Roane State Community College

Left to right: Tim Matthews, Jewelry Television President and CEO; Dr. Patricia Jenkins, Roane State Dean of Health Sciences; R. Steve Walsh, Jewelry Television Senior VP of Global Operations and Logistics; Scott Niermann, Roane State Foundation Executive Director; and Dr. Chris Whaley, Roane State President.

 

October 2, 2020

Jewelry Television (JTV) has again donated $5,000 to support the Roane State Foundation’s Pay-It-Forward awards program.

JTV is one of the nation’s largest jewelry retailers and supports more than 1,400 jobs on its 16-acre Knoxville campus. It’s located next to Roane State’s Knox County Center for Health Sciences at 132 Hayfield Road.

Roane State Foundation’s Pay-It-Forward program provides aid to students to help them stay in school. That assistance can include help with books or tuition for students nearing completion of their degrees and assistance with exam fees to obtain licenses and certifications.

The program also provides help in the form of one-time support for needs such as a rent payments, utility bills or car repairs for those who may have decreased work hours or experienced job loss due to COVID-19 or other economic challenges.

Once they have jobs and are able to give back, students who receive Pay-It-Forward scholarships agree to help future Roane State students in need to complete their education.

“Jewelry Television aims to open the world of jewelry and gemstones to everyone, so the company has a strong educational foundation,” said Charlie Wagner, the company’s vice chairman and legal counsel. “With that in mind, we value higher education and helping people enhance their skills and training through formal instruction.”

"The college's mission aligns with our values, and it's important to support the community where we live and work,” Wagner added. "We're proud to support Roane State Foundation's Pay-It-Forward program."

JTV made its first $5,000 donation to the Pay-It-Forward program in 2019.

“While Tennessee has major scholarships and grants, many student needs remain,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “Jewelry Television’s generous support of the Pay-It-Forward program helps fill those unmet needs to ensure that costs and unforeseen life events are not systemic barriers to higher education.”

The College and the Foundation have seen emergency aid requests increase nearly 50 percent since March due to COVID-19. Funds have been used to pay for cell phone bills, internet access due to more online classes, and to assist students with housing costs. Pay-It-Forward funds have even been used to replace worn-out work boots.

Covering the cost of license and certification exam fees for health science students is also particularly important because successful completion of those exams is necessary for careers.

JTV has a 26-year history and a successful strategy to elevate the customer experience with around-the-clock live TV programming to 85 million U.S. households. The company also has an industry-leading e-commerce platform and a robust social media presence.

As part of its commitment to customer satisfaction and the development and distribution of educational content, JTV employs many Graduate Gemologists and Accredited Jewelry Professionals. For more information, visit www.JTV.com and JTV’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

 

The Roane State Foundation is a separate 501c3 corporation governed by an independent Board of Directors and established to provide financial support for Roane State students and programs. The Foundation seeks to enhance community awareness of the college, to secure private contributions and bequests, and to manage monies or properties given to the Foundation. Contributions to Roane State Foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information or to make a gift to support Roane State students, visit roanestate.edu/foundation, email Foundationdept@roanestate.edu or call (865) 882-4507.