Tusculum announces new military family scholarship program

Tusculum University has announced a new endowed scholarship program for students who have a personal connection to the military and whose parents or guardians do not have a bachelor's degree. According to a university news release, the Col. Jo Anne Kilday '59 First-Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund will support the Tusculum education of students who would be pioneers on the collegiate graduation stage. It will also support students who are military veterans or the children or grandchildren of one from any branch. Lt. Col. Ginger Jacocks established the endowed scholarship in memory of Kilday, who graduated from Tusculum in 1959 as a first-generation student and subsequently served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps. Kilday was also a mentor and friend to Jacocks. "We are grateful to Lt. Col. Jacocks for remembering Col. Kilday in such a meaningful way," Tusculum President Scott Hummel said in a public statement. "More than 50% of our students are first-generation, so this scholarship is a perfect fit for our institution and the students who are blazing a new trail in their families. We are also honored to assist those with a direct connection to the military and are thankful for that service to our nation." Jacocks joined Hummel; David Cook, Tusculum's provost and vice president of academic affairs; and Edward Roberts, vice president of institutional advancement, recently for a signing ceremony, according to the release. Jacocks said Kilday stayed in touch with many of her fellow Tusculum students, despite spending most of her life away from the area. "She enjoyed her time at Tusculum, and she liked meeting people from all over the United States who were enrolled here," Jacocks said. "She was able to visit other states when she would go home with roommates. She always spoke fondly of things here. She joined the Episcopal Church while she was at Tusculum. I know she was on the yearbook staff, and I think she played in a lot of the club games and intramurals." Kilday attended Woman Officers' Candidate Training in 1957 and 1958 and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant when she graduated from Tusculum. After attending Woman Marine Basic School in Virginia, she served in a variety of roles in the Marines from 1959-81, including executive officer, platoon commander, adjutant and military secretary to the commander in chief. She concluded her service as the director of personnel services at the Marine Corps air station in North Carolina and retired as the senior female in the Marines. She's received honors such as the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. Tusculum leaders said her leadership style revolved around assigning tasks wisely, supervising as needed, giving credit for success and accepting responsibility when something went wrong. Jacocks described Kilday, who was never her supervisor, as "hard as nails" but with a kind heart. Kilday worked as a real estate agent in Virginia and North Carolina, and spent a lot of time traveling and volunteering with her church after her military service. She returned to East Tennessee in 2023 and died in 2024. "She wanted to donate every year to give back for what she had received here," Jacocks said in a statement. "She believed very strongly that she had gained a lot of her experiences and leadership attributes from sports and from coming to school here. And she wanted to make sure she was giving back." Kilday continued to make donations to the university throughout her life. Roberts said Kilday's support for Tusculum was impressive. "When people think about the many individuals and places that impact their lives, their collegiate alma mater is one of the most important," Roberts said. "Col. Kilday's example of remembering the college that helped shape her life is excellent and worth emulating." David Smith, executive director of TRIO programs at Tusculum, thanked Jacocks for her generosity and attention to programming that serves first-generation students. "We appreciate Lt. Col. Jacocks for recognizing the value of supporting first-generation students," Smith said. "This endowed scholarship will provide these students, who might not come from households that have a lot of financial resources, with key backing that will help them earn a degree from Tusculum and then make a positive difference in the community. She is a blessing to our students, who will also be inspired by the heights Col. Kilday achieved."