Tennessee Wesleyan University’s commitment to support student success and career readiness just received an over $3 million boost!

     The project, themed “Tennessee Wesleyan University Pathways to Success: Strengthening College Persistence and Workforce Readiness”, particularly focuses on two primary goals: increasing student success and workforce readiness.

    “This funding will open so many doors for our students from their first semester to their first professional job: more coaching, stronger academic support in challenging courses, internships and career learning built into their programs, and the AI skills employers expect,” said Dr. Angie Watts, Executive Director for Student Retention and Success. “It will give every Tennessee Wesleyan student, especially those who are from low-income backgrounds or the first in their families to reach for a degree, more ways to persist, graduate, and step confidently into a career or graduate school.”

      The project will provide resources for Tennessee Wesleyan to expand student support services, develop career pathways, increase artificial intelligence literacy, and strengthen data-informed decision-making across the University.

       A central focus of the initiative is helping students successfully progress from their first year through graduation and into the workforce or graduate study. The project will expand success coaching, enhance the First-Year Experience, and introduce supplemental instruction for traditionally challenging courses. Success Coaches will proactively connect students with resources such as tutoring, counseling, financial assistance, and career guidance.

       The grant will also support the development of a Career Ecosystem, connecting students, faculty, administrators, and employer partners. Planned initiatives include expanding internships, integrating career-readiness competencies into academic programs, and establishing a Career Ecosystem Advisory Group with regional employers and community partners.

      Additionally, TWU will expand AI literacy opportunities for students and faculty, modernize institutional workflows, and strengthen its capacity for collecting, analyzing, and using data to support student success.

       The project also includes investments in student learning environments and technology, including loanable laptops and calculators, updated computer equipment, and collaborative study spaces/lounges in Townsend and Fisher halls.

      The Title III Team at TWU that secured the grant are as follows:

Dr. Angie Watts – Executive Director for Student Retention and Success

Dr. Stephanie Smallen – Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Research

Mrs. Gail Harris – Vice President for Financial Affairs

Dr. Scott Mashburn – Vice President for Student Life | Chief Title IX Officer

Mrs. Christina Sjoberg – Director of Career and Leadership Development

       “This grant represents an important investment in the future of Tennessee Wesleyan and, most importantly, in the success of our students,” said Dr. Tyler Forrest, president of Tennessee Wesleyan University. “Students are TWU’s number one priority, and this grant allows our university to increase support for them in a variety of different areas.”

        Through the five-year initiative, Tennessee Wesleyan aims to increase student persistence toward graduation, improve outcomes for low-income students, expand internship and career-readiness opportunities, increase AI literacy, and strengthen the University’s ability to make data-informed decisions.