Local attorney and UTC alumna Amanda Ray knows the value of being a recipient of the Jean Bradford Memorial Scholarship, supported by the Chattanooga Chapter of Executive Women International (EWI). Ray, an associate with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel P.C., was featured in an October, 2011 issue of Women’s Day magazine for her perseverance in achieving her career goals as a single mother.
Ray became pregnant at 14 years old. After delivering her son, she was determined to complete her education. At 17 she was a junior at UTC, beginning her undergraduate degree after amassing 60 college credits at Middle College in Chattanooga. Today she holds degrees from UTC and the University of Memphis Law School.
While she was at UTC, Ray received encouragement from Cynthia Wallace, director of the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC). The EOC is part of the Center for Community Career Education (CCCE), part of UTC for 31 years. This non-profit provides direct career counseling service to individuals and technical assistance to agencies, applying skills in the classroom and sharing best practices.
Wallace introduced Ray to members of the Chattanooga Chapter of Executive Women International (EWI), which supports the Jean Bradford Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was created to assist college students who are displaced homemakers or single mothers. Wallace encouraged Ray to apply for the scholarship–she earned it each semester she was in school.
“That scholarship gave me a little more breathing room in my finances so that I could focus on more important things like raising my son and getting my education. Even more than that, it encouraged me greatly to know that there was a group of people that believed in me. Up to that point, it seemed like society looked down on me because I was a single, teenage mother. Executive Women International, however, believed in me in spite of that,” said Ray.
This year, the Chattanooga Chapter of EWI presented a check for $11,667 to Vice Chancellor Richard Brown in continued support of the Jean Bradford Memorial Scholarship at UTC.
