Lillian Sims Named Nita Ganguly Memorial Scholarship Recipient
We are pleased to announce this year’s recipient of the distinguished Nita Ganguly Memorial Scholarship: Theory & Practice in Teacher Education undergraduate student, Lillian Sims. Lily will receive a monetary award toward her education through this scholarship.
Named after a beloved former VolsTeach professor, Dr. Nita Ganguly, this scholarship is selected based on academic achievement, teaching commitment, and potential.
Ms. Sims is a VolsTeach student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is originally from a small town in Georgia called Cohutta, located about 45 minutes south of Chattanooga Tennessee.
Lily thanked her teachers over the years who served as role models. She says, “…it was truly the teachers, coaches and mentors of the school that made me love school. It wasn’t always the content that grabbed my attention, it was often the teachers and their passion for the content.”
She continues, “…I have had some hardships in my life that I would not have come out on the other side of if it weren’t for my teacher, principals and coaches. I think knowledge and connections are two of the most influential factors for children especially as they become young adults. There is not one specific factor that has led me to this career choice, but I do know one of my biggest role models was grandmother. She was a social worker. I watched her excel in her career by helping those who needed to be advocated for and she showed me what it looks like to be selfless and passionate about your work.”
The Department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education is very proud and honored to train incredible students and future teachers like Lily. Congratulations, Lily, on this much-deserved honor.