At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast

Clearing Pathways for Students with THEC's Dr. Steven Gentile

August 11th, 2025  |  41 mins 20 secs

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

Did you know Tennessee leads the nation in 2025-2026 FAFSA filing? Each year, tnAchieves partners with THEC/TSAC, colleges and local school systems to provide FAFSA filing support. It’s just one of the ways THEC works to reduce the barriers to higher education. In this episode of the At Scale podcast, THEC’s Executive Director, Dr. Steven Gentile, explains how they’re clearing pathways to make sure every student in Tennessee can pursue a high-quality education and high-value credentials that will serve them as they enter the workforce.

The Season of Value and The Great Admissions Redesign with Lumina's Melanie Heath

July 28th, 2025  |  48 mins 9 secs

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In this episode of At Scale, The tnAchieves Podcast, Krissy DeAlejandro and Ben Sterling chat with Melanie Heath from The Lumina Foundation. Heath is Lumina’s Strategy Director for Access and discusses the next big goal Lumina is setting for the year 2040 and how it will empower America’s workforce, which aligns directly with tnAchieves taking a human approach to Building Tennessee’s Future Workforce. Heath also discusses Lumina’s new partnership in Tennessee to redesign the college admissions process. She explains the concept of Direct Admissions and how it will eliminate another barrier to post-secondary education.

Get Your Money Right™ with SoFi's Brian Walsh

July 14th, 2025  |  35 mins 43 secs

banking, college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, financial literacy, higher ed, investing, personal finance, post-secondary attainment, sofi, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In this episode of At Scale, tnAchieves sits down with SoFi’s head of advice and planning Brian Walsh—aka Dr. Money. This year, SoFi is teaming up with tnAchieves and five-time Grammy nominee Kelsea Ballerini to launch the Rising Stars Program. This partnership will help jump start a student’s financial literacy journey by covering topics like budgeting, investing and saving for the future. Dr. Money shares insights into what financial independence means for students as they enter the workforce and how planning for the future financially is crucial at the start of a student’s career.

Pioneering Wraparound Supports with Donna Linderman

June 30th, 2025  |  39 mins 46 secs

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In this At Scale episode, tnAchieves chats with Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success for the State University of New York (SUNY). Donna Linderman is a pioneer in creating programs for college coaching. These programs are centered around customized, student-focused support that will help students through college completions. Donna shares insights into how these groundbreaking programs came to be, how they continued to scale until becoming statewide and the data it takes to tell the story of these programs’ success.

Ensuring a Healthy National Talent Pipeline with College Promise

May 19th, 2025  |  47 mins 1 sec

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In this episode, Krissy DeAlejandro and Ben Sterling talk with Dr. Martha Kanter, CEO Emerita of College Promise and former U.S. Under Secretary of Education, and Rosye Cloud, Interim CEO of College Promise. They explore how College Promise expands access to high-quality post-secondary opportunities for all students. The conversation highlights the movement’s role in strengthening America’s talent pipeline.

Connecting Education to Employment with SCORE President & CEO David Mansouri

May 5th, 2025  |  42 mins 5 secs

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In Episode 2 of At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, SCORE President & CEO David Mansouri discusses how aligning education with workforce needs can drive long-term success for Tennessee students and the state’s economy. The conversation highlights the power of collaboration, data-driven decision making, and cross-sector partnerships in transforming student outcomes. Mansouri and tnAchieves explore how intentional connections between education and employment prepare students for meaningful careers.

We're All On The Same Team with Dr. Jon Rysewyk and Dr. Anthony Wise

April 21st, 2025  |  49 mins 57 secs

college access, college affordability, college promise, community building, higher ed, post-secondary attainment, technical education, tennessee, tuition-free college, workforce, workforce development

In the first episode of At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, hosts Krissy DeAlejandro and Ben Sterling welcome two visionary leaders in education: Dr. Jon Rysewyk, Superintendent of Knox County Schools, and Dr. Anthony Wise, President of Pellissippi State Community College.

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

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: 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.