JACKSON, Tenn. – As part of its larger Welcome Week activities for all students, the

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Jackson will hold a special
celebration called “My Future’s So Bright” to welcome new and returning
Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect students to campus on Thursday
September 15 at 11:30a.

The 2016-17 academic year; which began September 6th, is the second year
of the Tennessee Promise program, which provides two years free of tuition
and most fees at Tennessee’s community colleges and the Tennessee Colleges
of Applied Technology for new high school graduates starting with the high
school class of 2015.

The new school year marks the return of the first class of TN Promise
students for their second year, and the arrival of new students from the
high school Class of 2016. The separate Tennessee Reconnect program is for
eligible older Tennesseans who don’t qualify for TN Promise to return to
school to pursue certificates, diplomas and degrees.

To underscore the “My Future’s So Bright” theme, TN Promise and Reconnect
students who stop by the campus celebration will be given sunglasses and
invited to write messages on large banners about their hopes and what they
want to do after graduating. There’ll be a “future selfie” photo-op spot
where students can photograph themselves and each other wearing graduation
caps and attire or equipment associated with their future careers, and
posting the photos on their favorite social media.

The event is Thursday, 11:30am at TCAT Jackson’s main campus in Jackson.