ETSU joins statewide coalition to share value of higher ed

“Four the Future” resets the conversation around the value of a four-year degree

East Tennessee State University is one of 10 public universities in Tennessee that are coming together to increase awareness of the value of a four-year university degree in Tennessee. The “Four the Future” campaign is a multi-year, coordinated effort to engage community and business leaders, prospective students, and Tennesseans in all 95 counties around the value of higher education from a public university.  

Participating schools include:

• Austin Peay State University (Clarksville
• East Tennessee State University (Johnson City)
• Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro)           
• Tennessee State University (Nashville)
• Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville)                 
• University of Tennessee, Chattanooga  
• Univ. of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis)       
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• University of Tennessee, Martin                                               
• University of Tennessee, Southern (Pulaski)

“ETSU has trained generations of educators and health care providers, fueled cutting-edge research, provided startup assistance for small businesses, supported the arts, and cared for veterans through our partnership with the VA hospital – all while working hand in hand with our communities throughout the Appalachian Highlands,” ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland said. “Tennessee’s public universities are here to serve the people of this great state, and our higher education system is among the best in the nation. We strive to make a positive impact in the lives of all Tennesseans, even those who never set foot on our campus.”

Among the key messages to Tennesseans is that a four-year degree at a public university in Tennessee isn’t just good for prospective students. It’s good for all Tennesseans:

• Workforce development: Public universities educate students in areas of need in Tennessee, including nurses, doctors, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, and other professionals. (Association of Public and Land Grant Universities)

• Training: More than 70% of Tennessee business leaders agree there is an insufficient supply of appropriately trained workers. (Boyd Center) 

• Economic growth: If the U.S. had increased its bachelor’s degree attainment during the 2010s by just 1 percentage point, this would have added $130.5 billion to the nation’s economic growth. (American Action Forum)

• Investing in all of us: People with a bachelor’s degree contribute $381,000 more in taxes than they use in government services and programs. (Association of Public and Land Grant Universities)

 
Among the key messages to prospective students is that graduates of four-year public universities in Tennessee typically earn bigger salaries and enjoy better health outcomes:

• Wealthier: On an annual basis, median earnings for bachelor’s degree holders are $36,000 or 84 percent higher than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma. (APLU) A bachelor’s degree recipient is expected to earn $1.4 million more than a high school graduate over their career. (Boyd Center)

• Financial aid: Tennessee offers numerous financial aid programs including the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. ETSU offers additional programs, including PROMISE Plus, a program that guarantees free tuition and program fees for any student eligible for HOPE and the maximum Pell Grant. Nearly half of ETSU graduates finish college with no debt at all. The median debt of ETSU graduates who do take out federal student loans is $19,442 total. 

• Economic mobility: Excepting UT Southern, which joined the UT System two years ago, all the other nine four-year public universities in Tennessee rank among the top two tiers of the five-tier economy mobility scale for graduates. ETSU ranks in the top tier. (Third Way)

• Healthier: Public college graduates enjoy better-paying jobs, fewer safety hazards, increased ability to accrue material resources and higher social status. They are more likely to exercise and less likely to report heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and depression. (HHS) 

• Connected: More than any other postsecondary path, college delivers connections. Connections to career paths, but also connections to each other. It’s about the network you build and the people you meet, not just the certificate you earn. Public universities bring people together through campus life, clubs, intramurals, sporting events, volunteer opportunities and many other connection points.

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About Four the Future

Four the Future is a consortium of 10 Tennessee public colleges and universities. The group of schools came together in 2023 to demonstrate the value of a four-year degree throughout the state of Tennessee. Led by the presidents of each of the participating schools, the group includes representation from the leadership at Austin Peay State University (Clarksville); East Tennessee State University (Johnson City); Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro); Tennessee State University (Nashville); Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville); University of Tennessee, Chattanooga; University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis); University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Tennessee, Martin; and University of Tennessee, Southern (Pulaski). For more information, visit FourTheFutureTN.com.