TCE Welcomes Four Haslam Leadership Scholars
Four of the 15 incoming first-year students in the newest class of Haslam Leadership Scholars this fall at the University of Tennessee plan to be in the Tickle College of Engineering.
Established in 2008 with a gift from Jimmy and Dee Haslam and Jim and Natalie Haslam, the Haslam Leadership Scholars program aims to attract, cultivate, and retain future Tennessee leaders. Participants receive an endowed scholarship that covers tuition, fees, and room and board, as well as a paid internship and a study abroad experience.
“Every year we have the privilege to learn more about and engage with these talented and immensely accomplished applicants from Tennessee and beyond,” said Patrick Akos, associate vice provost and executive director of University Honors. “We have great confidence that these 15 scholars have demonstrated incredible leadership capacity and a desire to make a difference in Tennessee. The Haslam Leadership Scholars program will enter them into a community of leaders, push them to grow and develop within the campus community and support them fully to enable them to achieve their dreams.”
Haslam Leadership Scholars are routinely recognized as Torchbearers, the university’s highest student honor, and receive national scholarships and fellowships including the Udall, Fulbright, Critical Language and Rhodes scholarships.
Mallori France of Kingsport, Tennessee, plans to major in biomedical engineering with interests in medical device design and therapeutics. Proudly hailing from the Appalachian Mountains, she is dedicated to creating positive change while preserving the region’s unique culture. She hopes to research alternative approaches to pain management to address the detrimental impact of opioid use on local communities. France excelled in her high school marching band, earning two national championship titles and gaining leadership experience as a section leader and equipment manager. She was active in various clubs and organizations, serving as an ambassador for Little Free Libraries through United Way Kingsport. She is a tutor and mentor of younger students and is driven to increase the footprint of women in STEM. France represented Tennessee as a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate and is a National Merit Commended Scholar and AP Scholar with Distinction. In her spare time, she enjoys weight training, and she holds four Tennessee state powerlifting records.
Kohen Kilburn of Chattanooga, Tennessee, plans to major in mechanical engineering. He was a senior leader of his high school’s ultimate Frisbee team. Through his advocacy, ultimate Frisbee became a varsity sport, and his teams attended tournaments across the region. As a senior, he served on the Student Council and in the Senior Leadership Program. He was a member of his high school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. Kilburn served as president of his school’s Service and Business Club, organizing speakers and service opportunities. Through his efforts, he bridged a gap in the community between his high school and the surrounding area. In his free time, he enjoys sports and the outdoors with friends.
Oliver Nimon of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, intends to major in mechanical engineering. As his school’s Mechanics Club president, he led students in projects and car restorations. Over the past three years, he has developed a virtual reality teaching tool enabling users to move, expand, and deconstruct complex 3D models and study their components in a virtual hands-on manner. Nimon plays chess regularly, qualifying for the annual state scholastic tournament four times, and won a soccer title with his school’s varsity team. He volunteers as a custodian at the Little Brown Church and as a blacksmith making period-appropriate hooks for a local nonprofit organization. Nimon is a National Merit Commended Scholar and an AP Scholar with honors. In his free time, he enjoys woodturning and mountain biking.
Emi Taylor of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, plans to major in computer science and minor in American Sign Language. She hopes to pursue a career in app development, where she can advance sign language translation apps to break down language barriers and expand the deaf and hard-of-hearing community’s ability to communicate. Taylor runs a social media platform called JaneTutorsYou that provides free educational resources and guidance relating to topics like history and calculus. She has been awarded the National Rural Recognition Award and is an AP Scholar with Distinction. Taylor participates in the National Honor Society and volunteers at The Well food pantry. In her free time, she listens to Jeff Buckley or the Sundays, codes pop quizzes, and collects anything pink.
Check out the full list of this year’s Haslam Scholars
Contact
- Rhiannon Potkey (865-974-0683, rpotkey@utk.edu)
- Maggie Palmer (865-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)