Knoxville's newest Vols get an extra special surprise at Austin-East Magnet High School
When Ja'Mya Hollis woke up Friday morning, she knew she had to be at school in time for a special assembly. Little did she know, the assembly would be one she'd remember for the rest of her life.
Hollis was granted admission to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, with her tuition and fees all paid for.
University administrators surprised 12 seniors from Austin-East Magnet High School with college admission and scholarships.
The students got on stage thinking they were part of a panel discussion on the college application process. But suddenly, their family members walked in and the news was announced.
"I'm happy," Hollis said. "I'm really excited."
While she hasn't 100% decided which school she plans to attend next year, it's "for sure on the list," she said.
Another family, the Hacklers, had double the reason to celebrate. Twin sisters Jamia and Jamya got the same news: two scholarships to college.
The Hackler family found out a week ago, on the twins' birthday, and kept it a secret until the assembly.
"It's a blessing," said Jackie Osborne, the twins' grandmother.
At the celebration, there were many hugs, cheers of "Go Vols," and some happy tears, too. It was an emotional moment for the school administrators, teachers and family members who helped the students on their journey.
The seniors will study an array of majors: journalism, business administration, child psychology and more. At school and in their community, they're leaders who work "extra hard," counselor Katrina Thaxton said.
School principal Tammi Campbell couldn't be more proud.
"You really represent the excellence that is produced at the 2800 (the school's address). ... You don't have a ceiling. Go out there and contribute back to the society," Campbell said to the students.
"This is the story of Austin-East," she said to Knox News.
University of Tennessee makes itself accessible
Austin-East is a flagship school, which means students admitted to UT get tuition and other mandatory fees covered. Central and Fulton high schools are the other schools from Knox County of the 38 flagship schools in the state.
The UT Board of Trustees recently decided to guarantee admission to any campus for Tennessee seniors who finish in the top 10% of their class or achieve a 4.0 grade-point average.
Earlier this semester, System President Randy Boyd and UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman traveled to high schools in Knoxville and Nashville to tell high school students just how accessible the university is and the many pathways to getting in.
What aid is available to high schoolers who attend UT?
Depending on students' family circumstances, there are various options to pay for a UT education.
Here are the aid options for in-state students that are together called the UT-Tri-Star scholarship program.
If you go to one of Tennessee's flagship high schools and are accepted to the university, your tuition and other mandatory fees are covered. This does not cover living expenses, but students may combine the scholarship with other aid to fill in the gaps. The program began in 2007, and the program was used by 514 students this year.
If your family's combined adjusted gross income is $75,000 a year or less and you qualify for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship, your tuition and mandatory fees are covered under UT Promise scholarship. UT Promise was instituted in 2020 and 211 students were awarded the scholarship this year.
The Tennessee Pledge Scholarship is offered to freshmen with a family income of $40,000 or less. The four-year scholarship covers an average of on-campus living and food expenses as well as tuition and fees. The program began in 2005 and benefited about 1,400 students this year.
In 2022, more than 2,400 students received one or more of these aids. In 2023, a little over 2,000 students availed the aids, according to data shared by the university. Apart from these, the university also offers other scholarships to in-state students including a Distinguished Tennessean award. A list of scholarships available to first-year students can be found at onestop.utk.edu/scholarships/first-year.
When can I apply to UT?
While the early admission deadline has passed, there's still time to send in an application for fall 2024. Here are the important dates to remember:
Dec. 15: Regular admission application deadline
Jan. 6: Regular application completion deadline
Applications can be made for UT Knoxville at admissions.utk.edu.
Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @AreenaArora.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Austin-East High School students surprised with scholarships
