Mayor Briley Announces Major Private Sector Donation to Nashville GRAD
Mayor David Briley today announced a donation from HCA Healthcare for Nashville GRAD, the Mayor's scholarship program that provides financial assistance for full-time students pursuing postsecondary degrees and credentials at Nashville State Community College (NSCC) or Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT).
HCA Healthcare’s donation of $100,000 is the first major private sector donation for Nashville GRAD. Mayor Briley has committed to including up to $1 million towards the program in Metro’s FY2019-2020 budget and up to $2.5 million annually after that.
“HCA Healthcare’s donation is proof that they share my belief in the importance of developing Nashville’s workforce and closing the city’s equity gaps, and I thank them,” said Mayor Briley. “When I announced this scholarship last year, I called upon the business community to help maximize its impact. HCA Healthcare’s generous donation will hopefully be the first of many from the private sector.”
“Nashville GRAD is an innovative partnership to improve college graduation rates and the quality of life for thousands of families while enhancing Nashville’s workforce,” said Sam Hazen, HCA Healthcare’s chief executive officer. “HCA Healthcare is proud to support Nashville GRAD as a complementary strategy to our work with the high school academies, and we appreciate Mayor Briley’s leadership on this important issue for our city.”
Nashville GRAD: Getting Results by Advancing Degrees complements the State of Tennessee’s programs for tuition-free college, Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect, by removing other financial barriers beyond tuition. Financial assistance covers expenses beyond tuition, including textbooks, transportation, tools and supplies, and industry certification fees. Nashville GRAD will also connect students to intensive academic and professional supports, such as academic and career advising, blocked course scheduling, and leadership development activities.
The scholarship program will increase the number of Nashvillians who earn postsecondary degrees or credentials from NSCC or TCAT. Nashville GRAD will increase the number of students successfully graduating from NSCC in three years to at least 50 percent and increase TCAT industry certifications to 66 percent by 2023.
Nashville GRAD, to begin in Fall 2019, will be implemented through a financial assistance fund that will include an annual financial commitment from Metro Government and, at full implementation, will serve more than 3,000 students each year.
Modeled after the highly successful evidence-based program Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) at the City University of New York (CUNY), Nashville GRAD has also received support from Bloomberg Associates for program design and implementation.
