Donor Stories

Dr. A. Randolph Shields ’34 in 1976

Dr. Shields at Cades Cove

The purpose of the Dr. Randolph Shields Appalachia Resources/Studies Endowment is to provide funding for student study, research, and exploration in Appalachia and environs. The Shields Appalachia Endowment allows us to remember and recognize Dr. Shields for his love of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), his storied MC career as a professor of biology, and his commitment to developing in his students a passion for the Great Smoky Mountains.    In addition, the Shields Endowment also supports the College’s strategic initiative, “Embracing our opportune and scenic location, as one of the world’s greatest learning laboratories.”

Having been born in and now buried in Cades Cove, Dr. Shields spent his life sharing his beloved Smoky Mountains with others.  Dr. Shields was responsible for introducing students to the GSMNP, instilling a passion for sustaining and caring for the environment, and igniting a life-long interest in the natural world.

Dr. Shields founded the Mid Appalachian College Council environmental field station (MACCI) on Norris Lake near LaFollette, TN where for several years he taught Limnology and brought in professors to teach forest Ecology and Geology.   While at MC, Dr. Shields also organized January term field trips to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona where students could study in and appreciate a totally different ecosystem.

The Shields Appalachia Endowment will help to expand programs, research opportunities, and outdoor experiences in Appalachia and the Great Smoky Mountains.  It is our hope that faculty and students will embrace the creative and professional learning opportunities in the natural world – especially in and near the GSMNP.

We decided to establish a scholarship endowment in our brother’s memory as a lasting tribute to his legacy and the values he held dear. Our brother was an especially active student leader and student athlete, and valued the opportunity to be part of a team and to develop leadership skills outside the classroom. The purpose of the endowment is to recognize Maryville College juniors and seniors for academic excellence and involvement in extracurricular activities.

Our aim was to honor his passion for education while also giving back to the community he cherished. This endowment not only serves as a beautiful way to keep his memory alive but also provides opportunities for deserving students to pursue their dreams and achieve their academic goals. It is a fitting way to ensure that his spirit lives on at Maryville College.

Paul loved the time he spent at Maryville College, so much so that he encouraged family members and friends to attend Maryville.  Maryville College is a well-regarded institution that combines academic excellence, a nurturing community, and a beautiful setting to provide students with a well-rounded and enriching educational experience.  There was no question on where to invest once the decision was made.

We could not fathom when creating the endowment with Paul’s widow, Elisha, that we would lose her just a few years later.  Having this endowment in place allows us to not only honor Paul’s memory, but Elisha’s as well.  It will forever hold a very space place in all our hearts.

Written by Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons and Joe Anagnostis ’90

The Blount County Alumni (BCAA) Executive Board raised money annually for scholarships for decades; however, funding endowed scholarships creates the opportunity for scholarships on a long-term basis. Additionally, it creates a more impactful scholarship amount for the recipients.  It was important to our Executive Board members to guarantee scholarships long after our time on the board.  Not to mention that it is a smart investment of Blount County Alumni Association’s funds to build interest to then return to our students!

The purpose of the BCAA Scholarship is to provide a $2,500.00 scholarship to two Blount County students annually. It is important to our Board to do what we can for Blount County students. This is the community we live and work in and offering this opportunity annually helps students reach their goals and gives them the same experiences that we all treasured as students at MC.

The BCAA is proud of our work and dedication toward MC and our community! We are still working and building our endowment every day!  We are always striving for more because we are Scots!

Maryville College was mentioned regularly in conversation in our family.  Michael’s father, Ed, graduated in 1967 and was so appreciative of Maryville College’s role in his professional life.  When Michael was asked about applying for college, he never hesitated.  Maryville College was his first and only goal.

Michael graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Faculty support and the Learning Center were central to his success.  His senior project involved a study of perceived air deprivation in SCUBA.  Michael was a diver and was certified in many aspects of SCUBA.  He taught SCUBA for many years.

His death at 35 years old was unexpected, but he always treasured the relationships he built at Maryville College.  So, how better to honor him, than by establishing a scholarship to support Maryville College students.

The Class of 1972 wished to create an endowment as our 50^th reunion gift to Maryville College that will provide an annual scholarship to a student in the area of environmental/sustainability studies.

 The Class of 1972 50th reunion gift was the inspiration of Rev. Chuck Cary who suggested a scholarship that focused on environmental studies to demonstrate our Class’s concern for the future of our planet even as we approach the end of our lives on this earth.   This endowment supports the College’s new Environmental Studies major and its efforts to strengthen its relationship with the nearby Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the people of Eastern Tennessee.

Almost immediately we connected that to Dr. Randolph Shields who was a member of the MC Class of 1934, was a long-standing member of faculty, and was Chair of the Biology Department for many years at Maryville College.  Dr. Shield grew up in nearby Cades Cove, served as a ranger-naturalist in the park, and loved sharing his passion for the Great Smoky Mountains with Maryville College students.  Most of all, he was a beloved mentor to many in our class.

It was important for the Class of 1972 to make this investment in the future of Maryville College and in the educational experience of Maryville College students because of the unique experiences we shared while attending MC.   At our recent reunion all the attendees (and there were more than 50 of us) spoke of the lifelong friends that we had made during our undergraduate years; the impact of faculty, staff, and coaches upon our lives; and our desire to ensure that future students have the same opportunities that we had through Maryville College.

Creating this endowment was a positive experience because virtually every classmate agreed that both the focus of this scholarship (Environmental Studies) and the honoree (Dr. Shields) were perfect reflections of our Class.  The fact that we doubled our original financial goal suggests that everyone was eager to contribute to this cause.  Much credit also goes to the Rev. Chuck Cary who led our campaign.  Sarah Miller Owens ’72, who was a biology major and a student of Dr. Shields, will serve as the Class of 1972 representative for the Dr. Randolph Shields ’34 Environmental Studies/Sustainability Scholarship.

In establishing this endowment, we endeavor to enhance the excellent educational opportunities available to Maryville College students by bringing to the campus presentations by outstanding academic and professional individuals.

Maryville College has provided us and eight other members of our families the solid foundation upon which we all have built meaningful lives.   Newell’s parents, John and Helen Newell Witherspoon, were members of the Class of 1918.  Newell’s four aunts and Mary’s sister and brother-in-law all benefited from the College’s liberal arts education.  At Maryville College we learned to love learning, to think critically, and to see the need for being active participants in the issues of the day.

During Newell’s ten years on the faculty and Mary’s 20 plus years on the Board of Directors, we were impressed by the dedication and deep knowledge of the faculty.  We know that in subsequent years the faculty has continued that great tradition.  It is with enthusiasm and high expectations that we establish this endowment, knowing that Maryville College students, supported by faculty and staff, will benefit from listening to and discussing presentations by outstanding individuals.

We established this endowment because we would like to be part of continuing the long and prestigious legacy of liberal arts education at Maryville College.

Maryville College meant a great deal to us both academically and in terms of relationships.  We are appreciative of that and would like to pay that forward and provide other students with the opportunity to study at a small Liberal Arts college that is academically challenging, and where students form relationships with faculty and staff.   These relationships were an important component to our Maryville College experience, and we always appreciated the continuity of faculty and staff.   We want our legacy to make a difference to future generations by helping students make those kinds of connections.

Bill Postler was a math and philosophy religion major at Maryville College. After graduation he attended Vanderbilt University where he received a Master of Divinity degree in 1975. He was then ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Bill had a long and successful career as a pastor in Bozeman (MT), Great Falls (MT) and Durango (CO). He also served as the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Western Colorado.  Bill serves as the President of the Class of 1971.

Jan Welton Postler was an English major at Maryville College. She attended Maryville in part because her mother, Elizabeth Welton, was secretary to the then College President, Dr. Joseph J. Copeland. Jan grew up in the Second Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, where Dr. Copeland was pastor prior to becoming President of MC. He recruited her mother Elizabeth to become his secretary, when he became President of the College.

Following graduation Jan worked at the Maryville College Environmental Education Center at Tremont in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. She then moved to Nashville where she began her museum  career at the Cumberland Museum and Science Center. She eventually served as the registrar at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, the Charles M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, and the Animas Museum in Durango. She also served as the director of the Cascade County Historical Society.

Bill and Jan were married in 1974 at the Second Presbyterian Church in Knoxville.

We were motivated to include Maryville College in our charitable legacy because we have a long history with Maryville College.  Polly and I met at Maryville College and married while we were students, without the College we would not have been a family.   Polly’s father, James A. Cox was a member of the Class of 1929.   Our daughter Meelora (Lori) Bowers Zerrick  graduated in 1981 and is an active member of the Blount County Alumni Association.

Our Maryville College liberal arts education and experience provided us with a solid foundation for our careers.  Polly taught school in Virginia, North Carolina, California, Arizona, Florida, Korea and the Philippines.   I retired as a Colonel from the Marines having served in Cuba, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, and the United States.

It is important that we make this investment in the College’s future because we believe in the power of education.  We hope that current and future students enjoy the fruits of their Maryville College education and experience and use it to better themselves, better their communities and, enjoy the adventure of spreading and sharing their education throughout the world.

With our estate gift, we hope to see Maryville College continue to provide a well-rounded, sound educational experience that will stimulate citizens to learn, give, share, and work for the betterment of mankind.

George, Carolyn, Frank and family

George and Frank Twum-Barimah ’04

Over the 200-year history of Maryville College, many alumni have loved their alma mater, but none more than George Carpenter. Here in this Christian community, he received the foundation and inspiration which made him the person he was for all his life. He always wanted to give to everyone what Maryville had given to him.

As a pastor, George’s love was overflowing to his congregations. He inspired them to witness and serve in the local community and throughout the world. It was not hard to understand that he gave the later years of his ministry to working with churches and hospitals in several African countries, spreading his wonderful love and sharing their needs with churches throughout the southeast upon his return. It was on one of his visits to Ghana that he came to know Frank Twum-Barimah, a young man with lots of promise but with no chance of going to college in Ghana. George heard God speaking and with the help of Maryville College and many generous people, Frank became a much-loved student and then alumnus of Maryville College. That promising young man has now returned to Africa, as regional coordinator for sub-Saharan West Africa with World Vision.

Frank is carrying on George’s vision of building God’s Kingdom throughout the world. It is our hope that coming recipients of this scholarship will continue this vision of love and service to all God’s children. There is no better way to honor George’s joy of life and passion for Maryville College and all people than by gifting young people with this scholarship, insuring George’s legacy to continue forever.

I am so incredibly grateful for my Maryville College experiences that I wanted to create a scholarship that would enable students to stay at Maryville College to finish this step in their journey of life, just as Dr. and Ms. Laster’s gracious gift enabled me to graduate and eventually become a Golden Scot!!

There were so many positive and memorable experiences that it is hard to know where to begin, but simply put, I am most fond of my experiences with the Marching Band, first as a member of the drum section and then as the Drum Major. I am also grateful for the Professors and Administrators whose touch reached far beyond the classroom. During my first year, Dean McClelland called me to his Office, where he informed me of my father’s death. My Bible professor, Dr. Tang, was there to have prayer with me. When I returned to my room in Carnegie Hall, the dorm proctor and my roommate had packed my suitcase to go home. And, to my amazement, Maryville College President, Dr. Joseph Copeland, was there to drive me to the airport. This experience taught me how very much the Maryville College family genuinely loves.

It was important to establish the John T. Campbell ’70 Ministry Endowed Scholarship because I wanted to “leave a mark;” a sort of reminder that I had “been here!”   My wife and I never had children, so I wanted to hear, “Hey, that Campbell kid “Johnny” did some good!”   I am grateful that Sharon and I can fund this scholarship and am proud that I am able to “give back” to a college that cared enough about me to ensure that finances did not stop my educational journey. My hope for both Maryville College students and Alumni is that they will accept and flesh out in their own lives, Dr. Isaac Anderson’s challenge to “do good on the largest possible scale.”

I endeavor to be remembered as a servant of God who heard God’s call to ministry and said, “I will go, Lord, if you lead me!”  Today I thank God that He did, and that my journey led me to Maryville College.

This was set up as a birthday gift from Tim Topham ’80 to his wife, Traci Brakebill Topham, to honor her father’s memory.

The purpose of the endowment is to provide local students in the Blount County area with financial assistance who are pursuing a major in Music, Vocal Performance.  Don obtained his undergraduate degree in Music at Maryville College, where he learned from talented musicians from other parts of the country.

Don grew up on a farm in Blount County and throughout his life discussed the valuable education, voice training and future success he obtained as a result of his time spent at Maryville College.

Tim Topham said: “Traci and I want to enable other Blount County students to have the gift of musical education that begins at Maryville College that can propel them into successful careers in music. The arts are critical to our society, and we hope to be a small part of continuing the legacy of the fine arts programs—specifically in Music.

In creating this endowment we wanted to commemorate Don’s lifetime commitment to musical education and community performance and to celebrate his talents as a musician, voice teacher, and choir director, recipients must be pursuing a major in Music, preferably in Vocal Performance.”

My reason for establishing a scholarship at Maryville College is to encourage and assist students in experiencing the life and education that the college provides.  I am a firm believer in the superiority of a liberal arts education.  I am very grateful for my experience.

As an English major, I studied under some gifted professors who gave me life-long lessons.  Chaucer and Shakespeare will always speak through Dr. Edwin Hunter’s voice.  Dr. Elizabeth Jackson’s book report requirement that the summary occupy no more than five notebook paper lines taught me to make every word say all it could.  When writing, I still try to use the least number of words that can convey the meaning intended.

Dr. Carolyn Blair’s study chart in a Victorian survey class included date, literature written, historical events, scientific development, fine art movements.  I learned that literature does not rise out of a vacuum, but influences and is influenced by the current culture.  Dr. Arthur Bushing taught the history of the novel, my favorite genre, and guided me through my Special Studies.

My preference for a student not majoring in one of the arts, but actively interested in the arts is based in part on my experience.  An English major, I also studied the organ, which gave me much pleasure.  Many a late afternoon practice reinvigorated me and put a smile on my face.  I think that an active interest in the arts gives one’s life a certain balance.

My hope is that the scholarship will enable many students to experience the challenges and joys that Maryville College offers.

Clara Gowan Hardin ’57

The Karson Leitch Beaty ’98 SMILE Scholarship reflects a life committed to service, leadership, and “doing good on the largest possible scale.”

Karson was known for her beautiful signature smile.  Everyone she came across was the lucky recipient of that heartfelt smile.  SMILE is the perfect acronym for qualities that characterize students awarded this scholarship:

Service, Mentorship, Integrity, Leadership, and Excellence.

Growing up in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Karson Leitch Beaty first came to know East Tennessee in her teens, as a volunteer through her church for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP).  Later as a Bonner Scholar at Maryville College, she became a summer ASP staff member from 1995-1997, promoted to a Center Director in 1997.   Through her work with ASP, she developed a profound life-long love and respect for Appalachia and its people, writing her Senior Thesis at Maryville on the topic.  While a student, Karson founded the Maryville College Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and was very active in the Theater program.  Her joint degree in Sociology and American Sign Language with a Minor in Theater propelled her into a career of service to East Tennessee that deeply touched many lives.  Karson graduated from Maryville College in 1998 and worked as an Admissions Counselor there from 1998 to 2001, when she left to pursue graduate work . Karson had a profound love for Maryville College, making many friends there and leaving a legacy that will be remembered for many years.  In 2003 she was awarded a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.  Karson served as an oncology/hematology social worker at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville until she left to focus on her challenging treatments for stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.  She passed away in 2017, far too soon at the age of 41, after a ten-year battle with the disease, during which time she inspired many with her faith, strength and courage.  Karson dedicated her life to serving others, especially children, as a Bonner Scholar at Maryville, a summer staff member at ASP, and a social worker at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.  It is in the spirit of service that his SMILE scholarship is awarded.

The SMILE scholarship was created by her mother, Leigh Essex Walker, her stepfather, Jeff Walker, her brother, Kirk Leitch, her sister-in-law, Lindsey Leitch, and her beloved niece, Harper Leitch, as a lasting tribute to Karson’s short but remarkable life, and to her cherished alma mater, Maryville College, which helped shape her into the extraordinary woman she became.

While the Maryville College Outstanding Senior Award has been promoted for decades as an award from the MC Alumni Association, it hasn’t been the Association that funded the prestigious prize for soon-to-be-graduates.

There has been no budget line in the Alumni Office or hat passed among association officers to collect the cash for the yearly award, which provides the climax to the Spring Semester’s Academic Awards Ceremony. Instead, a couple has written a check, since 1995 discreetly, to the College every year that is then presented to the senior who, according to the award description, “best exemplifies an ‘ideal’ Maryville College graduate and who has the potential to be an outstanding alumnus/alumna.”

With the establishment of the Carl ’63 and Jean McDonald Outstanding Senior Award Endowment, the donors finally are revealed.

The McDonalds will be recognized April 2, during the Academic Awards ceremony, where the first McDonald Outstanding Senior Award recipient will be named.

“It was in the mid 1990s, during my last year as president of the national Maryville College Alumni Association [MCAA] when I learned that the MCAA was credited with providing the funding for the Outstanding Senior Award,” Carl said. “After a bit of research, I learned that the MCAA actually was not involved with the Outstanding Senior Award, and this concerned me.

“While I would not have been a candidate for the Outstanding Senior Award, I did appreciate the diligence, dedication, and perseverance of my classmates who were outstanding students.”

After discussion with his wife Jean and agreement that the Outstanding Senior Award was a distinguished honor that should be supported by a Maryville College graduate, the two decided to begin privately supporting it, even increasing its amount over the years.

“It was important to me and Jean to establish an endowment that would provide funding for the Outstanding Senior Award for the life of the College,” he said. “Jean and I are both grateful and privileged to be involved with the Outstanding Senior Award that recognizes and rewards students for their achievements and success.”

McDonald an outstanding graduate

While Carl McDonald maintains that his academic achievements and successes were modest while a student at Maryville College, his undergraduate degree and experiences prepared him for numerous career and life accomplishments.

In 2010, Maryville College presented him with an Alumni Citation, which is awarded to alumni who have “rendered such service in professional, business, civic, social or religious endeavor as to benefit humankind and bring honor to the College, or who has rendered unusual service in any capacity on behalf of the College.”

At MC, McDonald majored in business administration and was active in numerous student organizations: Porky & the Simple Seven pep band, the Highlander Marching Band, MC Playhouse, Kappa Phi and the cheerleading squad.

Following graduation, he enlisted as a private in the United States Army Intelligence Corps, where he would spend five years, including a one-year tour in Vietnam. After earning the rank of captain, he enrolled in law school at Florida State University, where he earned his J.D. and graduated with honors in 1970.

McDonald returned to East Tennessee in 1971 to work as an assistant United States attorney after serving as the law clerk to the Honorable W.O. Mehrtens, United States District Judge Miami, Florida. After three years, he accepted an offer to practice with Goddard & Gamble, a Maryville law firm with strong College ties. In 1983, he was made partner. He achieved the highest professional rating (AV) among his peers, including admission to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, and assumed leadership roles in local and state bar associations.  He semi-retired in 2017.

Civic-minded, McDonald has been a leader in the United Way, Leadership Blount County, the Blount County Chamber of Commerce and Alcoa Kiwanis. He has applied his expertise in property law to work on the Maryville Regional Planning Commission and the Blount County Planning Commission.

A graduate who has given both time and treasure to his alma mater, he has represented the College in legal matters and served on the boards of the Blount County and national alumni associations, including one term as president. McDonald was on the College’s presidential search committee that brought Dr. Gerald W. Gibson to the College in 1993, and a few years later, led the effort to secure Alumni Association representation on the College’s Board of Directors.

A leader at New Providence Presbyterian Church and in the East Tennessee Presbytery, McDonald is passionate about strengthening the College’s ties with the Church. He helped establish the College’s Board of Church Visitors in the early 2000s and served as its first chairperson.

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, Sarah Jean Guthrie grew up in Alabama and studied history and art at Jacksonville State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1967 and beginning a career as a public school teacher. She married Carl McDonald in 1968 and the couple moved to Florida, where she taught high school students until their move to Tennessee in 1971. In 1975, Jean accepted a job with the Maryville City School System, and over the next 31 years, taught art and social studies at Maryville Junior High School. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1987. Jean and Carl are the parents of three children.

Maryville College is a vital part of my life.  I received an excellent education; made lifelong friends; and learned how to grow as an individual.  As an only child, coming from NJ, Maryville was the perfect place for me to attend college.  I felt “at home” right from the start and loved the small college atmosphere.  It was important to me to include Maryville College in my charitable legacy because I would not be the person, I am today without my 4 years of college and almost 40 years as an alum.

It is important that I make this investment in the College’s future because I want to see Maryville College thrive and continue to provide students with the same wonderful experiences and education that I received.  I know how difficult it is for small, private colleges to continue to exist in the current times and hopefully my contribution will be of some assistance to allow Maryville College to do so.

With the van Aken endowment for Intramural Sports, I hope to enhance the existing Intramurals program by providing additional programming opportunities, purchase equipment, and support special events.  I wanted my gift to go directly to the students, and Intramurals was a special part of my college years.  Intramurals allow all students, of all skill levels to participate in team activities that develop friendships, camaraderie, and sportsmanship, while encouraging exercise that helps physical and mental health.

The Memorial Fund was established in 1966 by the Poland family;

John E. and Bernice G. Poland, parents
Gwyn Williams Poland McKee ’49, wife
Joseph R. Poland ’51, brother
George W Poland ’61, brother

John and Bernice Poland saw education as an important factor in the life of a person. Each were life-long educators, John a college professor for 40 years and Bernice an elementary teacher for 20 years. They encouraged their sons to attend college with a focus on liberal arts as it was their hope that a liberal arts education would launch them into graduate work of specific interest. In the case of John, it was Public Administration.

John Poland arrived on the college campus, sight unseen, in August 1943 from Beverly Shores, Indiana to pursue a degree in Political Science. WWII interrupted his studies as he was drafted into the US Army. After the conflict ended, he returned to MC and was involved in many activities on campus, particularly student government. In 1949, he graduated cum laud and was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities along with Alpha Gamma Sigma (the College’s honor society). Subsequently, he earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Vanderbilt University with honors. John spent his career aiding communities in their redevelopment planning.

John was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, but this did not deter him in pursuing excellence in all he did. In September 1962, he passed away from that disease at the age of 36. Though he was unable to live a long life, he lived his live to the fullest.

After his death, his parents wanted a way to perpetuate his memory that would be meaningful. Since Maryville College had become an important educational factor in the lives of their 3 sons, they decided to have a scholarship created in his memory.  The John M. Poland Scholarship was a way that John’s parents, and family, could further their commitment to education. For over 50 years, Maryville College students have benefited from that commitment.

In 2011, the Class of 1961 50^th Reunion Committee members — Sylvia Fugate Heard ’61, Gay Landis Page ’61, Harry M. Page ’61, Katherine Eisenhart Parse ’61, George W. Poland ’61, Margaret Stevenson Ribble ’61, Linda C. Roberts ’61, Cheryl Gould Smith ’61 and John E. Talmage, Jr. ’61 — deliberated over several possible ideas for the 50^th reunion class gift.  The committee ultimately focused on the needs of the students and recognized that often the financial need of the student is basic to his/her obtaining a college degree. With that in mind, the committee established the Class of 1961 Scholarship.

The Class of 1961 Scholarship is awarded to a full-time student making satisfactory progress toward a baccalaureate degree as determined by the College.  This scholarship has provided students with financial support for 10 years and will continue to positively impact the student experience for the life of the College.

Steve ’69 & Katharine Hinger Dorner ’67

Read about what inspired Kathy Dorner to support Maryville College in this way.

“Maryville College was very special to both Steve and me because this is where we met.  After Steve passed away, funding the Steve and Kathy Dorner ’69, ’67 Endowed Scholarship through my estate gift was an easy way to create Steve’s legacy at MC while helping students complete their education.

It was important that I make this investment in the College’s future because Maryville College helped me become the person I am today, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I earned a degree in English with teaching credentials.  I had a 39-year career in education, with 35 of those years in Maryville City Schools.   I still live in Maryville and love attending events at the College, such as at the Clayton Center, KT Days, Homecoming Crafts Fair, class reunions, the Messiah, etc.  Personally, I met many of my closest friends at MC.  Our shared history has helped create life-long bonds and I find these friendships valuable, especially as I get older.

The world is far different than it was in 1967 when I graduated.  In a large, sometimes scary world, close personal friendships are a treasure.  I value beyond words my many close relationships with my alumni friends.  Students who attend large universities often do not form these close friendships; whose bonds remain strong over decades.  I want to help students receive a great education in an environment which can help foster and sustain these life-long relationships.”

– Kathy Hinger Dorner ’67

Amanda Sparrow Black ’08

Amanda, 2019

A cancer diagnosis inspired Amanda Sparrow Black ’08 to invest in the College’s future and to share that legacy with current students by including Maryville College as a beneficiary in her life insurance policy and 401(k).

“My first visit to Maryville College was in April while all the trees were blooming.   I knew this is where I wanted to attend college and asked the Admissions counselor, “where do I sign up?”   I came to MC not knowing anyone, so attending MC was a big step for me, yet it was an easy choice to make.  Maryville College became my second home.  I cried when I exited the gates after graduation.  I knew I would come back to campus as an alum, but I was already missing my time as a student.

I think it is important to invest in the College’s future because it is our legacy, and I want students to share that legacy with me.  In July 2019, I was diagnosed with brain cancer, so I made sure Maryville College was included in my estate plans.  It was simple to include MC as a beneficiary in my life insurance policy and through my 401(K).   It just made sense to invest in my alma mater, and that too was an easy choice to make.”

Amanda Sparrow Black, 2008
Child Development and Learning

Richard and Ruthanne Campbell Chase ’61

Through their planned gift, Richard Chase and Ruthanne Campbell Chase ’61 plan to establish a scholarship for women with an interest in math or science.

“Did you see Forbes The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2020?  It lists women who are leaders of countries, business, finance, philanthropy, and technology.  We have elected a woman as our Vice President. Did you hear about Sarah Fuller who became the first woman to score in a Power Five football conference when she kicked two extra points for Vanderbilt University last fall ? But my grandmothers could not vote 105 years ago.  They could not play sports.  And 60 years ago, my guidance counselor in high school told us girls that our choices were to become a teacher, a nurse, a secretary, or get married and have children.  I was in the top 10% of my class so I was supposed to be a teacher.  My favorite subject was math, but teaching it sounded boring.

What are the guidance counselors telling young women today?  I hope they are encouraging them to dream big and to reach for the stars.  Maybe there is girl in high school today who thinks that she can develop a vaccine that will prevent cancer cells from even starting to grow in a person’s body.  Maybe there is a girl who would like to create a way to teach addition and subtraction that would be easy and fun so kids would love math.  Maybe there is a girl who wants to invent a new method of space travel.  Maybe there is a girl who wants to ….

Richard and I would like to help these girls who have big dreams.  And if they want to major in math or science, the Ruthanne and Richard Chase Scholarship will help them.  I have always been proud of the education I received at Maryville College.  I want other young women to be able to brag about their education also.

YOU GO GIRLS!”

Charles and Ruth Huff Ray ’42

The funding for this endowment was provided by the Huff family estates of Ruth Huff Ray ’42 and her sister, Emma Dean Huff, to provide students seeking careers in teaching with professional development scholarships for The Charles and Ruth Huff Ray ‘42 Endowment for Professional Development in Education allows students to broaden their learning experiences beyond coursework and student teaching.  Successful applicants can explore teaching and learning innovations through research projects or attend conferences to expand their knowledge of educational modalities or present research outcomes.

The Huff family was a family of educators.  During a time when many Appalachian women did not attend school, John Huff, MD, horseback doctor for the Cosby and Gatlinburg-Pittman area, sacrificed much to educate his daughters.  He knew that education can enhance quality of life.  He saw that each of his young daughters attended boarding school in Asheville, which prevented them from having to walk long mountainous distances to attend school.  It was a given that each of his daughters would graduate from high school and continue her studies in a college program.  Most chose to become educators who appreciated the value of education in and out of the classroom.  We say that education is simply in the Huff blood.

Dr. John’s niece, Ruth, loved her experience at Maryville College.   Ruth majored in Secondary Education at Maryville College. While enrolled at MC, she worked in the sewing room to help with her expenses. After graduation, Ruth pursued a long career as a high school biology and chemistry teacher who impacted the lives of her beloved students.  Although Ruth did not have children of her own, she gifted many books to young people in the extended family and beyond.  If you were a young visitor to the Ray home, you received at least one new book to read.

Ruth recognized that teachers make a difference in their students’ lives, so it was important to her family that her legacy was a reflection of her values. The Charles and Ruth Huff Ray ’42 Endowment for Professional Development in Education allows students to pursue educational opportunities outside the classroom to enhance their experiences as they become the best educators possible.

It was equally important to the family to create this endowment because they wished to preserve the Huff legacy at Maryville College.  Ruth Huff Ray ’42 and her husband, Charles, were long-time supporters of Maryville College and, as a family, they wanted to ensure that support continues.

Betsy

This endowment was created to provide monetary support for students attending, presenting, and/or competing in research-based, off-campus experiences, and also to provide assistance for internships.

Real-world experiences are not always available in the academic world.  This Academic Endowment will give students the opportunity to expand their college experience by supporting them as they participate in conferences, competitions, or internships.  Interaction with others outside their established academic environment opens the way for opportunities, growth, and ultimately success.

While I have supported Maryville College with small gifts and recently established the John H. Fisher annual scholarship, I was looking for a vehicle which would provide greater and lasting support.  The establishment of the Fisher Endowment for Individualized Academic Study was a perfect fit.  Creating this endowment, I want to show that I believe in and support Maryville College, its mission, the staff, and most importantly, the students.

Cummings Family

The John W. and Margaret M. Cummings Scholarship was established by the three children of John and Margaret, Margaret C. (’50) and David Campbell (’49); Janet C. (’51) and James Martin; and James (’56) and Marilyn Cummings, who wanted to honor their parents in some way.  Jim stated, “creating this scholarship was the best vehicle we could find, since both parents taught at Maryville College.”  Margaret was still alive at the time of inception, and so produced the criteria that she and her late husband would appreciate.

The Cummings scholarship provides financial assistance to international students majoring in education.  Both parents had wanted to go to India as missionaries in the late 1920s, but finances would not permit that.  So, John became a professor of Bible and in 1935, the forerunner of the Dean at Maryville College.  After his death in 1936, Margaret returned to seminary and then to the College to teach for 29 years.  They never lost their interest in overseas missions with each having a brother as career missionaries; John’s bother in Pakistan and Margaret’s brother in Sudan/Ethiopia.

Jim explained, “part of their motivation for creating this scholarship endowment was because “we three children received an immeasurable amount of education and character building from our time at Maryville College.  The establishment of this scholarship in 2002 and our continued support is just giving back to the College a tiny fraction of our receipt.  Hopefully, it will help another student or students have the same experience as we did.”

Frank and Ruth Kramer ’47,’47

Gwynne Pomeroy and Lloyd Kramer ’71

The Frank A. and Ruth Lloyd Kramer ’47, ’47 Memorial Fund was established by siblings Lloyd Kramer ’71, Wayne Kramer ’74 and Alice Kramer Hood to provide annual recognition awards for outstanding students in the Departments of English and History and to provide “Kramer Faculty Fellowships” that support faculty research projects, the enhancement of teaching, and travel for innovative faculty development.

Lloyd Kramer explained, “both students and professors help the College attract or retain talented people and strengthen the whole academic community.   We believe in the deep value of a Liberal Arts education (including an emphasis on the Humanities), but we know that institutions become more humane and successful when they recognize and reward people for their achievements and ambitions.  A strong endowment builds essential economic support for the students and faculty who sustain the vitality of strong liberal arts colleges.”

Establishing the Kramer Memorial Fund was important because “we help the College expand the much-needed endowment income that will enable Maryville College to remain a dynamic institution in the twenty-first century.  The wider world and the institutions of higher education will continually evolve, but the people and enduring values that shape this College will flourish if a growing endowment can offer stable financial resources for future generations”.

Maryville College students Willie Nell Harold and Hayden Laster

Willie Nell and Hayden Laster Anniversary Photo

In 1981, J. Hayden and Willie Nell Harold Laster (’30, ’30) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  Their sons knew they would not want any gifts, so on the invitation to an anniversary reception, the suggestion was made that gifts could be made to Maryville College in their honor.  Several years later, the College informed the Laster family that contributions that had been received over the years in recognition of birthdays and anniversaries had accumulated to the point that an endowed fund could be established if a small additional amount could be added.  The family liked this idea, and it was decided to take this step to establish an endowment with funds going to a deserving student.  The question arose as to whether there should be specific criteria for the recipient.  This prompted Hayden to share a story that had not previously been known.

In 1929, at the beginning of the Great Depression and the second semester of Hayden’s senior year, he discovered that he did not have enough money to complete the year and would have to drop out of school.  Just before the Christmas break, Hayden was called into the Dean’s office and was informed that an anonymous donor, perhaps a faculty member, had provided the additional funds needed to pay his school expenses, thus permitting him to graduate.   Hayden never learned who had provided this gift.  After telling the story to the family, he said, “I’d like the scholarship to provide a little something extra to a worthy student who might find attending Maryville College difficult due to financial limitations, and for whom this little something might be of help.  That’s the way I was able to attend Maryville.”  And this has been the criteria since 1993 when the scholarship was established.

The initial scholarship was to be awarded to a student majoring in the humanities, but as the fund amount grew (and continues to grow thanks to gifts from family and friends), and because the MC Concert Choir made such an impact in Jim and Hal’s lives, the family decided to use the existing Laster endowment to create two scholarships: one for a deserving student majoring in the humanities; the other for a deserving student who is a member of the Concert Choir.  The name of the scholarship was changed to The Laster Family Scholarship in memory of J. Hayden ’30, who served for more than 30 years on the College’s Board of Directors, and Willie Nell Harold Laster ’30.  Hayden passed away in 1996 and Willie Nell in 1997 and they are interred in the Maryville College cemetery.

Hayden and Willie Nell’s sons, Jim ’56 and Hal ’65 also graduated from Maryville College.  Jim, like his parents, also met his future wife Madlon Travis ’56 on campus. Jim and Hal wrote, “The Laster family is united and committed to supporting deserving students attending the College we greatly love.  Maryville College played such an important role in our lives and we would like to see this support continue through future generations.”

It is difficult for Harvey Eugene Lehman ‘41 to talk about his Maryville College professors without getting emotional.

Lehman, 98, credits them for a life that includes a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; a doctorate from Stanford University; 41 years as an award-winning teacher at UNC; productive research as a comparative zoologist; and opportunities to study and instruct abroad.

“Maryville has been the foundation,” he said recently during an interview at the retirement community where he lives in Chapel Hill. “I have gone far beyond what I got at Maryville, but my [undergraduate education] was in the spirit of everything I’ve done.”

His long list of accomplishments now includes establishment of the Harvey Eugene Lehman and Dorothea Lehman Leonard Endowed Library Fund at Maryville College, a trust that provides academic resources for the College’s Lamar Memorial Library.

“The amount of money that I have now adequately takes care of my needs but more importantly, it permits me to pay back,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.

MC opens door to bigger world

Lehman was born in China to missionaries of the Methodist Church. They returned to the states – to Beverly, Ky. – in time for “Gene” to attend high school. Before his graduation, Lehman’s mother learned about Maryville College from missionary friends in Pennsylvania who were sending their sons “all the way” to Tennessee for their undergraduate degrees. When Mrs. Lehman investigated, she decided the small school would be right for her son, too. (She also would see children Dorothea Lehman Leonard ’45 and Donald Lehman ’48 graduate from MC.)

Enrolling in 1937, Lehman knew then that he wanted to teach, but a career at a university was far from his mind. He expected to major in biology and minor in English and history so that he could land a teaching position back home or in some other rural community of Kentucky.

Maryville College pushed him to aim higher.

As an upper-level student, Lehman was selected for honors work, which carried a requirement of a two-semester, faculty-supervised scholarly project.  (The requirement now known as “Senior Study” was not implemented for every MC student until 1947.) Lehman completed a 162-page comparative study of invertebrate larvae, and it would set the course for his professional life.

“The honors program gave me a realization that there was a world of knowledge out there beyond textbooks,” he said. “That really was the opening.”

Dr. Lyle Williams, a biology professor and UNC alumnus, was his advisor for honors work and saw potential in his student. For advanced studies that went beyond the College catalog, Williams secured books and other resources not available in MC’s library and, during the Thanksgiving break of 1940, drove Lehman, personally, to Chapel Hill, so that the MC senior could apply for a graduate assistantship.

“I never would have come to Chapel Hill if not for Dr. Williams,” Lehman said.

Fund honors professors, academic rigor

Among the objectives outlined in the agreement establishing the Harvey Eugene Lehman and Dorothea Lehman Leonard Endowed Library Fund are that acquisitions made by the fund should “go beyond the level of scholarly authority encountered in usual college textbooks” and that acquisitions are to support five areas of study: natural sciences and mathematics, English and foreign languages, history and social sciences, humanities and performing arts, philosophy and religion.

Lehman’s gift was made in appreciation of influential professors and academic rigor that helped him realize his potential. In addition to Williams, the MC alumnus fondly remembers three other faculty members.

“[English professor] Dr. Edwin Hunter may have been the best teacher I ever had,” he said. “[Religion and philosophy professor] Horace Orr was the person who made me have an interest in deep history. More than any other person in my life, [dramatic art professor] Nita Eckles West had an influence on the way in which I taught.”

West was the instructor for Lehman’s sophomore public speaking course, and he saw more of her when he joined the College’s theatre productions. He spent most of his time backstage as a member of the crew but took to heart her lessons for acting.

“Throughout my professional life as a teacher, I always made a point of having a full hour to prepare before every class,” he said. “I more or less thought of them as performances.

“I was a very good teacher, thanks to Mrs. West,” he added. (UNC thought so, too, twice awarding him the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.)

An author, a scholar

Books figure prominently in Lehman’s life. While a professor at UNC, he published seven college texts. Chordate Development was widely used in the United States for more than 20 years and is still in print for students in Austria and India. In retirement, he has published five books, most of which explore English history. His 720-page Lives of England’s Reigning and Consort Queens is available on Amazon and believed to be the only book written that tells the biographies of all 43 queens.

Chordate Development and the history books all are available for check-out in the Lamar Memorial Library. Fittingly, the undergraduate senior thesis that gave Lehman the confidence to be a scholar is shelved there, too.

“The background that I got at Maryville – I never felt was any way a disadvantage when competing with students here at North Carolina and when I went to Stanford to get my doctor’s degree,” he said. “I have a very high opinion of the quality of education that was given at Maryville.”

Special thanks to Steve West, great-grandson of Nita Eckles West, who arranged for and accompanied a flight to Chapel Hill so that college staff members and Lauren Biliter could conduct the interview for this story.

by Karen Beaty Eldridge ’94

Jean and Rolfe Duggar ’54

“Maryville College played an important part in my formation as a person in many ways; most importantly, I was taught how to think rather than what to think. Although I transferred after my junior year to enter law school, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness for my time at MC. As an estate attorney, I am aware of the power of estate gifts and had already included a provision for the College in our will. However, Jean and I are results-oriented and were interested in seeing the outcome of our investment and the difference made in the lives of students.

The Duggar Scholarship was established because we believe it is important that students develop a better understanding of the functioning of government, the causes and consequences of collective decisions and actions and the power of politics within cultures, and that they are prepared to generate observations of relevance to policy makers, their fellow citizens and global communities. Our experiences as scholarship donors have been both exciting and gratifying.

We are proud of the accomplishments of our past and current recipients, including Joshua Anderson ’18, through whom we became aware that the students who participated in the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) were compelled to learn about more than partisanship. The TISL experience develops in students the ability to understand the impact of policy on people, articulate the details and merits of policy, and most importantly, how to think. For these reasons, Jean and I were compelled to create a TISL endowment to support MC students’ participation in perpetuity.”

— Rolfe Duggar ’54

Estate Attorney, St. Petersburg, FL

Josh Anderson ’18

Pursuing Your Dreams

“I plan to use my Maryville College education to pursue a law degree, becoming a successful attorney, and eventually serving in public office. My liberal arts education has taught me to be an objective thinker and to understand how to achieve my goals. I hope my MC education will help me change the world and give me the opportunity to ‘do good on the largest possible scale.’

The Duggar Scholarship has given me the opportunity to chase my dreams. Without the financial support that has empowered me to receive a high-quality education from a caring and supportive faculty, my path would be very different. This scholarship has truly changed my life.”

Joshua Anderson ’18

Political Science Major, Knoxville, TN

Student Activities: Student Government Association, TISL, Pre-Law Society, President of Maryville College Republicans Club, Current Legislative Intern in the Tennessee General Assembly

Anita Baker Lerman ’82 and Elycia Lerman

This year, Dr. Anita Baker Lerman ’82 and Elycia Lerman of Lambertville, N.J., were looking to support Maryville College in a way that was meaningful to them.

Anita Lerman said her experience as a Maryville College student in the late 1970s and early 1980s was that the College was welcoming of diversity – and she is proud of the College’s long history of diversity since its founding in 1819.

“After much soul searching and guidance from Maryville College officials, we wanted to ensure that there would be a permanent source of funds to continue supporting diversity, inclusion and tolerance at MC,” the Lermans said.

This year, the couple established the Lerman Endowment for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Maryville College, which will help fund several initiatives, including campus diversity, inclusion and tolerance training programs at Maryville College and new resources for MC’s Center for Diversity & Inclusion. While Anita and Elycia had originally included a provision to establish an endowment in their estate plans, they decided to make this gift now to support current initiatives. In addition to Anita’s monthly contributions to the College, the Lermans are also considering an additional gift through future estate plans to further their support of the College. They hope that others will do the same.

“We are excited that these funds will be entrusted to the College and pleased that students, alumni and administration will help to oversee their use. We are also grateful to the College for assistance with outreach to expand these funds and hopeful that they will be used to continue the important work necessary to ensure that Maryville College continues its history of being an open and welcoming institution and one that inspires faculty, staff, students and graduates to strive for and benefit from diversity and inclusiveness.”

Interested in supporting Maryville College by establishing an endowment, supporting an existing endowment, or including the College in your estate plans? Please visit maryvillecollege.edu/giving or call 865-981-8200.

Visit maryvillecollege.edu/lermans to read more about why the Lermans support Maryville College!