KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– The University of Tennessee’s largest scholarship program is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Since 1972 more than 4,200 Fred M. Roddy scholarships have been awarded to UT-Knoxville students. Directors of the Fred M. Roddy Foundation of Attleboro, Mass., were on campus Friday for a silver anniversary luncheon at the University Center.
Started with a $500,000 bequest from Roddy’s will, the Roddy scholarship endowment now totals $3.3 million.
“Fred Roddy is an excellent example for those who support higher education,” UT President Joe Johnson said. “He wanted to help young people and what he did 25 years ago will benefit students on this campus forever.
“We always look forward to the visits of the Roddy directors. They are wonderful stewards of Mr. Roddy’s spirit of helping young people succeed.”
Roddy, a mechanical engineer, graduated from UT in 1927. He invented equipment for granulating plastic and formed Cumberland Engineering Co. in Kingsport in 1939. The firm, now in Attleboro, continues as a large supplier for plastics manufacturing.
UT-Knoxville Chancellor Bill Snyder said the Roddy program is a cornerstone of the campus’ academic scholarship program.
“For the last few years, we have placed a high priority on creating more academic scholarships that will attract the state’s top students to UT-Knoxville,” Snyder said. “The Roddy scholarships are an excellent foundation on which to build.
“Many of our most outstanding graduates over the last quarter century were Roddy Scholars.”
This year’s 128 Roddy recipients have an average grade point of 3.74 out of 4.0, Snyder said.
John W. McIntyre, who was Roddy’s attorney and is president of the foundation, attended Friday’s luncheon. He was joined by other directors, David McIntyre of Attleboro; Shawn Buckless and Bill Jennings of Providence; Lee Kintzel of Atlanta; and Rich LaFleur of Manville R.I.
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Contact: Amy Williams (423-974-5045)