Baker School secures $500,000 each from six well-known Tennesseans to endow scholarships 

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Six esteemed Tennesseans have pledged $500,000 each to endow four-year undergraduate scholarships at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs. Demonstrating a commitment to investing in UT students and strengthening civic health, the Baker Scholars program aims to attract and educate a new generation of leaders who will rise to meet the challenges of the 21^st century.

The $3 million in endowed gifts will support six named scholarships for four years of study. The founding donors include Tennesseans who have made a significant difference in public policy, public service, philanthropy and education:

• Al Gore, 45^th U.S. Vice President, former U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative from Tennessee, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient;
• Lamar Alexander, former Tennessee Governor, U.S. Senator from Tennessee, U.S. Secretary of Education, and president of the University of Tennessee System;
• Natalie Haslam, Philanthropist;
• James A. Haslam II, Pilot Company Founder, Philanthropist, and Baker School Board Chair;
• Heath Shuler, former U.S. Congressman, and his wife, Nikol Shuler; and
• Bill Powers, Tennessee State Senator and former staffer for Senator Howard H. Baker, and his wife, Fran Powers.

The Baker School, the first of its kind across Tennessee’s public universities, prepares future generations for roles in government, public policy, and public service.

“I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude to these Tennesseans who are investing in the future leaders of our state and country,” said Marianne Wanamaker, Dean of the Baker School. “We are seeding the next generation of public leaders in the legacy of Howard Baker, looking for opportunities to come together and move confidently into the future. Our students are fortunate to have these Tennesseans supporting them from the very beginning.”

The six endowments will support four Baker School students each year. Wanamaker expects to attract more gifts to the program with the goal of awarding more than 20 scholarships each year, which would support 80 students at a time. The scholarship program is designed to ensure that the Baker School can recruit top talent from Tennessee and beyond.