Healthy Living | Spring Issue | 2018 13
two daughters. I told people at
Vol State that I wanted to go to
law school. It may have seemed
like a pipe dream.”
It wasn’t. Shifflett now has
his own general practice law
firm in Portland, specializing in
family law and trial litigation.
“It’s not easy going to college,”
he added. “But it’s absolutely
do-able. I’m not the only
one – there are many more like
me. You just have to keep at it.
I’m able to do things now for
my family that I could never
have done back then.”
There are three primary
steps to take part in TN Reconnect
at Vol State: apply to the
college; fill out the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA); and apply for TN Reconnect.
There are eligibility requirements
for TN Reconnect,
with the most important being
that a student cannot already
have an associate or bachelor’s
degree. The other requirements
are listed on the Vol State website.
All of those steps can be accomplished
now by visiting the
Vol State website.
Vol State has academic support
programs to get students
up to speed in math and English
skills. Faculty and staff members
are also experienced in working
with adult students. The college
has a number of delivery methods
for classes, including day,
evening, Saturday, and online
classes. That provides great flexibility
for working students.
“I make sure to keep on
schedule,” said adult student,
Melody Wilson. “I set aside
time to study at night after my
son has gone to bed or in the
morning, before he wakes up.
It’s important to stay ahead on
assignments so you never get
behind. As a single mom I know
this is the only way to ensure a
good future for me and my son.”
“One of the biggest things
for me was learning to work on
the computer for school. The
other students helped me get up
to speed. After a week or two,
I knew where everything was
online and what to do with assignments,”
said adult student,
Travis Mays of Mt. Juliet.
The college is hoping that
people will talk to their friends
and family about TN Reconnect.
Employers are also encouraged
to discuss it with workers.
The outreach campaign is underway
statewide. Tennessee is
the first state in the nation to
offer free community and technical
college tuition for adult
students, and for graduating
high school students.
“It’s never too late to make a
change,” said Faulkner. “It’s never
too late to fulfill that dream
you may have had for years.”
Vol State has two locations
in the Upper Cumberland: Vol
State at Livingston and Vol
State at the Cookeville Higher
Education Campus (CHEC).
For more information about
TN Reconnect, including eligibility,
visit www.volstate.edu/reconnect
or call 615-230-3447.