This month, members of the Persist Nashville team traveled to New Orleans to join educators, advocates, and thought leaders at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) conference. Together, Persist Nashville joined the NCAN conference in New Orleans to share data, lessons, and strategies on strengthening college access and persistence for students.
Presenting on Citywide Models for Student Success
Our Executive Director, Jennifer Hill, co-presented alongside colleagues from the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, DCPS Persists, and Contigo Ed. This session built on a presentation from two years ago, when Persist Nashville (founded in 2019) and DCPS Persists (founded in 2020) were highlighted as citywide models for supporting students through college.
With support from Contigo Ed, DCPS Persists and Persist Nashville returned to share program analyses—examining which strategies most impact persistence rates, graduation outcomes, and which students are benefitting the most from persistence coaching. Panelists also offered practical lessons for other organizations: how to evaluate program effectiveness, manage data, and avoid common pitfalls when building or refining persistence initiatives.
Reflections from the Persist Team
Back in Nashville, our team debriefed and reflected on the national conversation:
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Gabe highlighted research showing that many students overestimate the cost of college by more than $5,000, reinforcing the need for clear affordability messaging and transparent information about fees.
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Emma pointed to a New America survey revealing that while 44% of students want to go to college, many would rather take a lower-paying job than take on student loan debt. She emphasized the importance of rebuilding public trust in the value of a college degree—especially since data shows college graduates earn, on average, over $1 million more over their lifetime.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
As coaches, we face these concerns every day in our work with students. Attending NCAN reminded us of the urgency of our mission: to help students not only access college, but also persist, graduate, and thrive in their chosen careers.
We are proud of Jennifer for representing Nashville on a national stage, and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside peers who share our vision. Together, we are building a future where every student has the tools, support, and confidence to succeed in higher education and beyond.