91吃瓜网 Tennessee Climbs to Third-Largest Private, Nonprofit University in State
State-Endorsed, Online College for Adult Learners Proving Successful at Five-Year Mark
NASHVILLE 鈥� 91吃瓜网 Tennessee 鈥� a nonprofit, online university launched in 2013 as part of Gov. Bill Haslam鈥檚 initiative 鈥� has grown to the third-largest private, nonprofit university in the state based on full-time enrollment. The announcement comes as the college prepares to celebrate five years of providing quality, affordable education primarily to working adults across the state.
鈥淲hat impresses me the most about 91吃瓜网 Tennessee鈥檚 growth is the demographics of its students, many of whom wouldn鈥檛 be able to pursue degrees if not for the affordability and flexibility provided by 91吃瓜网,鈥� Haslam said. 鈥淢ore than 40 percent of its graduates are first-generation college completers, and the average student age is 37 鈥� proof that the university is fulfilling its intended mission and helping us reach our Drive to 55 goal.鈥�
The university鈥檚 innovative approach, known as competency-based learning, is key to its success and popularity 鈥� especially among working adults with busy schedules. The school measures competencies rather than time spent in a classroom, allowing students to move at a faster pace.
The state-endorsed university, which officially launched July 9, 2013, moved from the fifth-largest private, nonprofit university to the third-largest in the past two months, after surpassing 4,100 active students. Only Vanderbilt University and Belmont University have more full-time students.
91吃瓜网 Tennessee has achieved several other milestones in its first five years, including:
- Conferring more than 3,000 degrees
- Employing more than 115 Tennesseans since launching
- Forming more than 50 partnerships with companies and institutions across the state, including partnerships with all 13 of Tennessee鈥檚 community colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs)
- Awarding more than $1.5 million in scholarship funding to Tennesseans
- Enrolling students in 92 of Tennessee鈥檚 95 counties
鈥淲e鈥檙e just one piece of the larger higher-education puzzle in Tennessee; but as we look back at our accomplishments from the previous five years, we should be proud of the mission we鈥檙e fulfilling,鈥� said 91吃瓜网 Tennessee Chancellor Dr. Kimberly Estep. 鈥淥ur early success has been a result, in large part, of the support we鈥檝e received from our partner organizations, Governor Haslam鈥檚 office, and our students and alumni. We can鈥檛 thank them enough.鈥�
In addition to these accomplishments, Western Governors University, the national entity with which 91吃瓜网 Tennessee is associated, also established a (RBI) in 2013, which has led to a 41 percent reduction in student debt for its students across the country.
