DEPARTMENT
SCHOLARSHIPS
Recipients of these awards and prizes are selected on a competitive basis by a committee of Mathematics Department faculty members who meet during Spring Semester each year.
Continuing and transfer students will be automatically considered for all math scholarships for which they are eligible (see details below) when they complete the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Undergraduate Scholarships Application here: https://utk.scholarships.ngwebsolutions.com/CMXAdmin/Cmx_Content.aspx?cpId=1257 by March 1st. The only exception is the Barrett Prize, which is based on nominations from Math Department professors.
High school students who plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in Mathematics at UT Knoxville are eligible to apply for the Simms Foundation Scholarship and the Kenneth Vann Scholarship. If you are interested in applying for these scholarships please contact Dr. Remus Nicoara (rnicoara@utk.edu) for details about application materials. Application materials must be received no later than April 1st.
John H. Barrett Prize
(1-4 awards per year) Nomination process will open in February.
This prize, established in 1970 by friends and colleagues of John H. Barrett, recognizes outstanding senior mathematics students.
John H. Barrett, who received his PhD from the University of Texas in 1951, was Head of the Mathematics Department at UT from 1964 until his untimely death in 1969. A well-known, respected researcher in Ordinary Differential Equations, he produced 3 PhD students here at UT. The best known of these is Allan Peterson, who himself has had 14 PhD students at the University of Nebraska.
James A. Cooley Scholarship
(1-2 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
This award was established to help qualified and deserving mathematics students secure a college education, honoring junior and senior mathematics students who have an interest in teaching.
James A. Cooley, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1935, was Head of the Mathematics Department at UT from 1942 to 1961. A respected mathematics educator, he obtained one of the first NSF Summer Institute grants in the late 1950s which were funded to strengthen the skills and knowledge base of practicing teachers. His “Summer Schools of the South” were well thought of and ran for many years during the 1950s and 1960s.
Dr. Warren L. & Mrs. Kyleen D. Franz Endowed Scholarship
(1-2 award per year) Application process will open in February.
This award was established to recognize academic excellence for students pursing a degree in Mathematics at the University of Tennessee. This scholarship will be awarded to a student in the College of Arts and Sciences who is a mathematics major or College Scholar with a concentration in mathematics and will be a full time student during the next academic year.
Polly Anna Harris Scholarship
(1-3 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
This scholarship helps support a future mathematics teacher who plans to intern the following academic year.
Polly Anna Harris, a former UT math major, taught at Bearden High School for many years before she retired. She was a recipient of the UT Alumna and Presidential Award for outstanding teaching. This scholarship is sponsored by her family, son, David Harris, MD, who is also a former UT math major, and his wife Patricia, son, Frank Harris and wife Abby Avery, daughter, Paula Morrison, also a former UT math major, and her husband G. Granger Morrison.
Lucille and Herbert E. Lee Memorial Scholarship
(3-7 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
These awards, established in 1986 by a generous endowment from the Lee estate, honors sophomore and upperclassmen mathematics majors with outstanding records of academic achievement.
Herbert E. Lee, who received his PhD from Duke University, taught mathematics at UT for three decades until his retirement in 1969. He, and his wife Lucille, were cheerful, friendly, outgoing people who always kept students’ welfare in mind.
J.P. and Gladys Maples Scholarship
(1 award per year) Application process will open in February.
J.P. and Gladys Maples set up their scholarship endowment fund to encourage scholastic excellence in junior or senior students displaying financial need.
Cooper D. Schmitt Memorial Scholarship
(4-8 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
These scholarships, established in 1987 by the Schmitt family, provide funds to outstanding undergraduates in the Mathematics Department at UT.
Cooper D. Schmitt, who received his MA from the University of Virginia in 1884, was Head of the Mathematics Department at UT from 1889 to 1907, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (formerly Liberal Arts) from 1907 until his untimely death in 1910. His son, Bernadotte E. Schmitt, was a Rhodes Scholar and Pulitzer Prize winning historian who was head of the History Department at UT until 1969.
Simms Foundation Scholarship
(1 award per year) Application process will open in February.
The Simms Foundation Scholarships were created by a generous gift from Carol Sue Simms in 2014. The Simms Foundation Scholarship is a 4-year merit scholarship awarded to an incoming freshman with an excellent high school record who will major in math and has an interest in teaching.
Students interested in applying should contact Dr. Remus Nicoara (rnicoara@utk.edu).
Karen L. Sisk Scholarship
(1-3 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
Karen L. Sisk Scholarship supports the mission of the mathematics department to expand access to a mathematics degree to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is a 4-year award given to incoming students from outside of the four largest metropolitan areas in Tennessee.
Karen L. Sisk earned her UT degree in Mathematics Education in 1974 and has boosted education in multiple areas with generous gifts to several departments at UT.
Students interested in applying should contact Dr. Remus Nicoara (rnicoara@utk.edu).
The Kenneth Vann Scholarship
(1 award per year) Application process will open in February.
The Kenneth Vann Scholarship is a 4-year award for an incoming student with a promising high school record and an intention to study math. Those interested in applying should contact Dr. Remus Nicoara (rnicoara@utk.edu).
Kenneth Vann received a degree in Industrial Management from the University of Tennessee in 1951. He was a naval veteran then worked in waste management, real estate, and property development.
Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship
(1-2 awards per year) Application process will open in February.
The Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship was established in 2010. Its purpose is to support Mathematics or Physics majors who demonstrate successful academic performance. Preference is given to juniors. One award is given in the Mathematics Department and one in the Physics Department.