(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Aug. 26, 2016) - - - Columbia State Community College recently received the Tennessee Promise Forward Grant, which will fund Guided TN Promise Pathways.

GTP² is a program that is focused on delivering services to students that will help with student retention and improved graduation rates, specifically for those students attending Columbia State under the Tennessee Promise.

The GTP² encompasses guided pathways, advising, coaching and other support services to ensure that students make the most of their opportunity through the Tennessee Promise.

"This is the second year Columbia State was awarded the grant and we are excited to building upon the successes of the Guided TN Promise Pathways program," said Adam Robertson, Columbia State Lawrence Campus student services coordinator and TN Promise Forward Grant director.

Columbia State will be able to maintain the use of Starfish, a retention solutions software, to track and monitor student success while providing a dynamic degree planning product to all students.

Students will regularly receive feedback regarding their academic progress, which will help keep students on their degree pathway.

GTP² will include an online module that will increase efficiency with most elements in academic planning including: degree planning templates, an outline of student goals, capturing student information, making information accessible to all advisors, tracking student progress that will be an indicator for future performance, help the college to focus on advising for students most in need, allowing students to view their up-to-date degree plan any time and generating data that will help with improving processes.

The grant awarded nearly $160,000 to the college, which will serve approximately 1,685 students over the course of two academic years.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.

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