Tech Continuing Efforts To Fill Grad Student Pipeline

Tennessee Tech saw an uptick of grad student enrollment during COVID, but now many of those students are graduating.

Provost Lori Bruce said while the university is excited to see those students succeed, they want to continue the momentum and fill that graduate student pipeline.

“It helps our citizens kind of set themselves apart in the workforce, it helps them advance more quickly in their career, and it definitely enhances their earning potential,” Bruce said. “So it’s just a natural part of our mission at Tennessee Tech to educate the citizens of the state.”

Bruce said in order to achieve this, the university is heavily advertising the programs it has to offer including over 65 areas of graduate concentration including certification, master’s degrees, and doctorates. She said many people might not know that about 14 to 15 percent of the student body are graduate students, with around 1,400 students last fall and the same number this fall.

Bruce said a catchphrase for those considering getting advanced degrees is “level up.” She said 75 percent of Tech’s graduate students are already working professionals doing school work part-time. Bruce said that means most of those students would like to advance themselves or even pivot their careers.

“They like what they’re doing but hey know there are different career opportunities out there so they’re exploring different career opportunities through getting graduate credentials or graduate degrees,” Bruce said. “But most are happy in the area they’re in, they’re just really wanting to level up, and getting a graduate education helps them to do that.”

Bruce said if someone wants to consider joining a grad program, they first need to apply. She said after visiting Tech’s website there is away to explore the different degree programs and what is required.

Bruce said there is still plenty of time to apply for those programs, even for the coming fall semester.