When Dr. Marvin Hall ’83 was chosen to be in the Brock Scholars Program at UTC in 1979, he was impressed that it was a program, not just a scholarship.
“We had an opportunity to interact for the entire four years with a group of high achieving peers through the seminar programs, access to select faculty, quiet, attractive study areas, tickets to various arts events, trips, and of course, financial assistance, which I really needed to afford college,” he explained.
Hall—who now serves as Pediatric Critical Care Specialist and Associate Medical Director, Children’s Hospital, Erlanger; and Assistant Professor, UT Health Science Center, Chattanooga—is one of many UTC students who have benefited from the program. In 1979, an endowment from the Lyndhurst Foundation established the Brock Scholars Program in honor of William E. Brock, Jr., a prominent Chattanooga businessman who served for many years on the UC Foundation Board of Trustees.
In 1987, the program was expanded with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, allowing more students to enroll.
As the program grew, the William E. Brock Jr. Scholarships continued to be awarded, in addition to other types of scholarships. The program’s name changed to the University Honors Program (UHON).
As UTC’s student body continues to grow, more opportunities for honors-level study will be available with the establishment of an Honors College. To avoid confusion, the University Honors Program has reverted to its former name, the Brock Scholars Program.
Dr. Linda Frost, Dean of the Honors College, will soon begin the planning process for additional honors programs, designed to function parallel to the Brock Scholars Program. The Brock Scholars Program will continue to offer highly motivated students a classic, liberal arts education—an experience Dr. Hall remembers well.
“Coming from a relatively sheltered background, it opened my eyes and allowed me to learn to appreciate the arts, fine literature, and philosophy. As a science major, I have to admit, these areas were underappreciated. Discussions forced me to analyze my own bias, perspectives, and beliefs. It motivated me to achieve further and my peers set high standards for academic performance.”
