Applications are now open for the Jim and Marie Murphy Endowed Scholarship for academic year 2026-27. The scholarship is available to current County Officials Association of Tennessee (COAT) members, County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) employees, and their legally qualified dependents — including children and grandchildren.
To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled or admitted at a University of Tennessee System campus and pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. Eligible campuses include UT Knoxville, UT Chattanooga, UT Martin, UT Health Science Center in Memphis, UT Space Institute in Tullahoma, and UT Southern in Pulaski.
While all eligible applicants are encouraged to apply, selection preference will be given to those pursuing a graduate degree, qualified dependents, applicants demonstrating strong academic performance or financial need, and current recipients who continue to meet the criteria.
A complete application includes a signed application form, a typed essay of 500 to 1,000 words describing your education and career goals and any leadership, community service, or public service experience, one letter of reference from a sponsoring COAT member or CTAS employee, up to three letters of support from family, professors, mentors, or friends, and college or high school transcripts. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Scholarship funds are awarded from endowment income, so award amounts vary by year and applicant pool. Recipients are expected to participate in donor appreciation activities, including attendance at the 2026 IPS Annual Conference award luncheon or dinner.
The application deadline is June 5, 2026.
Submit your completed application and supporting materials by email to IPSscholarships@tennessee.edu or by mail to the UT Institute for Public Service, Attn: IPS Scholarship Selection Committee, 1610 University Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921.