New Scholarship to Cover College Tuition, Fees, and Book Costs in Four County Area
Eighteen- to 23-year-old residents in Humphreys, Benton, Perry, and Stewart counties interested in attending Nashville State Community College’s Humphreys County campus now have access to a scholarship, Funding our Future, thanks to the 21st Century Educational Foundation.
The scholarship’s intent is to make sure area residents within that age group have access to higher education in a similar manner to those covered under the state-run Tennessee Promise scholarship and Tennessee Reconnect grant. The new scholarship will cover tuition as well as the cost of required books and fees.
New or current Nashville State students 18 to 23 years of age may apply for the Funding our Future scholarship. To do so, they must complete the annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Foundation’s simple scholarship application.
Requirements for each semester include a minimum enrollment of six credit hours, which is between 2 to 3 classes, a 2.0 grade point average (GPA), and take one in-person class unless the required class(s) is not offered on-campus.
Students can begin applying for the Spring 2024 semester, which begins January 20, 2024, and beyond by emailing interest to HumphreysCounty@nscc.edu.
“Our Foundation was alerted to this lack of financial support for those ages of 18
and 23. To address this issue, we have elected to expand our Foundation's scholarship
program to provide support specifically for those within this age group,” said Mike
Galloway, chairman of the 21st Century Educational Foundation. “Our scholarships will mirror those of Tennessee
Promise and Tennessee Reconnect, so there will now be a seamless college-going opportunity
for all within our designated service area who wish to attend Nashville State classes
at the Humphreys County campus in Waverly. Our goal is to assure no one is prevented
the opportunity for post-secondary education because of the cost of tuition, books,
and fees.” 
Telaina Wrigley, who was recently named director of the Humphreys County and Dickson campuses, said, “As an institution and involved community member, we are grateful for the continued support the 21st Century Educational Foundation provides to Nashville State students.”
“We are thankful to the 21st Century Foundation for their continued commitment to the students in our area and Nashville State Humphreys County Campus,” said Humphreys County Executive Mike Pogreba. “The Foundation's generosity is an investment in the people of our community and the Scholarships offered is a reflection of the long-term relationship shared with the many students that have benefited from their assistance.”
In addition to Funding our Future scholarship, the Foundation, which is a state-chartered 501-c3 nonprofit organization, raised the money and built the building where the Nashville State Humphreys County campus resides. After construction, the Foundation deeded the building to the County. Since that time in the 1990s, it has raised money, established an endowment fund, and awarded scholarships to those it deemed in need of help. Beyond the need-based scholarships, they also award four $1,000 Honors Scholarships each year to recipients who attend Nashville State’s Humphreys County campus. Those scholarships are given to two students from McEwen High School and Waverly-Central High School and automatically renew for students who remain eligible and enroll for a second year.
