Tennessee Needs 1,500 College Mentors by Nov. 20
Community members who register at tnAchieves.org can help high school seniors make the move to college with one hour of mentoring per month.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Financial Aid
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tnAchieves needs more than 1,500 mentors statewide, including 40 in Greene County, before its November 20 recruitment deadline. The mentors help high school students move into community or technical college, which matters for Tennessee students planning their path to affordable higher education.
Why it matters
tnAchieves provides support to students entering college, and the shortage of mentors means fewer students may get personal guidance through the college transition. Recruitment is happening now, ahead of the November 20 deadline, so local volunteers have a limited window to sign up.
Mentoring requires one hour per month, and no prior experience is needed; all mentors receive training and ongoing support from tnAchieves. Two mentor roles are offered, Access mentors and Workforce mentors, with the recruitment deadline set for November 20.
The players
tnAchieves
A Tennessee program that supports students entering community or technical college through trained volunteer mentors.
The details
Community members register as mentors through tnAchieves.org/mentors. Access mentors guide high school seniors through the transition to community or technical college, while the program provides training and ongoing support to every mentor. Because the recruitment deadline is November 20, volunteers who want to be placed before students begin their college applications need to register before then.
Timeline
Early November 2026: tnAchieves issued its press release on mentor needs, approximately November 9.
November 20, 2026: tnAchieves mentor recruitment deadline.
Education Landscape
Tennessee's tnAchieves program relies on volunteer mentors to help students make the move from high school into college. The current statewide gap of more than 1,500 mentors shows how much the program still depends on community recruitment to reach students.
If you are a Tennessee adult with time to spare, becoming a mentor requires only one hour per month and comes with training. Students who want mentor support as they move toward community or technical college may benefit if enough volunteers register before November 20.
The takeaway
Tennessee's college access programs depend on community volunteers, and the November 20 deadline is the date to know if you want to help. Check the tnAchieves mentor registration page to confirm which county needs mentors and to register.
What happens next
The tnAchieves mentor recruitment deadline is November 20, 2026, after which the current recruitment window closes.
Further reading
For more on how college access programs connect to aid, explore Financial Aid coverage for Tennessee students.
More information
Register as a volunteer on the tnAchieves mentor registration page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Greeneville Publishing Company.
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Would you volunteer one hour a month to mentor a local college-bound student?
