The Summer Bridge Program at Chattanooga State Community College aimed to prepare TN Promise students for academic and social success in college. Over three weeks, students participated in reading, writing, math instruction and seminars on success strategies. Based on COMPASS test scores and intended majors, academic coaches helped students develop course schedules for the fall semester. The program helped 90% of the inaugural TN Promise fall 2015 cohort persist into the spring term. Chattanooga State was commended for its commitment to supporting TN Promise students through initiatives like prescriptive scheduling and a smooth transition from high school to college.

1. The Summer Bridge Program
How many TN Promise students become more successful in college?
Our Partners tnAchieves
by Krissy DeAlejandro, Executive Director of tnAchieves
TN Promise Journal
The purpose of the TN Promise
Summer Bridge Program is to
prepare students to begin the fall
semester academically and
socially prepared, decrease the
amount of learning support
course work needed for them to
succeed, and to establish a strong
cohort of students. The Summer
Bridge was held on Chattanooga
State’s main campus July 11-29.
On the first day of the program
all participants were required to
complete COMPASS Testing in
the Testing Center. Based on
their major or area of interest,
students met with Academic
Completion Coaches for advising
and course scheduling. Academic
Completion Coaches utilized the
Directed Course of Study Plans
and test scores to develop course
schedules.
Over the course of three weeks,
students participated in 1.5
hours of reading/writing in-
struction, 1.5 hours of math
instruction, and one hour of
lunch-and-learn daily covering
success.
In the inaugural year of TN
Promise, tnAchieves ad-
mired Chattanooga State’s
commitment to its TN
Promise students. This
commitment was evident
from the time tnAchieves
began working with the
Class of 2015 during their
Inside this issue:
The Summer Bridge Program 1
Our Partners tnAchieves 1
Meet Our Students 2
Important Dates 2
Confessions of a Mentor 3
Volume 1, Issue 1 Fall Edition
“As of the spring term, the fall 2015 cohort
had a 90% persistence rate. “
Julius Dodds, Director of Academic Retention
senior year of high school. It
was clear Chattanooga State
began planning for this first
cohort of students well in
advance, providing an abun-
dance of opportunities for
student support and guid-
ance. This translated into a
smooth transition for
students as they left high
school and entered post-
secondary, which is criti-
cal for all, but particular-
ly important for first
generation students.
(Continued on page 3)
Confessions of a TN Promise Mentor
Meet Our Students
FAFSA FRENZY
Chattanooga State Community College
Time: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
November 15, Pizza and drinks
November 22
December 6
Bring Driver’s License/State ID
Social Security Card
Student and Parent 2015 Tax Return
FAFSA DEADLINE: January 17, 2017
TN PROMISE APPLICATION DUE
November 1, 2017
COMMUNITY SERVICE
OPPORTUNITIES
November 11-12, 2016
November 19, 2016
COLLEGE TRANSFER FAIR
November 9, 2016, 10:10 a.m.
OMNI Building Main Hallway
FINAL EXAM WEEK
December 3 - 8, 2016, 8:00 a.m.-
9:00 p.m.
Myron Hilt chose to remain in his hometown to attend Chattanooga State Community
College because he wanted to “get a feel for college. Start small before moving on to a
bigger university.”
At six feet four inches, one would first assume that Myron is a star basketball player. Yet,
Myron is more the gentleman scholar… astute, soft-spoken, humble and mature beyond
his years.
“It has been a big academic adjustment coming to Chattanooga State,” Myron confides.
“Keeping track of assignments is the biggest challenge so far,” he muses.
When he’s not hitting the books, Myron is active with the Young Adult Ministry at a local
Methodist Church.
Myron plans to transfer to Austin Peay State University, after completing his studies at
Chattanooga State. His ultimate goal is to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Do you have what it takes to mentor multiple students, many of
whom are first generation college students?
Mentoring is an integral part of the TN Promise experience.
Recruiting dedicated and committed individuals to work with TN
Promise scholarship recipients was a top priority.
At Chattanooga State Community College, approximately 80 facul-
ty and staff members volunteered to help keep students on track
as they negotiate the perils of the first two years of college.
Lori Warren, coordinator, Marketing, Outreach & User Experience
for Chattanooga State’s Kolwyck Library, is just one of the brave
souls who stepped up to meet the challenge of taking on multiple
mentees.
While only five mentees are suggested, Lori has taken on ten. It
helps that most of these students attended the STEM Academy
with and are close friends of her son.
Important Dates
“I wanted to go to college for my future. The TN Promise
Scholarship offered help in paying for college.”
Myron Hilt, TN Promise Student
Page 2 TN Promise Journal
(Continued on page 4)

2. “Measure what you value and value what
you measure.”
Dr. Flora Tydings,
President, Chattanooga State
Community College
Our Partners tnAchieves
Words of Wisdom from Our President Important Dates
Nathan Cook, TN Promise Student
“It really helped me comprehend English better than I
did in high school.”
Ashley Bailey, TN Promise Student
What Students Said About the Summer Bridge
SEASONAL HOLIDAY
(Campus Closed)
December 23, 2016 - January 2, 2017
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
HOLIDAY
January 16, 2017
FASFA DEADLINE FOR TN
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS
TN Promise scholarship:
January 17th
, 2017
Page 2Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3
(Continued from page 2)
(Continued from page 1)
One of the most innovative ways we have
seen this commitment displayed is through
Chattanooga State’s implementation of pre-
scriptive scheduling, a guided, structured
pathway to graduation. This new method of
advising is expected to increase each stu-
dent’s understanding of their academic
goals and increase the likelihood of timely
graduation.
“It was a comfortable environment that made learning
easy and fun.”
Confessions of a TN Promise Mentor
4501 Amnicola Highway CHATTANOOGA, TN 37406
For more information about the
TN Promise Journal contact:
Julius Dodds, Director of Academic Retention
(423) 697-5560
julius.dodds@chattanoogastate.edu
Sandy Smith, Completion Specialist
(423) 697-3159
sandy.smith@chattanoogastate.edu
Pub. No 11-70-200001-180-10/16-rss/bap – pdf - Chattanooga State Community College does not discriminate against students, employ-
ees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender
identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all
employment, programs and activities sponsored by Chattanooga State. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries
regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director, Human Resources, 4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37406, 423-697-2417.
“If you’re in a position to offer a community service
opportunity, that will help you get to know your
students better.”
Lori Warren, TN Promise Mentor
Five of Lori’s mentees attend Chattanooga State,
including a set of identical triplets. Two other
mentees are at UTK and three are attending UTC.
When asked about the best way to communicate with
her mentees, Lori says she has utilized both texts and
emails with texts proving to be far more effective.
The mentor’s primary role is to keep their TN Prom-
ise students abreast of important dates like deadlines
for FAFSA and Community Service. In addition, offer-
ing encouragement and answering questions is im-
portant.
According to Lori, “If you have a Tweeter feed, follow
TN Promise and tnAchieves. Just cut, paste, and re-
tweet their feeds to pass on valuable information to
your mentees.”
“If you’re in a position to offer a community service
opportunity, that will help you get to know your
students better,” Lori adds.