The University of Tennessee is known for its volunteer spirit, and many on-campus organizations work extensively to extend a helping hand to the Knoxville community. 

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is an honor society at UT that runs a program dedicated to helping middle and high school students prepare for college.  The program is called Planning for College Success.

Katie Woodruff is the UT chapter of NSCS's vice president for Planning for College Success.  She believes the program works to inspire the students it targets to work toward a college career.  

"Planning for College Success is a program developed by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars in which college students - NSCS members and non-members alike - tutor and mentor middle school children in hopes of inspiring, encouraging and enabling them to further their education after high school," Woodruff said.

The UT NSCS chapter is partnered with Knoxville's South Doyle Middle School.  The program's  volunteers tutor students twice a week after school throughout the school year.

The volunteers act as role models to the students. These students often have little experience regarding college.

"Another goal of PFCS is to provide these middle school students with the skills and information that is necessary when trying to find and apply to an appropriate college. We would like to show them how to find and get into a school that fits them academically, financially and otherwise," Woodruff said.

Many groups target high school students and try to assist them in working toward college admission.  But Haley Armstrong, president of NSCS's UT chapter, said she feels the focus on middle school students is equally justified.

"It was found that middle school is the best age to target because it is the age that teens can be most influenced on their future decisions, such as whether to attend college," Armstrong said.

Armstrong also detailed another PFCS program:  an annual tour of UT that relates what students have learned in the PFCS program to UT's campus.  She feels this is one of the strongest elements of the program.

"In March we host a 'March to College' day where we bring the students to UT and show them everything we have told them throughout the semester about college.  This day is probably the most influential time we have with the students," Armstrong said.

But NSCS is not the only campus organization that participates in community service programs devoted to giving students the tools and resources they need to prepare for college.  Many programs encouraging students to pursue a post-secondary education are available in Tennessee.

UT sponsors the pre-collegiate Upward Bound program that is co-funded by the Department of Education.  The Upward Bound program is targeted at upper-level high school students. 

The program provides many resources for the students interested in learning more about their college options.  UT also hosts a summer residential program for Upward Bound students that aims to give them a first-hand experience with college life.