Honors Day

April 2021

John H. Barrett Prize

The tradition of the John H. Barrett Prize began in 1970. It is an annual memorial award given to outstanding undergraduate seniors who have a concentration in mathematics or are mathematics majors.

This year's winners of the John H. Barrett Prize are Harper Bryan, Shannon Hall, and Aaron Stapleton.

James A. Cooley Scholarship

The James A. Cooley Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the memory of James A. Cooley and to help qualified and deserving mathematics students secure a college education. Professor Cooley was Head of the Department of Mathematics from 1942 until he returned to full time teaching in 1961. Preference is given to students interested in a teaching career.

Simms Foundation Scholarship

The Simms Foundation Scholarship was created through a generous gift from Carol Sue Simms in 2014. The Simms Foundation Scholarship is a 4-year merit scholarship awarded to an incoming freshman with an excellent high school record who will major in math and has an interest in teaching.

This year's winners of the Simms Foundation Scholarship will be announced soon.

Dr. Warren L. & Mrs. Kyleen D. Franz Scholarship

The Dr. Warren L. & Kyleen D. Franz Endowed Mathematics Scholarship was established in 2015 to support mathematics majors who demonstrate successful academic performance.

This year's winners of the Dr. Warren L. & Mrs. Kyleen D. Franz Scholarship are John Maddox, Victoria Howard, Jeffrey Utley, Ethan Kessinger, and Wyatt Smith.

Polly Anna Harris Scholarship

This scholarship helps support a future mathematics teacher. Applicants must be fourth-year undergraduate students pursuing a major in mathematics, with intent to become a high school mathematics teacher. Polly Anna Harris, a former UTK math major, taught at Bearden High School for many years before she retired. She was a recipient of the UT Alumna and Presidential Award for outstanding teaching. This scholarship is sponsored by her family, son, David Harris, MD, who is also a former UTK math major, and his wife Patricia, son, Frank Harris and wife Abby Avery, daughter, Paula Morrison, also a former UTK math major, and her husband G. Grainger Morrison.

This year's winners of the Polly Anna Harris Scholarship are Maria Dassow and Macy Burchfield.

Lucille and Herbert E. Lee Memorial Scholarship

The Lucille and Herbert Lee Scholarship Awards were established in 1986 by a generous endowment from the Lee estate, and are awarded to sophomore and upperclassmen mathematics majors with outstanding records of academic achievement. Herbert E. Lee, who received his Ph.D. from Duke University, taught mathematics at UTK for three decades until his retirement in 1969. He, and his wife Lucille, were cheerful, friendly, outgoing people who always kept students' welfare in mind.

This year's winners of the Lucille and Herbert E. Lee Memorial Scholarship are Nathaniel Sheets, Lauren Proctor, John Maddox, Ashley Worrell, Ian MacDougall, Brooks Heath, Elie Elkington, and Hanson Lam.

J.P. and Gladys Maples Scholarship

J. P. and Gladys Maples set up their scholarship endowment fund to encourage scholastic excellence.

This year's winner of the J.P. and Gladys Maples Scholarship is Kay Howell.

Cooper D. Schmitt Memorial Scholarship

The Cooper D. Schmitt Endowment was established in 1987. The goal of this fund is to provide undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and appropriate awards to outstanding students in the Department of Mathematics at The University of Tennessee.

This year's winners of the Cooper D. Schmitt Memorial Scholarship are Owen Queen, Macy Burchfield, Victoria Howard, Garrett Byrd, Tiarra Baker, Ethan Kessinger, Emily Constantin, Wyatt Smith, and Adrian Calderon.

Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship

The Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship was established in 2010. Its purpose is to support Physics or Mathematics majors who demonstrate successful academic performance. Preference is given to juniors. Awards are given in the Mathematics and the Physics Departments.

This year's winner of the Dr. Glenn R. and Elise I. Young Scholarship is Owen Queen.

John M. Allen Prizes

The Allen Medal in mathematics was originated by John Mebane Allen in 1890 and has since been presented annually. It is noted to be one of the oldest awards given by The University of Tennessee. The Allen Medal is given to recognize freshman students who demonstrate, upon testing, the best knowledge of Algebra, Plane Geometry, Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, Single Variable Calculus, and/or any other areas of mathematics as may be determined by the department head and select faculty members.

This year's first place winner of the Allen Medal prize is Henry Coen.
This year's second place winner is Lucas Hinds.

Randall E. Cline Award

This award was established by friends and colleagues in memory of Dr. Randall E. Cline. It is to provide student aid for scholarly activities associated with graduate student work in The University of Tennessee Department of Mathematics. Currently enrolled and prospective math graduate students are eligible for the award.

This year's winners of the Randall E. Cline Award are Cameron Cook, Shuler Hopkins, and Margaret Grogan.

Graduate Student Academic Achievement Award

The goal of these awards is to recognize outstanding academic achievement among graduate students. It was established several years ago to parallel the award for outstanding teaching among graduate students.

This year's winners of the Graduate Student Academic Achievement Award are Mitchell Sutton, Jea Hyun Park, and Ben Richards.

Yueh-er, Hong-hsu and Clarence Cheng Kuo Fellowship Endowment

The Yueh-er, Hong-hsu and Clarence Cheng Kuo Fellowship Endowment was established in 2003 by Dr. Yueh-er Kuo to promote Masters' degree education in the Department of Mathematics. Yueh-er Kuo was a professor in the Department of Mathematics since 1964. She was an expert in educating Masters' degree students in addition to her own research. She had 56 thesis and project students and many of them are very successful in their careers. Hong-hsu Kuo was the husband of Yueh-er Kuo and was a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Clarence Cheng Kuo was the son of Yueh-er and Hong-hsu. He was a brilliant model student of University Nursery School. This award is given to graduate students with outstanding academic merit.

This year's winners of the Yueh-er, Hong-hsu and Clarence Cheng Kuo Fellowship Endowment are Leigh Pearcy, Wencel Valega, and Mike Hanson.

Spike Tickle STEM Endowed Fellowship

The Spike Tickle Fellowship was established by Mr. John D. "Spike" Tickle to recognize students who have an outstanding academic performance and desire to use their talents and education in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). The award is given to a graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences to focus on teaching and/or research efforts in mathematics.

This year's winners of the Spike Tickle STEM Endowed Fellowship are Timothy Robertson, Liet Vo, and Morganne Igoe.

Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Graduate Student Teaching Awards

The Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Awards were established in 1977 in order to recognize outstanding teaching among graduate teaching assistants.

This year's winners of the Junior Level award are Ben Richards, Leigh Pearcy, and Quincy Clare-King.
This year's winners of the Senior Level award are Andrew Gilliam and Jacob Dennerlein.

Math GTA Teaching Excellence Fellowship

This award was established in 2019 to recognize excellence in teaching, as well as significant contribution to the undergraduate education mission of the Department of Mathematics. The award is designed to encourage Math GTAs to deepen their involvement in the educational mission of the department.

This year's winners of the Math GTA Teaching Excellence Fellowship are Jacob Dennerlein, Shuler Hopkins, and Anna Lawson.

SIAM UTK Graduate Student Research Showcase

The SIAM UTK Graduate Student Research Showcase is a presentation competition established in 2021 which showcases the research of current graduate students and their advisors. Presentations are 20 minutes in length with 5 minutes for questions and are judged by a panel.

This year's first place winner is Kelly Buch.
This year's second place winner is Cara Sulyok.
This year's third place winners (tie) are Sathya Rengaswami and Leigh Pearcy.

Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Summer Fellowship

The Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Summer Fellowships were established in 1977 to encourage high school mathematics teachers to return to the University of Tennessee during the summer to further the study of mathematics.

This year's winner of the Dorothea and Edgar D. Eaves Summer Fellowship is Emilee Frazier.

Harry Row Scholarship

Harry Row was deeply committed to teaching and spent considerable time working with teachers. One of his professional goals was to promote the appropriate use of technology in the teaching of Mathematics. This scholarship funds a teacher who wants to continue the study of Mathematics and preference is given to those who have significantly used technology in their teaching.

This year's winners of the Harry Row Scholarship are Shande King and Joanna Koziar.

UT Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award

The Department of Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award is given to a local high school mathematics teacher who best exemplifies the knowledge of and enthusiasm for the discipline of mathematics inside the classroom and out.

This year's winners of the UT Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award are Hayley Pyle and Michael Pyle.

MGSC Ann Keith Lea Faculty Teaching Award

This award goes to a professor who has done an exceptional job teaching a course for graduate students this school year. Voted on by the graduate students, this award is meant to recognize the work and dedication a professor has given to help students understand the course material.

This year's winner of the Ann Keith Lea Faculty Teaching Award is Dr. Olivia Prosper.

The statements nominating Dr. Prosper to this award mentioned that she made taking classes online so much more bearable. "She was able to create an environment that was enjoyable and easy to follow even over zoom. She was super helpful and showed that she really cares about her students' success. Her class was the only one I can think of which wasn't worse because it was online."

Congratulations, Dr. Prosper!

MGSC Service Award

This award goes to a professor who has gone above and beyond to mentor, advise, or in general help graduate students this year in a non-teaching capacity. Voted on by the graduate students, this award is meant to recognize the extraordinary work a professor has done to foster students' progress through the program and/or aid students in their preparation for a career.

This year's winner of the MGSC Service Award is Dr. Suzanne Lenhart.

The statements nominating Dr. Lenhart to this award mentioned her excellent advising to her students as well as the chapters of SIAM, SACNAS, and AWM. "She goes above and beyond for her students. She is always working to better our department and encourage individuals, especially those from underrepresented groups, to pursue careers in math. She is a role model to many. From fostering students' progress through the program to aiding students in their preparation for a career, this award should go to Dr. Lenhart to recognize her outstanding contribution to the graduate students not only this year but her entire career at UTK. She has and will always be an incredible advisor because that is her passion."

Congratulations, Dr. Lenhart!

Pi Mu Epsilon Honors Society

This year's Mathematics Department merit-based award membership to the Pi Mu Epsilon Honors Society goes to Shannon Hall.

Barry Goldwater Scholarship

The Mathematics Department is delighted to recognize Owen Queen as a 2021 recipient of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. This highly prestigious, national scholarship was established by Congress in 1986. Each eligible academic institution is allowed to nominate up to four students annually for the national competition, with 1256 nominations from 438 academic institutions this year. Out of these, 51 Goldwater Scholars were selected in 2021 within the area of mathematics and computer science.

Finally, we would like to recognize this year's graduates!!

Graduates of the Mathematics Honors Program

2020-2021 Graduate Program Graduates

Honors Day 2020
Honors Day 2019
Honors Day 2018
Honors Day 2017
Honors Day 2016
Honors Day 2015
Honors Day 2014
Honors Day 2013
Honors Day 2012
Honors Day 2011
Honors Day 2010
Honors Day 2009
Honors Day 2008

last updated: April 2021