University of Tennessee Report Finds Nontraditional Students are Benefiting from a College Support Program

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A new report from the University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research finds the state’s efforts to help adults return to college are making an impact.

In 2019, Tennessee launched the Navigate Reconnect program to provide college coaching and advising to potential students aged 25 or older. Navigate Reconnect is different from many other advising programs because it focuses on prospective students who aren’t enrolled in college but are financially independent from their parents. Program “navigators” meet with the prospective students, “reconnectors,” to identify education and career goals, as well as expected barriers to enrolling or succeeding in college.

The Boyd Center’s report found that reconnectors are 11 percentage points more likely to remain enrolled in college than similar students who aren’t participating in the program at the end of two years. Students taking part in the program were noticeably more likely (33.5 percent versus 26.3 percent) to have attained an industry credential by the end of three years of enrollment.

87 percent of reconnectors attend community college, where they can benefit from the Tennessee Reconnect program that provides tuition-free access.

“This new data confirms what Tennessee has long believed: when adult learners are supported with personalized guidance and clear pathways, they don’t just enroll, they succeed,” said Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) Executive Director Dr. Steven Gentile. “Tennessee Reconnect continues to prove what’s possible when state investment, dedicated Navigators, and hands-on coaching come together to open doors for thousands of adult learners. 

Reconnectors See Increased Earning

The Boyd Center’s report also found that reconnectors are experiencing economic gains after participating in the program. Most reconnectors were employed when they enrolled in college, and their average income rose at a higher rate than other adult learners (21 percent) within three years.

More than 11,000 Tennesseans have taken part in the Navigate Reconnect program. A majority are women, with an average age of 33 and a household income below average.

 “Our navigators are the heart of this work,” said THEC Senior Director of Adult Initiatives Jessica Gibson. “They walk alongside adult learners from the first conversation to the final credential, helping them navigate every barrier in between. This report reinforces just how powerful that one-on-one support can be.”