Emily Wilson was one of the featured speakers at this year’s Scholarship Luncheon in McKenzie Arena.
A scholarship became life-changing for Emily Wilson.
Wilson, a UTC junior marketing major with a minor in communications, was one of the featured speakers during this September’s fourth annual Scholarship Luncheon at McKenzie Arena. The event brought donors, faculty, staff and more than 100 students together to honor the generosity of donors and celebrate students’ academic achievement as scholarship recipients.
In her speech, Wilson talked about the impact that scholarships not only had on her life but on other students as well.
“Scholarships give us the financial opportunity to enhance our education and, therefore, make us more marketable in the real world,” Wilson said. “But they provide us with so much more than that. We get experiences that we would never have otherwise. We get involved in organizations, meet mentors, and find internships.
“Most importantly, we meet our future bridesmaids or groomsmen and our best friends for life, the people who choose to stay by us through the best and worst of times.
“Thank you for giving us this opportunity, for giving us our friends for a lifetime and for giving us memories we will never forget. Thank you for believing and investing in us and our futures.”
Wilson grew up in Martin, Tenn., and toured seven schools before falling in love with UTC. She said she applied for as many scholarships as she could and was accepted into the Brock Scholars program—a four-year interdisciplinary program for academically gifted and motivated students who pursue an education that nurtures their intellect, sense of social responsibility and drive to be a leader.
Brock Scholars live together as freshmen in Stagmaier Hall as part of the UTC Honors Living Learning Community, and Wilson continues to live in close proximity to her Brock Scholar-mates.
“Receiving the scholarship not only gave me a financial advantage, but it gave me friends for a lifetime,” said Wilson, who also received the Joyce Ireland Cook Scholarship. “It led to me becoming a member of Kappa Delta Sorority because one of my roommates was in there. It enlightened my ability to be able to have intellectual conversations. It helped introduce me to some of my best friends.
“The Brock Scholarship was life-changing. If I hadn’t received that scholarship, I don’t know who my friends would even be. That was the beginning and the basis of all my friendships here in college.”
