We Tennessee public university presidents all want citizens to get a four-year degree
Recently there’s been increased conversation over the value of a college degree. We, the presidents of Tennessee’s public universities represented by this consortium, are working together to deliver a unified message: Yes, a public university degree is worth it, and it is especially valuable in Tennessee.
Through financial aid and scholarships like Tennessee HOPE, many Tennesseans have access to college free of tuition and mandatory fees. Nearly half of all public university students in Tennessee graduate without debt. A four-year university degree in Tennessee pays higher lifetime wages, about $1.4 million more than high school graduates earn. On an annual basis, typical earnings for bachelor’s degree holders are 84% higher, a $36,000 increase, than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma.
Tennessee is in the top third of states that are actually increasing their number of college students. Enrollment at public universities and community colleges for the fall 2023 semester in Tennessee is up by 2.2% year over year.
This is good news for Tennessee households because a university degree is still the proven path out of poverty for many students. Tennessee’s public universities are engines for upward mobility. Nine of the 10 four-year public universities in Tennessee rank among the top two tiers of Third Way’s five-tier economy mobility scale for graduates.
Why a college degree offers so much value to Tennessee students
More than any other postsecondary path, college delivers connections. Public universities bring people together through campus life, intramurals, sporting events, volunteer opportunities and many other connection points. It’s about the interpersonal and leadership skills you develop in the process – the soft skills that matter so much to employers. It’s about the experience of college.
Also missing from the current debate over the value of college is the community benefit. Our public universities provide tremendous value, even for those who never set foot on campus. From supporting economic development and fueling innovation through research to expanding access to health care, to supporting a vibrant arts community, our public universities make life better for all Tennesseans.
Public university graduates fill areas of need in Tennessee, including nurses, doctors, engineers, educators, small-business owners and other professionals. They help generate innovation and a productive workforce, leading to better business opportunities for local communities and a stronger Tennessee economy. It comes as no surprise to us that, among the CEOs of top Fortune 500 companies, 13 of the top 16 who were educated in the United States received their bachelor’s degree from a public university.
A post-high school education is good for business and economic advancement
As more people and more businesses are moving into Tennessee, we need to keep pace with the new demands of the workforce. More than 70% of Tennessee business leaders agree there is an insufficient supply of appropriately trained workers. We need to grow our own workforce.
This is not just about the prosperity of individual Tennesseans, although that is important.
This is about the economic impact in our communities and increasing business development within companies and organizations. Tennessee’s public universities help fill the state’s critical needs and raise the quality of life for families throughout the state.
It is an unprecedented moment that brings Tennessee’s public universities together like this.
While we have always been student-focused and community-led, we are collectively raising our voices to reinforce the value that our universities add to Tennessee. Our support centers around one key point: A degree from a public university is great for you and for your local community.
Our message isn’t “Go to my university.” Our message is simply “Go.” Go for the connections, the experience and the higher earning potential.
Go to make a difference in the world. Go “Four the Future.”
Michael Licari, president of Austin Peay State University (Clarksville)
Brian Noland, president of East Tennessee State University (Johnson City)
Sidney McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro)
Glenda Glover, president of Tennessee State University (Nashville)
Phil Oldham, president of Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville)
Randy Boyd, president of the University of Tennessee system encompassing the following institutions:
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee, Martin
University of Tennessee, Southern (Pulaski)
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: College education: Why a four-year degree is key to future success
