GREENEVILLE – A North Greene High School student will find enrollment at her dream university attainable thanks to a prestigious scholarship from Tusculum University worth more than $75,000.
Kayle Sexton signed documents during a ceremony Thursday, May 9, 2019, at North Greene for the President’s Scholarship. This scholarship covers 75 percent of her tuition each of the four years she will be an undergraduate at Tusculum. Included in that scholarship is the Appalachian Regional Commission Scholarship from the university.
Kayle Sexton, front left, is joined at her scholarship-signing ceremony by Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. In the back row are, left to right, Patricia Sexton, grandmother; Eric Sexton, father; Annette Sexton, mother; Tanner Sexton, brother; Eddy Martin, grandfather; and Helen Martin, grandmother.
To earn the scholarship, a student must have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 and at least a 25 on the ACT.
“We’re thrilled to recognize Kayle’s talent as a student and help her achieve her scholastic goals with this financial aid package,” said Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. “Because our main campus is in Greene County, it’s always nice to support a deserving student from the community.”
Kayle will pursue an associate degree in general education and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Tusculum. She decided early in life she wanted to attend Tusculum because her great-grandmother, Wylda Stonecypher, lived close to it. She said she talked with Stonecypher about spending the night with her great-grandmother if she had a night class or early morning class.
Receiving the President’s Scholarship ensured Kayle would attend Tusculum.
“I’m thankful for the scholarship,” Kayle said. “It helped me make my final decision to attend Tusculum. It’s a blessing. It’s always been a dream of mine to go to Tusculum.”
Joining Kayle for the signing ceremony were her family; Caroline Shelton, a North Greene assistant principal; Michele Keffer, her guidance counselor; and Julie Kumar, her college adviser. Kayle is the daughter of Eric and Annette Sexton of Greeneville and the granddaughter of Patricia Sexton, Helen and Eddy Martin and the late Kyle Sexton. In addition to Stonecypher, she has another living great-grandmother, Mary-Belle Fullen.