The city of Memphis and its surrounding area -- with a population of over 1.3 million people -- needs to increase its number of college graduates by just over 8,000 in order to boost its college attainment rate from 23.7% to 24.7%, a feat that would bring an additional $1 billion to the region.
Community leaders, local businesses, and non-profit organizations have been working hard to make this goal a reality, and in March 2012,
Leadership Memphis, the Plough Foundation, and the Memphis Public Library announced a $1.7 million grant to create a resource center called Graduate Memphis, aiming to give Memphis-area residents the support they need to earn the two-year or four-year college degree.