Walters State Foundation Honors Donors

Chris Cates, left, presents an appreciation gavel to David Helton, outgoing president of the Walters State Foundation.

Walters State Inducts Six Donors into President's Trust

Six donors to the Walters State Community College Foundation were named to the President’s Trust during the organization’s recent annual meeting, held on the college’s Morristown Campus. 

The Herbert and Bobbie Harville Memorial Scholarship, funded by Stan and Teresa Harville, honors his parents and supports students pursuing an associate degree in education. Stan Harville, a Walters State alumnus, spent 30 years serving the Hamblen County School system as a teacher, coach and administrator. He served six years as the director of the nonprofit HC*EXCELL and is currently a Hamblen County commissioner. Teresa Harville taught at Morristown East High School for many years and now teaches at All Saints Episcopal School. 

Kathleen Jones, longtime associate professor of nursing at Walters State, died shortly after her retirement from the college in 2021. Her estate gifted the foundation over $72,000 to fund scholarships for students pursuing a degree in nursing. Jones lived out the Florence Nightingale Pledge by working to elevate the standards of nursing care. Prior to joining Walters State, Jones worked as a United States Air Force nurse for over 20 years, which included service during the Vietnam War. Jones also made monthly contributions to the foundation during her lifetime.

First Peoples Bank has been a supporter of the Walters State Foundation since 1997 and has given a total of 43 gifts. They have served as sponsors and participants in two annual fundraisers, the Shamrock Shuffle and the Senators Club Golf Classic. First Peoples Bank has also regularly supported the foundation’s annual fund drive. The bank was represented by current president and CEO, Steve Amos, a Walters State alumnus.

Retired businessman Bill Sanders endowed a scholarship honoring his late wife, Deborah Sanders. The Deborah Tuttle Sanders Scholarship will be awarded to music students who participate in the college’s musical ensembles. Deborah served as an organist for Morristown’s First Presbyterian Church for over 40 years. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Walters State and accompanied the Walters State Community Chorale for many years. 

The Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation has assisted the college’s culinary students for nearly a decade. The Chamber awards $2,500 to a student each semester. The scholarship is not intended to pay tuition. Instead, the scholarship pays for required program expenses such as knives, books and uniforms. First preference is given to students 24 and older. To this date, total gifts from the Chamber total over $40,000. The Chamber was represented by Chad Netherland, president and CEO, and Ann Barry, vice president of finance. 

David and Stacy Wild are both Walters State alumni. Both are active in the community, and David, with his brother Tim, owns Wild Construction, Inc. The couple has donated money and countless hours to children served by the Morristown Boys and Girls Club. They are also loyal fans of Walters State athletic teams and can often be found cheering in the stands. The Wilds are also supporters of two of the college’s fundraisers, the Shamrock Shuffle and the Senators Club Golf Classic. 

The Foundation also paid tribute to four trustees who had passed away in the last year: Nancy O’Dell, Norman Helm, Louise Dyer and Ralph Massengill Jr. 

In other business, officers for the next two-year term were elected: Sharon Greene, president; Justin Cook, vice president; and Frank McGuffin, secretary. Dr. Mark Hurst, vice president of business affairs at the college, will continue to serve as treasurer. Steve Amos and David Wild were elected as new trustees. 

The Foundation honored outgoing President David Helton. 

The Walters State Community College Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization that serves as the fundraising arm of the college. Due to the loyal support of the foundation, 842 students received a total of over $620,000. For more information about the foundation, contact Chris Cates at Chris.CatesFREEWS%20or (423) 585-2618.