Sara Patterson - The Commercial Appeal -

A new scholarship fund for Shelby County high school seniors aims to increase the state's number of first-generation college graduates.

Until Dec. 9, seniors interested in furthering their academic careers at Southwest Tennessee Community College or Tennessee Technology Center can apply for tuition money and mentoring from Memphis/Shelby Achieves, a public/private partnership under the umbrella of TNAchieves.

"Through this network of community partners, we're helping students go to community college for free, essentially," said Richard Rhoda, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Rhoda said at a news conference Tuesday that the initiative was created to help meet the state's goal to "double the number of Tennesseans that have a college credential, per year, between now and 2025."

Rhoda said meeting those benchmarks will bring Tennessee up to the national average.

Scholarship priority is given to students whose parents didn't attend college, and the money given to Memphis-area recipients is to be used at Southwest or TCC.

"We tell people that if you really want a better life, you've got to go beyond a high school education," said Memphis Mayor A C Wharton. "And that sounds good, but for so many, it's a platitude -- nowhere near reality."

Wharton also said a better-educated workforce would entice more employers to the area.

Memphis/Shelby Achieves was formed a few months ago by the city and county mayors under the direction of Gov. Bill Haslam and has put $500,000 in its scholarship pot thus far, halfway to its $1 million goal.

Memphis/Shelby Achieves has partners in AutoZone, the Hyde Foundation, First Tennessee and Independent banks and Pet Safe, among others.

Scholarship recipients will receive up to $3,000 annually. Equally important, said Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, is the commitment of mentors to the young scholars.

"So many of our young people in high school have passion, have desire," he said. "They just don't know quite how to get there."

For more information, go online to tnachieves.org or contact Memphis/Shelby Achieves coordinator Kaci Murley at (901) 258-2177 or kaci@tnachieves.org.

-- Sara Patterson: (901) 529-2542