385 Fall • 2021
Our People Our Stories
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385
Volume 6 | Issue 1
Staff
Publisher
Jack McNeely jack.mcneely@herald-citizen.com
Editor
Lindsay Pride lindsay.pride@herald-citizen.com Graphic Designer Amanda Loshbough Contributors Jim Herrin Megan Reagan Advertising Roger Wells Dusty Smith Stephanie Garrett
Ad Composition Becky Watkins Business Manager Sandy Malin Circulation & Distribution Keith McCormick Ronda Dodson
385 Magazine is a publication of and distributed quarterly by the Herald-Citizen, a division of Cookeville Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without written consent from the publisher. 385 Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claims in any advertisement in any issue. 385 Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or changes in information. The opinions of contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its publisher. Our mission is to promote the 385 zip code areas of the Upper Cumberland and to showcase their many attributes. We welcome ideas and suggestions for future editions of the magazine. Just send us a brief note via email. © 2021 Herald-Citizen 385 Magazine P.O. Box 2729 Cookeville, TN 38502 931.526.9715 Email: 385Magazine@herald-citizen.com
4•385 •Our People•Our Stories
from the
Editor
It is always amazing to watch the way our 385 magazine comes together four times a year. We usually try to have a theme for the stories we publish, but it wasn’t until the layout process that I realized what all of the stories in this issue have in common — a dream. A Mexican teenager dreamed of being an artist. A former drywall company owner dreamed of carving sculptures out of wood, and a Tennessee Tech mathematics professor dreamed of visiting every county in the United States. Each of these dreamers took different paths and different lengths of time to accomplish their goals, but the one thing they share is that they all found a way make it happen. We celebrate these dreamers of the Upper Cumberland, and we also celebrate one right here in Putnam County. Monterey native Amy New talks about her path as a child of elected officials to working for state government to returning to her home as the CEO of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce in our signature “Why I Love” section of 385. And it feels like we are finally turning a corner with events being postponed or canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are happy to bring you a calendar of events I know we are all looking forward to as well as celebrating a few that have already happened this year. We hope you enjoy this fall issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Thanks for reading. Lindsay Pride, Editor
Chainsaw Carving Dreams owner Isaac Bodine uses his art as a peaceful escape.
on the
Cover
Lindsay Pride
Fall•2021•5
Contents
8
14
20
The Extra Mile
Paint the Town
Carving
Tennessee Tech math professor Brian O’Connor takes a trip around the US, visiting 3,143 counties.
Clay County muralist Manny Fuentes paints his way through the Upper Cumberland, connecting communities with art.
Chainsaw sculptor Isaac Bodine finds peace in creating art.
28•
Community Calendar Several events are coming up in the next couple months—including the Christmas parades.
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30•
Why I Love… Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Amy New.
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GOING THE EXTRA
MILE
Tennessee Tech math professor visits 3,143 counties Story by JIM
HERRIN Photos by JIM HERRIN, BRIAN O’CONNOR
8•385 •Our People•Our Stories
I
f it’s true that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, the corollary for Cookeville’s Brian O’Connor might be that a journey to 3,143 distinct places in America begins with a single road trip. “In 1970, when I graduated college, my best friend and I jumped in my then-new Volkswagen Beetle, which I still have, and drove 11,000 miles around the country in a month,” he said. The story might have ended there had O’Connor, an associate professor in Tennessee Tech’s mathematics department, not made a discovery a few years later. “I bought a Rand McNally road atlas and discovered that, in the index, it listed not only cities and towns, but counties as well,” he said. “So I remembered the route we had taken and started checking them off just to keep track of them.” He also decided to check off the counties he had visited on family trips and on “a train trip I had taken out to the West Coast in the 1960s.”
“It got to where I thought ‘gee, I wonder how many I’ve been to?’ and then after a while, it was ‘I wonder if I can get to them all,’” he said. On July 14, 2021, O’Connor did, in fact, “get to them all,” crossing into Clear Creek County, Colorado. He had already taken hundreds of trips when he made yet another discovery about five or six years ago — an organization called the Extra Milers Club. According to its website, the club, coincidentally, “is for people who have the goal of going to every county in the United States, or for those who track their counties and have specific travel goals.” They gave O’Connor (member #707) a plaque to commemorate the feat. O’Connor says family members came along for many of the trips and supported him in his quest, although he faced some unexpected challenges. “I thought for a while that I’m off the hook with Alaska because they don’t have counties,” he said. “But they have boroughs and census districts (which count as) county equivalents.”
Brian O’Connor stands beside his 3,143 poster he created to remember his journey around the US.
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Independent cities in Virginia also had to be taken into account. “There are 38 of them that I hadn’t paid attention to, but then when they said well, they’re kind of county equivalents, I thought I should get to them, too,” he said. He was able to drive to many of the counties from his home base in Cookeville, but as the distances got farther and farther away, he would take a flight to his starting point and work from there. He conquered the largest U.S. state, Alaska, “in three installments,” incorporating a family vacation along the way. “Three years ago, we decided to take the whole family and a couple friends and do a land and sea cruise with Holland America,” he said. “It started in Anchorage then went up to Denali and came back to Seward on the coast, and the ship went southeast through Juneau and Ketchikan.” Ever in pursuit of his goal, O’Connor flew out a day early to Fairbanks and rented a car to get to some of the locations he needed before meeting up with the ship. He hit a roadblock, of sorts, two years ago. “By the end of 2019, all I had left were six (places) in Alaska and 33 in Colorado,” he wrote for the EMC newsletter. “My plan was to finish the rest of Alaska — to fly here and fly there,” he said. “I had it all worked out. I was going to take the ferry boat out to the Aleutians, and I picked the one week in 42 years that they went on strike.” In addition, flights he had planned to Kusilvak and Dillingham were canceled, but he was undeterred, returning earlier this year to complete the Alaska journey and picking up the final Colorado counties as well.
Clear Creek County was the 3,143th and final county O’Connor visited. 10•385 •Our People•Our Stories
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He also made note of milestones along the way — reaching 2,000 counties on a trip to New Mexico in 2005, 3,000 in Alpine County, California in 2016. As a math professor, it’s probably not surprising that he kept track of some numbers along the way. “There was one trip I took where I flew out to Omaha, rented a car and wanted to do Nebraska and some of Kansas and South Dakota,” he said. “I had four days of driving, and I tried to divvy it up in such a way I was driving about the same amount each day.” He did so by watching the odometer. “The first day I drove 585 miles, the second day was 591, then 588, then 587 —all within six miles of each other,” he laughs. “I was so proud of myself.” Through all of his treks, O’Connor stayed away from GPS devices, relying mostly on the maps and atlases that inspired the journey. And while he likes some places more than others, he hesitates to pick a favorite. “Well, you know, every place has its own good points,” he said. “I was telling someone just the other day that somebody once told me to be where you are, So wherever you are, just be there.”
•385• O’Connor holds his plaque given to him by the Extra Miler Club.
12•385 •Our People•Our Stories
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PAINTING THE TOWN Clay County muralist connects communities through art Story and photos by MEGAN REAGAN
H
e says he always wanted to be an artist. Manuel Fuentes (Manny), 28, of Clay County immigrated to America when he was just 14 years old. Drawing instead of taking notes and skipping classes, he said he was a “bad boy” of sorts when attending high school. He dropped out and made a dangerous trek alone across the U.S.-Mexico border for what he said would be a better opportunity. “I got really bored in school, and I didn’t really like it,” he said. “I knew I wanted to do something where I would be my own boss. I didn’t want to work for anyone else.” “I ended up drawing art and I kind of found myself getting good at it,” he said. As a self-taught artist with no formal training, murals came to him later. “I started doing hand-lettered signs for busi-
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nesses when I was kid,” he said. He was given an opportunity in graphic design in Nashville, Tennessee and began doing commissioned work on the side. “The company I was working for had a lot of clients,” he said. “I began painting small pieces for people on their business walls here and there,” he said. “But requests kept coming in for bigger and bigger pieces.” Today, he has dozens of murals throughout Middle Tennessee with a handful that have recently been painted in the Upper Cumberland. Earlier this year, he was commissioned for two murals in Livingston, Tennessee, through an “Art Builds Communities Grant” — and the community fell in love with Manny and his art. Soon after, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in Gainesboro, Tennessee also has a completed Fuentes work of art. The piece ties together the history of Jackson County being a once pop-
Upon finishing his grant commissioned murals, a private building owner sought out Fuentes to paint logos on the old bottling factory in Livingston, Tennessee.
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Manuel Fuentes was recently commissioned to complete two murals as a part of an “Art Builds Communities” grant. Fal•l2021•17
Fuentes’ mural in Gainesboro reflects the history of the small community.
ular river port, the natural beauty of Cummins Falls as well as Jackson County’s moonshine history. He says doesn’t draw inspiration from any one place, but his painting is about what people or businesses want to see and commemorate in their cities. “Everyone thinks that you should have an inspiration to do something,” Manny said. “I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t like to depend on that,” he explained. “What happens the day you don’t have any inspiration? Are you going to be able to continue to do what you do or what?” He said if he had paint when he felt inspired, he’d never be inspired. “I just like to create something cool.” He is driven by the peo peo-
18•385 •Our People•Our Stories
ple he paints for after the fact. “My inspiration comes after I do something,” Manny said. “When I get good feedback and when I know I’m creating something good for the community — that’s what drives me.” When asked where his creativity is drawn from, he credits the communities. For him, he says, murals are about community. Community murals, designed to represent shared memories and cultural heritage, can speak to an area’s identity. Upon painting the murals, he met with building and business owners, as well as community leaders in order to gather ideas of the story or picture the community is trying to convey. “I’m not the creative mind,” he said. “The people I paint for hold all of the creativity. They give me the ideas or the material they want, and I put it on display.” His goal, he says, is to have a mural in every county in the state, but the Upper Cumberland holds a special place in his heart. “I love the people here,” he said. “The people here are so supportive
Fuentes adds a finishing touch to his Gainesboro mural.
of everything anyone wants to try and do.” In addition to the people, he says the landscape is especially exceptional. He says since his first murals in Livingston, he is constantly meeting other people in the area who are interested in having murals on their buildings. “I don’t yet know what my next project will be,” he said. “But my goal is to have one or two murals in every town in Tennessee.” Manny’s mural and art portfolio can be found under his Instagram handle, @usa_pro_art.
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Carving the
dream Chainsaw sculptor finds peace in creating Story and photos by LINDSAY PRIDE
C
hainsaw Carving Dreams Owner Isaac Bodine lived several lives before ending up on Grundy Quarles Highway in Gainesboro, surrounded by countless sculptures he’s made from cutting up trees. “Sometimes we have 50 people a day stop here,” Bodine said. “I meet a lot of people, and I love it.” Bodine said he dropped out of school in the sixth grade. “I was a runaway, from age 12 and up,” he said. “My aunts would enroll me, put me under a fake name. I decided to do construction work with my stepdad.” Bodine, who has four sons and one daughter with his wife, Kathy, owned a drywall company for 20 years, and it wasn’t until he was 35 years old that he earned his high school diploma. “My wife said, ‘Why don’t you take the test for the GED?’” he recalled. “I ended up teaching operating systems
20•385 •Our People•Our Stories
classes. I was able to graduate early. Then I worked for Humana. I was making good money, then Humana got sold to Aetna, and I got laid off.” Bodine also had back surgery and didn’t want to go back to computer work. He’d been previously inspired as a chainsaw carver by his grandmother and cousin Alecia Jackson. Bodine’s grandmother died six years ago, and Jackson, a mother of three kids, told him, “You shouldn’t let this gift die with your grandma. Seven months later, she (Jackson) took her own life.” That caused Bodine to fall into depression, ultimately eased by the rediscovery of chainsaw carving. “I cut into a piece of cedar, and I could smell my grandma’s wood shop,” he said. “I started feeling a little peace. I started going for it. My wife thought I was crazy. All I could do was carve the face of Jesus. I only do things I’d consider wholesome. “Most of my stuff is custom, anything from portraits to animals,” he said. “I try not to get
too political. I don’t put anything out here except ‘God Bless America.’ “I allow myself room on each piece I do,” he said. “When I see a flaw, I’ll leave it there so I go back to it next time. “I’m probably six months behind in back orders,” he said. But Bodine said he doesn’t give himself credit for creating sculptures out of wood. “I believe I’m nothing but a vessel,” he said. “I’m able to see what God has already created. I’m just a tool.” Bodine said he has no idea how many pieces he’s carved, which include everything
Chainsaw Carving Dreams owner Isaac Bodine with a flower he carved for his daughter. Fall•2021•21
from Christmas gifts and tombstones to an Eagle for the Tennessee Titans. “I was delivering carvings up to 11 o’clock Christmas night,” he said. “I got so many hugs that night.” Much of the wood he uses for carving is donated. “All this wood here, I was struggling for wood, Jesus was the first thing I carved. I heard a lady say, “you need some wood?’ “All my wood is free, people show up and donate stuff.” The chainsaw carving business allows Bodine to spend more time with his family. “This is amazing,” he said. “I can be with my family all day long.” His children are his motivation to pursue a career different from the ones he’s done in the past. “Chainsaw Carving Dreams comes from what happened to me when I wanted to be a fireman. It’s up to our parents to give us the best example they can. I’ve realized that making my dream successful gives my kids more confidence to be what they want to be. “Everybody’s gift is going to be different,” he said. “People need to start seeking further into theirselves.” “I’m the type of person that if someone says it can’t be done, I don’t believe it ‘til I try it,” he said. “When we struggle and can make something out of ourselves. That’s where other people get their beliefs, watching someone else rise up from the ashes.” Fear keeps many people from accomplishing their dreams, according to Bodine. “We’re worried about 95% of stuff that won’t ever happen, fearing something we’ve never tried,” he said. “Go for it.” “If you don’t think you can do it, okay,” he said. “If you don’t try things you’re curious about, you’ll work your life away. God made us to be free, to share, love. “My whole life, my dad, my family always made me doubt myself,” he said. “I was different. “Chainsawing, to me, is my therapy,” he said. “You can drown out the confusion noises of the world. All
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Bodine stands beside a bear he carved.
The eagle Isaac Bodine carved for the Tennessee Titans.
Chainsaw Carving Dreams owner Isaac Bodine with his daughter.
this happened for a reason. Bodine said he takes an hour or two every day to “free carve” without a specific project in mind. “That’s how I keep myself inspired,” he said. “I’m not creating nothing,” he said. “I’m just helping them see something that’s already there.” Chainsaw Carving Dreams is at 2084 N. Grundy Quarles Highway in Gainesboro. Find it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chainscarvingdreams.
Whether a business has been open for one year or a hundred years It’s always good to shop local!
•385• “Serving the Upper Cumberland for 20 years”
In Business for 20 Years
Herald-Citizen 1300 Neal Street • 931-526-9715
A dog Isaac Bodine carved.
In Business for 119 Years Fall•2021•23
Paying for college
Tennessee Tech launches new Presidential Scholars program
I
t’s an exciting time to apply to Tennessee Tech. The university recently launched a new Presidential Scholars program — offering guaranteed scholarships to incoming freshmen for fall 2022. “We wanted to give more students the opportunity to attend the best university in the state,” said university president Phil Oldham. The newly launched program provides scholarships ranging from $3,000
to $5,000 each year, depending on a student’s GPA and ACT score. The most important point to stress to prospective students right now is submitting their applications by the Dec. 15 deadline. For Brandon Johnson, vice president for enrollment management and career placement, the program is the biggest thing to happen in recruitment since he joined the university three years ago. “This is an incredible time for Tennessee Tech,” he said. “We are excited
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to roll this out. We’re excited to engage the students and to congratulate them on being Presidential Scholars.” However, it’s only one way the university has grown recently. From facilities to expanded programs, Tennessee Tech has been on an upward trajectory — and it’s still one of the most affordable schools in the state. High school students applying to Tennessee Tech need to meet a few requirements in terms of grades and test scores to be approved for the Presiden-
tial Scholars program. There are three tiers for the scholarships. If a student has a 3.75 GPA or higher and a 33 ACT score or higher, they’ll receive $5,000 annually; for a 3.40 GPA or higher and a 25 ACT score or higher, they’ll receive $4,000 annually; and for a 3.40 GPA or higher and a 23 or 24 ACT score, they’ll receive $3,000 annually. As long as a student meets those requirements and submits their application and supporting materials on time, they are guaranteed an award — and that includes both in- and out-of-state applicants. “One of the things that we wanted to focus on is making sure the process was easy,” said Johnson. “You’ve done all the work you needed to do. You’ve achieved the great grades, you’ve taken that ACT test, and you’ve done well.” Another benefit is the program is renewable for up to four years, as long as students maintain a certain GPA and meet renewal criteria. The message Johnson has for incoming students is overwhelmingly
positive: “You’ve proven yourself for the four years of high school. We’re confident in your ability once you get here. So as long as you continue to go down that path, we will renew this for you, and we’ll continue to allow this to serve and help you pay for your education,” he said. While the new program is a big step, the university has a track record of putting its students first — and investing in talent. “One of the biggest motivations for choosing Tech was the amount of scholarship money they award to their students,” said Tech student Cannon Johnson, a biochemistry major from Nashville. “Thankfully, I’m able to attend Tech tuition free from filling out the scholarship application Tech offers to all of its students.” To support and recognize students, Tennessee Tech offers an array of scholarships and grants each year, which are awarded based on academic performance, community service and financial need, among other considerations.
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One need-based grant is the Golden Opportunity Grant for $1,500, which is awarded to a limited number of students with unmet financial needs. In addition, nearly $4 million is awarded through departmental scholarships each year. To qualify for these grants and others, students must submit a separate scholarship application by Dec. 15. (This application is completed after a student has applied and been admitted to the university.) “An estimated two-thirds of our students receive some form of financial aid,” said Oldham. “We are also proud that our graduates have one of the lowest average debts of any university in the state, public or private. Scholarships and grants certainly factor in when paying not only for tuition, but other expenses like books and supplies.” Find out more about how to apply for admissions and scholarships to Tennessee Tech at https://www. tntech.edu/.
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Fall•2021•25
Calendar
To submit major community events for consideration in the next issue, send them to 385Magazine@herald-citizen.com
October 30
Cookeville Treat Trail from 4-6 p.m. at Dogwood Park
November 5 - 20 8 - 13 12-13 28
Cookeville Children’s Theatre to perform Annie — Cookeville Performing Arts Center Tennessee Tech University 91st Homecoming — Tennessee Tech University — various event times Art Round Tennessee’s ART Prowl — Downtown, Westside — Noon, 10 a.m.
Christmas Festivities Santa House at Dogwood Park
Enjoy a free visit with Santa and his elves in the little red Santa House. Dec. 10, 17, 18 — 5-8 p.m. Dec. 12 and 19 — 3-6 p.m. Dec. 20 — 5-8 p.m.
Cookeville Community Band Holiday Concert — 3 p.m. — Cookeville Performing Arts Center
December 3
Algood Mingle Market — 9 a.m. — Algood City Hall
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Friday, Nov. 5 - Saturday, Nov. 6
9 a.m. — Mistletoe Market — Leslie Town Centre
Friday, Nov. 26, Dec. 3
5 - 8 p.m. — Christmas in the Country, Livingston Courthouse Square
Wednesday, Dec. 1
Christmas in the Park Tree-Lighting Ceremony, Dogwood Park, Cookeville, time TBA
Friday, Dec. 3
Baxter Christmas Parade, time TBA 6 p.m. — Algood Christmas Tree Lighting — Algood City Hall
Saturday, Dec. 4 - Tuesday, Jan. 4 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday — Cookeville History Museum Christmas Forest 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Cookeville Depot Christmas Open House
Friday, Dec. 10
6 p.m. — Algood Christmas Parade
Saturday, Dec. 11
1 - 3 p.m. — Livingston Christmas Parade 6 p.m. — Cookeville Christmas Parade 6 p.m. — Monterey Christmas Parade
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Remembering 9/11 Photos: Megan Reagan
Tennessee Tech ROTC members and citizens observed 9/11 with a stadium run on its 20th anniversary this year. The act of climbing the stairs commemorated first responders climbing thousands of steps of the Twin Towers to save the lives of those inside the buildings.
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Warren Karns and Zachary Kendall lead ROTC members.
ROTC member Axel Wix.
Cookeville firefighter Brent Keenan climbed the stadium stairs in full gear to pay tribute to the 343 New York Firefighters who lost their lives.
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Why I Love… Cookeville Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO
Amy New Describe your job as CEO of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and previous jobs that led you to this position. As the CEO of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, I am responsible for the overall operation of the organization including the Chamber of Commerce (nearly 800 members strong), the Highlands Economic Partnership, the Highlands Foundation, the Public Building Authority operating as the Leslie Town Centre, Leadership Putnam, and the Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors’ Bureau. You could name any year, and I could give you an exact moment or opportunity that positioned me for the role I find myself in today. From a young age, we were talking local and state government operations at the dinner table. That foundation allowed me to be appointed the State of Tennessee’s first-ever Assistant Commissioner for Rural Development. After graduating Tennessee Tech with a business administration degree, I worked in numerous positions in Cookeville. After moving to Nashville, I started my career with the state under Governor Bredesen as an Economic Development Specialist for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. In 2014, I completed the four-year journey to become a Certified Economic Developer through the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. In 2018, I was recruited by Vanderbilt University Medical Center to assist in the creation of an Office of Government and Community Affairs. What did you enjoy most about growing up in Putnam County and what do you enjoy most about living and working here now? I was fortunate to be raised on a family farm in Monterey, close to family and so many family friends that helped raise
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me and my siblings. It was not until my 20s when I realized how fortunate I was to spend my summers setting tobacco with my family, playing with baby pigs, planting mums, hoeing weeds, and just roaming around the farm. My husband, Jake, and I were most excited to move our daughters closer to family, giving them the same opportunities and stellar public education that we were given. As simple as it sounds, I love the Upper Cumberland so much. The people care about their neighbors, they work hard, the support small businesses and community causes. How do you envision the future for business growth in Putnam County and the Upper Cumberland? Our community is uniquely positioned with talent development tools at all levels. In connection, our business growth will be directly tied to technical pathways that align our workforce development programs with the influx of emerging careers we’re seeing today. For the future, I envision an elevated quality of life, inclusion, opportunity, and achievement for our region.
Fall•2021•31
The Presidential Scholars program offers guaranteed scholarships to high school students. Just submit your application by December 15 and meet the qualifications. $5,000 Annually $20,000 Four Years 3.75+ GPA & 33+ ACT
$4,000 Annually $16,000 Four Years 3.40+ GPA & 25+ ACT
$3,000 Annually $12,000 Four Years 3.40+ GPA & 23-24 ACT
Tennessee Tech does not condone and will not tolerate discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, and any other basis protected by federal and state civil rights law. Tennessee Tech complies with Title IX and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities, admissions or employment. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact equity@tntech.edu; for Title IX, titleix@tntech.edu. The Tennessee Tech policy on nondiscrimination can be found at www.tntech.edu/ideaa. #OCM206-OCV-22