AT&T’s ‘Believe Tennessee’ campaign partners with Roane State Community College to support area students

Donation to support Student Emergency Fund at Roane State Community College and school supplies for Ridge View Elementary students

Harriman—AT&T said it has a long-standing commitment to the future of Tennessee and through its initiative – Believe Tennessee – the AT&T team is working with community leaders and organizations to remove barriers to academic success and engage youth to have an impact in their communities.

As part of this effort, the AT&T Foundation has donated $5,000 to Roane State Community College’s nonprofit Foundation to support the Pay-It-Forward Emergency Aid fund. This fund ensures students receive the support they need in times of financial distress, a press release said. Additionally, AT&T employees and students from Roane State have collected school supplies for students at Ridge View Elementary.

“We are thrilled to see AT&T expand their commitment to community engagement through this project,” said Chris Whaley, president of Roane State Community College. “Our local students will benefit greatly from this gift and AT&T’s continued support of higher education.”

“I am grateful for community partners like AT&T who are generous in their support for our Tennessee students. Preparing our students to achieve their goals starts in the classroom, and by providing school supplies, AT&T is helping to ensure our children have the tools necessary to succeed,” said LaDonna McFall, director of schools, Roane County School District.

This donation is part of the AT&T Foundation’s $150,000 gift to the Tennessee Board of Regents, which governs Tennessee’s public community and technical colleges. Funding will provide support for student emergency funds across the 13 community colleges and equipment for the 27 colleges of applied technology, the press release said.

“Roane State does a tremendous job preparing students to enter the workforce with a strong foundation for future success,” said Senator Ken Yager. “Thanks to their commitment to quality education, Tennessee has a first-class workforce ready to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving 21st century economy.”

“At AT&T, we are focused on developing a 21st century workforce that can promote continued prosperity and a stronger economy across Tennessee,” said Alan Hill, regional director, External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T Tennessee. “We are excited to support Roane State Community College to help more students gain the high-demand skills necessary to compete for quality job opportunities and to empower more students to reach their highest potential.”

The 13 Tennessee Community Colleges are as follows:

• Chattanooga State
• Cleveland State
• Columbia State
• Dyersburg State
• Jackson State
• Motlow State
• Nashville State
• Northeast State
• Pellissippi State
• Roane State
• Southwest Tennessee   
• Volunteer State
• Walters State

The Believe Tennessee effort is an extension of AT&T Believes, a larger company-wide initiative, which aims to create positive change in local communities, the press release said. To learn more about AT&T Believes initiatives across the country, visit about.att.com/csr/believes.html.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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