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

  • 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.

  •

    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.

  •

    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.

  •

    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.

  •

    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.