BlueSky Tennessee Institute Recognized as One of Ten Exemplars in Education with Grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York

A new philanthropic initiative supports local leaders collaborating across public and private sectors to create career pathways for young people, strengthen civic engagement, and reduce political polarization

New York, NY - Today, Carnegie Corporation of New York announced BlueSky Tennessee Institute as one of 10 winners of a new initiative to support outstanding local partnerships that educate youth, bolster the workforce, and demonstrate the power of working together.

Profiles in Collective Leadership provides $200,000 grants for nonpartisan collaborations that serve as education and economic bridges in a range of communities across the country. The philanthropic initiative draws on the strengths of local government, education, nonprofit, business, and health care professionals to create career opportunities for young people and encourage civic participation. The 10 recognized partnerships in 8 states will act as exemplars, sharing what they have learned with each other and with the public.

By funding these collaborations in urban, suburban, and rural areas, the Corporation seeks to reduce political polarization and support civic engagement, community cohesion, and trust in public institutions. The Corporation aims to help young people from all backgrounds move from the classroom to meaningful careers, spurring the socioeconomic mobility necessary to create a thriving economy and sustain a healthy democracy.

The Corporation, in partnership with the education nonprofit Transcend, identified candidates through a competitive national process. The winners were selected by a panel of jurors comprised of a broad range of leaders in business, higher education, and philanthropy.

BlueSky Tennessee Institute is a partnership between BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) and East Tennessee State University (ETSU) that offers students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in computing in 27 months and receive a job offer for a competitive position with the company upon graduation. Although students are free to seek employment where they want after completing the program, BlueSky Institute's aspirational goal is to graduate and hire as close as possible to 100 percent of its students after graduation.

In addition to focusing on BCBST's workforce needs, BlueSky Institute addresses a community challenge: fewer than 40 percent of Hamilton County's residents earn a postsecondary credential within six years of beginning their college career, and economic growth in the area has not been equally distributed across socioeconomic lines. While open to all students, BlueSky Institute prioritizes recruitment at six Hamilton County high schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with high proportions of low-income students and with low college-going and completion rates. The program also intentionally targets groups who are traditionally underrepresented in information technology fields.