Nashville GRAD program receives $100,000 donation from Amazon
Students at Nashville State Community College participate in Nashville GRAD to receive assistance with expenses that help them to complete their degrees. The infusion of funding from Amazon will help the city and college administrators bring the assistance to more students.
The city of Nashville established the Nashville GRAD (Getting Results by Advancing Degrees) program in 2019 to assist college students at Nashville State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville with expenses outside of tuition costs. The GRAD program was recently the recipient of a $100,000 donation from Amazon to help meet those needs. The donation from Amazon, announced January 6, 2021, is an indicator of the success of the GRAD program in helping students navigate the barriers that often disrupt degree completion and also encouragement to other businesses in the community to contribute.
The Nashville GRAD program provides financial assistance to eligible students in the form of help with textbooks, transportation and daycare costs, and emergency needs as well as providing academic support and mentorship. The aim of the program is to close gaps in equity and increase the amount of Nashville Residents earning postsecondary degrees or credentials. In a recent news release, Nashville State Foundation Executive Director Lauren Bell explained how the donation from Amazon will be put to use, "We are incredibly grateful to have the support of Amazon in our work to build an educated workforce through Nashville GRAD. This investment will enhance our strategic focus on improving successful outcomes for all our students."
A statement from Courtney Ross, Senior Manager of External Affairs for Amazon in Nashville said of the Nashville GRAD program, "For students juggling work and life responsibilities, completing college can be challenging. By providing more students with support they need to secure their degrees, Nashville GRAD is opening doors of opportunity, right here, in Nashville. We're honored to support this initiative and hope our investment will encourage other companies to deepen their involvement, as well." Other corporate sponsors of Nashville GRAD include Verizon, Bank of America, and Southwest Airlines.