tnAchieves is excited to announce the expansion of its statewide volunteer mentoring program with the launch of a new opportunity focused on workforce readiness. In 2026, tnAchieves Mentors can choose between the following distinct but equally impactful formats—selecting how they make a difference in the lives of students, their communities and the state as a whole.
Workforce Mentorship is career-focused and industry-driven. This new option is designed to provide college sophomores with a real-world perspective on their career of interest and the skills needed to succeed in the workforce. Workforce Mentors will be paired with students based on their interests as they prepare to launch their careers.
Access Mentorship will continue to make a meaningful impact in the lives of high school seniors by guiding them to their first year of college. Access Mentors will continue to be paired with students based on their high school/county preference.
With more than 60,000 high school students and more than 30,000 college students being served annually by tnAchieves, both Workforce and Access Mentorship play an important role in building the workforce of tomorrow and ensuring that all students have access to personal support on their path to college and career.
“tnAchieves Mentors are doing more than offering guidance; they’re investing in the future of Tennessee,” said Krissy DeAlejandro, President & CEO of tnAchieves. “The addition of Workforce Mentorship ensures that tnAchieves students have access to career-based support as they transition to the workforce. Combining Workforce Mentorship with our existing Access Mentorship model represents important wraparound supports that further set tnAchieves students up for success in the workforce.”
The mission of tnAchieves remains clear: to Build Tennessee’s Future Workforce by ensuring students are supported from high school through career. 84.7% of tnAchieves graduates live and work in Tennessee after completing their education. They go on to become healthcare professionals, educators, business owners and other essential contributors to the state’s economy.
“Each year, the state of Tennessee shows why we are The Volunteer State as mentors raise their hands to stand with students,” said Tyler Ford, Vice President of Workforce at tnAchieves. “We are thrilled to leverage the career experiences of our mentors across the state. This adds another layer of support to better serve students on their path from high school to college to the workforce.”
tnAchieves Mentorship requires just one hour a month and is conducted entirely online, making it accessible for busy professionals and community members across the state. tnAchieves provides all mentors with a training, handbook and weekly emails to ensure success.
The tnAchieves Mentor application is now open. Those interested in becoming a mentor can learn more and register at tnAchieves.org/mentors.
