Tyler Ford

FAFSA is in the Water: A Decade of Data with NCAN

October 19th, 2026  |  46 mins 56 secs

Tennessee leads the nation in FAFSA completion. NCAN’s Bill DeBaun, creator of the national FAFSA Tracker, joins Ben Sterling and Tyler Ford to talk about what Tennessee gets right, how to tell a clear story with data and what it will take to help more students finish college.

A Statewide Mentoring Program: College Access and Workforce Mentoring

August 10th, 2026  |  45 mins 8 secs

access mentoring, at scale podcast, career pathways, career readiness, coaching students, college access, college completion, college mentoring, college to career, community college, community partnerships, economic mobility, education innovation, education podcast, educational equity, employability skills, first-generation students, future of work, graduation success, higher education podcast, industry partnerships, mentor engagement, mentor stories, mentoring impact, nonprofit leadership, postsecondary education, postsecondary success, program outcomes, rural education, scaling success, skilled workforce, statewide collaboration, student impact, student mentoring, student persistence, student success, technical college, tennessee education, tennessee employers, tennessee higher education, tennessee podcast, tennessee promise, tennessee students, tennessee workforce, tn promise, tnachieves, volunteer mentors, work-based learning, workforce development, workforce mentoring, workforce podcast

Mentor registration for the tnAchieves class of 2027 is open. In this special episode of At Scale, our team looks back at why the mentor program started in 2008, how it has changed to meet student needs, and what it takes to be a mentor today. Chief Content Officer Ben Sterling, Chief Community and Government Affairs Officer Graham Thomas, Vice President of Workforce Tyler Ford, and Director of Mentors Baylor Atkins walk through the program's history, the move to an opt-in model, the shift to virtual mentoring, and the newer Workforce Mentoring track for students transitioning into their careers. Registration is open now, and we're recruiting 5,000 mentors by November 20.

Hilton's Playbook for Growing Local Talent

July 27th, 2026  |  30 mins 17 secs

Hilton has been a tnAchieves partner since 2011, opening its doors to students through job shadow days, internships, and its early-talent Launch program. On this episode of At Scale, Hope Thomas, Senior Manager of HR Consulting at Hilton, joins hosts Ben Sterling and Tyler Ford to talk about what that partnership looks like in practice and why it matters. They cover career exposure, professional skill-building, workplace culture, and what students should know as they think about post-secondary opportunity and career pathways in Tennessee.

Is College Still Worth It? What is a "Good Job?" with Dr. Jeff Strohl of Georgetown's Center on Education & the Workforce

July 13th, 2026  |  44 mins 47 secs

Is a college degree still worth the cost — and what actually counts as a "good job" in Tennessee's economy today? Dr. Jeff Strohl, Director of Research at Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, joins the At Scale podcast to unpack two decades of national data on post-secondary earnings, underemployment, and career mobility. He and hosts Ben Sterling and Tyler Ford talk through what the research really says about the value of a credential, and how Tennessee can better connect college access to long-term career opportunity.

Building More Than Buildings — Turner Construction's Herbert Brown on Workforce, Community, and What's Rising in Nashville

June 15th, 2026  |  38 mins 13 secs

access mentoring, at scale podcast, career pathways, career readiness, coaching students, college access, college completion, college mentoring, college to career, community college, community partnerships, economic mobility, education innovation, education podcast, educational equity, employability skills, first-generation students, future of work, graduation success, higher education podcast, industry partnerships, mentor engagement, mentor stories, mentoring impact, nashville, nonprofit leadership, postsecondary education, postsecondary success, program outcomes, rural education, scaling success, skilled workforce, statewide collaboration, student impact, student mentoring, student persistence, student success, technical college, tennessee education, tennessee employers, tennessee higher education, tennessee podcast, tennessee promise, tennessee students, tennessee workforce, tn promise, tnachieves, volunteer mentors, work-based learning, workforce development, workforce mentoring, workforce podcast

Herbert Brown, Community and Citizen Director at Turner Construction, joined the tnAchieves podcast to talk about how one of Nashville's most prominent construction firms is investing in the people behind the projects. From the Titans Construction Training Camp — a paid, five-week workforce credentialing program now in its eleventh cohort — to K–12 art competitions and job shadow experiences for students, Turner is building community partnerships alongside world-class facilities. As the new Nissan Stadium nears completion and the Bridgestone Arena renovation gets underway, Herbert's message to students is clear: connect early, build your soft skills, and know that the opportunities around you are real.

Experiential Learning and the Power of “Seeing Beyond” with Scott Williams of Discovery Park of America

May 18th, 2026  |  38 mins 8 secs

access mentoring, at scale podcast, career pathways, career readiness, coaching students, college access, college completion, college mentoring, college to career, community college, community partnerships, economic mobility, education innovation, education podcast, educational equity, employability skills, first-generation students, future of work, graduation success, higher education podcast, industry partnerships, mentor engagement, mentor stories, mentoring impact, nonprofit leadership, postsecondary education, postsecondary success, program outcomes, rural education, scaling success, skilled workforce, statewide collaboration, student impact, student mentoring, student persistence, student success, technical college, tennessee education, tennessee employers, tennessee higher education, tennessee podcast, tennessee promise, tennessee students, tennessee workforce, tn promise, tnachieves, volunteer mentors, work-based learning, workforce development, workforce mentoring, workforce podcast

tnAchieves welcomes Scott Williams, President and CEO of Discovery Park of America, to discuss experiential learning, career exposure and the power of helping students “see beyond.” Located in Union City, Discovery Park connects education, tourism and community impact through hands-on exhibits and experiences that inspire students and families across Tennessee.

Tennessee's Future Workforce Framework

March 23rd, 2026  |  30 mins 26 secs

access mentoring, at scale podcast, career pathways, career readiness, coaching students, college access, college completion, college mentoring, college to career, community college, community partnerships, economic mobility, education innovation, education podcast, educational equity, employability skills, first-generation students, future of work, graduation success, higher education podcast, industry partnerships, mentor engagement, mentor stories, mentoring impact, nonprofit leadership, postsecondary education, postsecondary success, program outcomes, rural education, scaling success, skilled workforce, statewide collaboration, student impact, student mentoring, student persistence, student success, technical college, tennessee education, tennessee employers, tennessee higher education, tennessee podcast, tennessee promise, tennessee students, tennessee workforce, tn promise, tnachieves, volunteer mentors, work-based learning, workforce development, workforce mentoring, workforce podcast

In this special edition of At Scale, tnAchieves releases Tennessee’s Future Workforce Framework, a new strategy grounded in student voice and nearly two decades of experience supporting postsecondary access, persistence and workforce readiness.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.