NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TN Tribune) – Mayor John Cooper and the leaders of Nashville’s premier public education institutions have announced “Trailblazing to TSU,” an exciting new partnership and scholarship program between Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and Tennessee State University (TSU) to provide 100 students starting in the fall of 2023 the opportunity to be educated and trained for career opportunities in four high-demand content areas. The partnership will include early college experiences in collaboration with MNPS to include college visits, mentorship, guidance, and counseling support, and will be a full ride scholarship that covers four years of tuition and fees for participating students.
“As an institution of higher learning with deep roots in our community, we are elated to provide this opportunity for 100 Metro Schools graduates to be TSU Trailblazers, earning a degree and treasured life experiences that will help them to succeed in life and careers beyond our campus,” said Dr. Glenda Glover, President of TSU. “MNPS students are fortunate to have such a strong advocate in Dr. Battle, who has worked with me and my team to develop this initiative in a way that will maximize the benefits to the students and our respective organizations.”
Trailblazing to TSU is part of a broader initiative of Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of Metro Schools, to create the “University of MNPS,” which aims to develop, strengthen, or expand partnerships between Metro Schools and colleges and universities in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area.
“Elevating our relationship with TSU has been a key focus of mine in developing the University of MNPS initiative, because this institution means so much to so many in our community and among the many teachers and administrators who have used TSU’s College of Education as a springboard to success – including myself!” said Dr. Battle. “This generous offer to provide a no-cost education to 100 of our students will help more of our graduates to live their dreams and be on the pathway to great-paying, highly sought careers in Nashville and beyond.”
Trailblazing to TSU scholarships will each be individually named after a leader in the struggle for civil rights in America, in recognition of the trail blazed by those individuals who fought for the rights for opportunity and equality in America. To ensure the success of students participating in the program, TSU will assign a mentor to each scholarship recipient to guide them in their collegiate journey and to strengthen their chances for success in life beyond college.
“Investing in our children’s future through education is among our most important responsibilities as a community, and I’m thrilled that TSU has stepped up to the plate in a big way for our Metro students,” said Mayor John Cooper. “It’s a fitting tribute these 100 scholarships will be named for civil rights leaders as living testaments to their role as powerful examples for our future leaders. I’m grateful to President Glover for partnering with us on this initiative and for everything she does for Nashville, as well as to Dr. Battle for her continued leadership and service to Metro Schools.”
The 100 scholarships will cover tuition and fees for the students participating, with 25 awards allocated towards each of the following colleges in the TSU system:
College of Business: Educating current and future business professionals through innovative teaching and research focused on contemporary business concepts for the global economy. Programs offered include accounting, business administration, business information systems, economics, and finance.
College of Education: Training future teachers to thrive in the multicultural classroom, the College of Education is committed to meeting the demand for qualified educational professionals with degree offerings in Early Childhood Education along with meeting the requirement for State Licensure.
College of Engineering: Recognizing the need for developing graduates with an appreciation for global awareness, solid engineering fundamentals, and professionalism, the College of Engineering has several degree offerings in STEM fields such as applied and industrial technologies, computer science, and architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering.
College of Health Sciences: Preparing tomorrow’s health care leaders with programs in nursing, cardio-respiratory, dental hygiene, health information management, healthcare administration, public health, sports sciences, and speech and hearing science.
MNPS will work with school leaders to promote these opportunities to our graduating class, using our Academies of Nashville pathways to help identify students who will be great candidates for this program. Academies of Nashville is a nationally renowned transformation of the high school experience that partners with leading industries to incorporate real-world knowledge and experiences into the everyday classroom structure to set students on a pathway to success.
Students who are interested in applying to this exciting program should visit mnps.admissions.tnstate.edu.
