Tennessee Wesleyan University recently awarded two recipients with the Harriet Reaves Neff Scholarship.

ATHENS, TN – February 16, 2024 – Samantha Robbins of Tellico Plains High School and Carson Blevins from Polk County High School were recently honored as the deserving recipients of an academically competitive award, the Harriet Reaves Neff Award. This award is a full tuition scholarship that is renewable each year. The recipients must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and at least a 30 on the ACT.

The Neff Scholarship was established following a major bequest from the namesake, Harriet Reaves Neff. Neff was a daughter to a Tennessee Wesleyan alumnus, and her late husband, who was a state senator for Virginia, served on the Holston Conference Colleges Board of Governors. The Neff Scholarship is Tennessee Wesleyan’s top academic award and is awarded to two incoming freshmen demonstrating high academic leadership annually.

Robbins will graduate from Tellico Plains High School this spring and is extremely involved in several extracurricular activities including forestry judging, 4-H, and FFA, and has won many awards demonstrating her excellence in those areas. Additionally, she has received awards for academic excellence in pre-calculus and psychology.

Blevins will graduate Polk County High School during their Spring Commencement. Her career includes involvement in the Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society and varsity cheerleading. She plans to attend law school following Tennessee Wesleyan.

“Samantha and Carson both exhibit the qualities we are looking for in future Bulldogs,” said Dr. Tyler Forrest, TWU President. “I am always excited to be part of these presentations and am enthusiastic about how they will contribute to our campus and region.”