Awards and Scholarships
Throughout its history, the department has offered numerous awards and scholarships to recognize academic excellence among its students.
Awards
While medals are no longer awarded, with the exception of the History Faculty Award, notable examples of awards in the History Department include:
The History Medal (1936-1943) is sponsored by the Old Walton Road Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This was awarded to graduating History majors with the highest average in several American History courses.
Dr. McClain History Medal (1922-1927) is sponsored by Dr. Walter Stephen McClain. This award recognized students with the highest grades in four years of history courses. Dr. McClain, an osteopath, was the author of "The History of Putnam County," a member of the Tennessee Folklore Society, and a member of the Board of Aldermen in Cookeville, Tenn.
The Jere Whitson Hardware Company Scholarship Medal (1920-1944) was initially awarded to students with the highest average in the History Department; it later focused on students excelling in the History and Political Science curricula. Jere Whitson was a Putnam County merchant and civic leader who was a guiding force in the development of early Cookeville led the drive to establish Tennessee Polytechnic Institute by donating land for the school's development.
Scholarships
Currently, several scholarships are available as of 2025, including:
A History Faculty Scholarship/Award was established in 1992 and funded by contributions from faculty members, and awarded to a student majoring in history. Awards were allocated annually at the discretion of the faculty.
The Winchester Endowed History Scholarship was established in July 2005. J. Michael Winchester made a multifaceted $100,000 pledge to support Tennessee Tech’s History Department ($50,000), Baseball Team ($25,000), and Athletics Program ($25,000). Winchester was a 1975 Tennessee Tech alumnus who majored in History and played baseball at the University. He was the first Derryberry Award recipient at the University. His pledge supported the Winchester History Lecture Series and Endowment, as well as the Student/Faculty Travel and Scholarship Fund.
The B.F. Jones Scholarship was established in memory of B. F. Jones. a professor in the History Department beginning in 1964, and later Chairman of the History Department in 1972. The scholarship was initially needs-based but later based on an excellent paper in an upper-division history course.
The Marion Hood Langlois and Arthur Joseph Langlois Endowed History Scholarship was created by Arthur J. Langlois and Marion B. Hood Langlois. They were very active with the University, including serving on the Friends of the Library Foundation, the University Development Council, and the Tech Community Symphony Guild Board of Directors, as well as numerous community efforts. In his retirement, he was an adjunct professor in the School of Business. She had a lifelong interest in history, and she attended Tennessee Tech University.
The Betty Sue Huddleston Allen Endowed Scholarship was established by alumnus Samuel E. Allen, a Business Management Major in 1979, in honor of his mother, Betty Sue Huddleston Allen. Betty Sue earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Tennessee Tech University in 1965 and her Master of Arts in History in 1968. She was a charter member of the Town and Gown Club and the Tennessee Tech Symphony Guild.
The Marshall and Thelma Bertram Liberal Arts Scholarship recognized the contributions of two long-standing University educators, Marshall and Thelma G. Bertram. Their son, Phillip D. Bertram, established this scholarship on April 13, 1988. In 1946, Marshall Bertram became one of the first members of the Tennessee Tech social studies faculty and taught history until his retirement in 1973. Thelma Bertram began her career as an elementary education teacher at Tech in 1947 and retired in 1973. As of 2026, there were several requirements for this scholarship, including being a liberal arts major in history, English, or a foreign language.
The William J. Brinker Endowed Scholarship for Study Abroad funded the Study Abroad Program for any History major or minor in good standing. Scott Hickman established this endowment in honor of Dr. William J. Brinker, who was his long-time mentor at Tennessee Tech. Brinker taught students history, but also took an interest in preparing them for the challenges in life that lay ahead. He was a strong influence on Scott, inspiring him to pursue a law degree after graduating from Tennessee Tech. Therefore, Scott established this endowment as recognition of someone he felt cared for the well-being of his students.
The Roger and Christine Jones Scholarship was created by Jennifer Jones Bertram, Roger and Christine's daughter, in memory of her parents. The Joneses were alumni and lifelong, dedicated employees of the University. They were both committed to libraries and local history.
As of 2026, the History Department continued to attract alumni, faculty, and community members to contribute to the success of current students, faculty, and the progress of the department. These contributions provided evidence of how Tennessee Tech's history department enriched and touched students' lives.