejandro's commitment to student success has not wavered. Since 2008, tnAchieves has grown, innovated and paved pathways for all students, including those that are the first in their families to pursue college. The seventh installment of our podcast dives into the beginnings of tnAchieves, why it was founded and how we have stayed true to our mission. Graham Thomas steals Krissy's mic for an engaging interview!
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Promise Programs with Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams and Dr. Celeste Carruthers
March 9th, 2020 | 48 mins 9 secs
college, college student, education, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
Tennessee provides each high school senior the opportunity to earn a post-secondary credential tuition and mandatory-fee free through a first-of-its-kind Promise scholarship. Communities, cities, colleges and even other states have looked to Tennessee for guidance in launching their own Promise programs. Hear from Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams from the Upjohn Institute and Dr. Celeste Carruthers from the University of Tennessee's Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, as they discuss the growth and impact of Promise programs nationally and the success of Tennessee Promise.
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The Power of a Resource with Janice Bettis and John Cagle
February 24th, 2020 | 41 mins 59 secs
college, college student, education, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
The fifth episode of the tnAchieves podcast features two longtime mentors, Janice Bettis and John Cagle. Joining us in 2011, Janice and John share what brought them to tnAchieves, what keeps them engaged and how tnAchieves has impacted their communities.
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A Great Idea with Randy Boyd
February 4th, 2020 | 44 mins 29 secs
college, college student, education, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
A conversation between Randy Boyd and Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale became an idea in 2008. Their idea was a program that would result in more low-income, first-generation students enrolling in college. With Randy's support, Knox Achieves launched with the Class of 2009, became tnAchieves in 2012 and transitioned to its current role as a partnering organization to TN Promise in 2015. Without Randy, tnAchieves would not exist, and his leadership as our chairmen has been transformative. Learn more about Randy's journey, his impact on tnAchieves and his goals for the future on Episode 4.
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Thriving (Surviving?) First Semester with Emma and Timari
January 21st, 2020 | 37 mins 35 secs
college, college student, education, learn, non-profit, self-help, student, thrive
The third installment of the tnAchieves Podcast features two current TN Promise students, Timari and Emma, as they discuss the ups and downs of their first semester of college. Timari and Emma share different perspectives and experiences, offering something for every student as they work to thrive as college students. We know the first semester can be the hardest, often feeling more like surviving than thriving. Take a page out of Timari or Emma's playbook and start thriving!
Audio Issue: At 14:49 a technical issue affected Timari's mic; however, her answer was too good not to share! We apologize for the audio quality on a couple of Timari's answers.
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College Presidents Aren't That Scary with Dr. Anthony Wise
December 17th, 2019 | 44 mins
college, education, nonprofit, president self-help, scary
The second episode of the tnAchieves Podcast features Dr. Anthony Wise, President of Pellissippi State Community College. For more than a decade, Pellissippi State has welcomed new programs and been a vital partner to our work. Dr. Wise’s leadership has been invaluable as we try new things and keep what works. Learn about how he started his journey at Pellissippi and his tips on being a successful student on a community college campus! We think you’ll find that college presidents aren’t all that scary.
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Being Brave with Ben Sterling
November 20th, 2019 | 26 mins 41 secs
bravery, college, education, nonprofit, self-help
Our very first episode welcomes Ben Sterling, a graduate of the first knoxAchieves class and a current member of the tnAchieves team.