Vol State Official Says State’s Goal To Increase College Enrollment Is Doable

The state’s goal to increase college enrollment for the 2023 high school class will be a big undertaking but doable at the same time.

That is according to Vol State Student Services Vice-President Emily Short. Short said Tennessee Promise will be a big part of reaching the 60 percent benchmark.

“It very much meets with what Volunteer State wants to do and is all about,” Short said. “I think that the support that THEC (Tennessee Higher Education Commission) and the Tennessee Board of Regents will supply as far as the marketing efforts and us just knowing they really have our backs to achieve their goal.”

The state will also focus on increasing adult enrollment to help combat sliding college going rates. Short said the decrease in enrollment was something that Vol State in Cookeville also saw mainly due to the pandemic.

Short said the state’s goal shows that leaders are committed to educating residents, improving the work force and increasing socio-economic levels.