Non-profit searches for 5,000 volunteers to mentor future Tennessee scholars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — One Tennessee non-profit is searching for 5,000 volunteers to guide and inspire the lives of the next generation through a mentorship program helping high school seniors access higher education and achieve.

tnAchieves is a non-profit that not only funds the Tennessee Promise scholarship, which pays for students’ community college and technical school tuition, but also, ensures high school seniors have support before, during, and after the college application process through the volunteer mentor program.

“For a student, many of whom never pictured themselves in a college classroom, the power comes from the moment when someone reaches out and says, ‘I believe in you, and I’m here to help with this,'” Tyler Ford, the senior director of mentors for tnAchieves said.

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tnAchieves made a small change in the 2025 volunteer mentorship program so that only students who request a mentor will be paired with one. Around 5,000 students requested a mentor, meaning tnAchieves needs 5,000 volunteer mentors willing to dedicate one hour per month from Dec. 2024 to Sept. 2025.

“Essentially making sure the students have someone in their community who is reaching out to them and saying, ‘Hey, I believe in you, I believe this is a goal you can achieve, and I’m going to be there every step of the way to answer your questions,’ to serve as a support system and just to make sure this is as stress-free and is as successful as it possibly can be,” Ford said.

“Having a person beside you really helps soothe the pain that you won’t be alone in this journey,” Laneisa Smith, a current sophomore at Lane College in Jackson, TN said in an interview with tnAchieves in 2023.

Ford told News 2 not only does the volunteer mentor program help students achieve their goals, but it also helps build up the future workforce by ensuring students have the qualifications and credentials needed to obtain good jobs.

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“It’s a relatively low commitment, low-stress level, but the opportunity to make an impact on the community, on the state is significant,” Ford said.

tnAchieves provides training materials and other support to its volunteer mentors.

Volunteer mentors need to be at least 21 years old, be able to pass a background check, and be willing to dedicate one hour per month from Dec. 2024 to Sept. 2025. No prior mentorship experience or college degree is required. The application deadline closes Nov. 15.

To learn more or apply to be a mentor, click here.

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