INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF MEMPHIS
Where Federal Dollars Are Really Going
When people think about major federal investments in Memphis, education rarely comes to mind first, but it should. Federal funding for education in our community has surpassed $500 million in a single year, with another $300 million still on the way.
And that's just the federal piece. Layer in what the state of Tennessee and Shelby County are contributing, and the total commitment to our students becomes staggering.
A Billion-Dollar Moment We Can't Afford to Waste
Every year, more than $1.4 billion in education investment crosses graduation stages in Shelby County. By the time a student reaches that stage, roughly $250,000 has been poured into their education from pre-K all the way through their senior year. That's our community's money, invested in our community's future.
But what happens next matters just as much as what came before.
Too many graduates leave that stage full of potential and short on support. Many move away for college and never come back. Others hit the five-year wall, unable to get the post-secondary degree or certification that sets them up for long-term success. The five to ten years after high school are some of the most critical and most vulnerable in a young person's life. Without the right network around them, even the most promising graduates can find themselves adrift.
For many, the stakes are even higher. Hundreds of our graduates are the first in their families to finish high school. Many more are navigating college as first-generation students, facing systems that weren't built with them in mind. The academic preparation is there, but the road ahead is anything but simple.
Closing the Gap: Choose901 Alumni
That's exactly the gap Choose901 Alumni was built to close. Each year, we welcome 500 graduates from our six partner schools into a network designed to carry them through those critical post-graduation years, whatever path they choose. They’re young people who are equipped for what's ahead but still navigating a fragile next season. Our goal is to help them clear those hurdles, maximize the educational investment already made in them, and retain them as contributors to Memphis's future.
That's roughly $100 million of Memphis's annual education investment staying right here, supported and surrounded by people who are invested in seeing it grow.
Our work starts before graduation. We build real relationships with students while they're still in high school, so that by the time they walk across that stage, they're already connected. From job placement and career guidance to personal development and community engagement, we walk alongside our alumni through the moments that matter most, including recruiting and retaining them back to the city they can help build.
The Return We're Working Toward
Our alumni aren't just recipients of investment. They're becoming the next wave of leaders, contributors, and community builders in this city. When we support them well, they give back, and Memphis grows stronger for it.
If you believe in that future, now is the time to act. Support Choose901 Alumni and help make sure Memphis's greatest investment doesn't go to waste.
