RECOGNITION SOCIETIES
1887 Society
The 1887 Society of Troy University is an exclusive society that exists to recognize
donors who have made annual gifts to the University for the last three or more consecutive
years. As a member, donors are recognized with a welcome packet, a commemorative certificate,
a custom logo lapel pin and invitations to seminars, athletic and special events on
campus.Make a Gift Now
TROY Shield Society
The Shield Society recognizes donors who have committed a Legacy Gift to Troy University.
A legacy gift is a planned estate gift made through a will or living trust, beneficiary
designation, IRA charitable rollover, certain real estate, a donor-advised fund, or
charitable lead trust.
For more information about making a legacy gift, please visit https://www.troyshieldsociety.org, email us at legacygiving@troy.edu, or call (334) 670-3608.
The Arts & Science Alliance
The Arts & Science Alliance is comprised of the most elite and faithful donors to
the College of Arts & Sciences. The Alliance welcomes donors who give $1,000 or more
annually to any CAS fund, while those who have graduated in the last 15 years are
eligible through a minimum contribution of $500. Contributions can made throughout
the year to reach the Alliance level and can even be established by signing up for
smaller monthly recurring gifts.
White Coat Society
By donating $100 or more, you can join the White Coat Society and make an immediate
impact on the life of a nursing student. You will be able to hear from students and
faculty and see how your generosity truly made a difference. This is an annual giving
initiative that will assist undergraduate nursing students in purchasing necessary
medical items such as scrubs, coats, shoes, stethoscopes, and even smaller items like
badge holders, bandage scissors, and clipboards.
Troy Humanities Alliance/ THA
THA is a body of friends, alumni, supporters, and patrons of Troy University's College
of Communication and Fine Arts. THA promotes the well-being, advancement, and success
of CCFA by assisting administrators, faculty and staff through enhancing and engaging
its network of supports. Give annually to CCFA at a level that is meaningful to the
member. Giving tiers include: Designer Circle - $2,500 per year; Performer Circle - $1,200 per year; Authors - $500 per year; Reporters - $300 per year; Ensemble Members - $100 per year.
Make a Gift Now
College of Education Dean's Leadership Circle
The Dean's Leadership Circle is an annual giving recognition society for donors who
contribute $1,000 or more annually to any Troy University's College of Education fund.
Leadership giving within the College of Education plays a dynamic and vital role in
proving annual support to the College. Gifts at the Dean's Leadership Circle level
can be made in support of faculty and students through investments in scholarships,
capital projects or for operational support of the College.
Make a Gift Now
2025 NEW ENDOWED FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
2025 New Current Foundation Scholarships
Rashad M. McClaney Hope and Healing Scholarship
Rashad Montel McClaney was only 25 years old when he was tragically taken from his family on November 3, 2018. After his sudden passing, Dr. Venesia and Mr. Ahmaad McClaney established the Rashad M. McClaney Foundation to honor the life and legacy of their beloved son and brother. In January of 2025, the foundation established the Rashad M. McClaney Hope and Healing Scholarship as a way to assist Troy University students who have lost a parent or sibling to violence. Rashad's scholarship is awarded to students who are residents of Alabama's Black Belt counties. Such counties include Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Crenshaw, Dallas, Green, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, and Wilcox. Applicants must be incoming freshmen on TROY's main campus, have and maintain a 2.5 GPA, and provide documentation of their loved ones passing. Applicants must submit a 300 to 500-word personal statement for the scholarship committee and donors to review, addressing the following prompt: "Describe how losing a parent or sibling to violence has shaped your life and influenced your goals. How will this scholarship support your journey at Troy University?" Recipients are required to write a letter of appreciation to the donor and attend the annual Scholarship Donor and Recipient Reception.
E. L. Gibson Foundation Nursing Scholarship
One of the main goals of the E. L. Gibson Foundation is to promote better health among the residents living within Alabama's Wiregrass Area. The foundation accomplishes this goal by establishing scholarships like the E. L. Gibson Foundation Nursing Scholarship for nursing students on Troy University's main campus. This scholarship is awarded to students from Coffee, Covington, Dale, or Geneva counties. To be eligible, students must have and maintain a 3.0 PGA. The Troy University Scholarship Committee selects recipients who must write a letter of appreciation to the donor and attend the annual Scholarship Donor and Recipient Reception.
FEATURED STORIES
New scholarship will help students complete Accounting undergraduate degree at TROY
The newly created Scott and Colleen Sport Endowed Accounting Scholarship will help rural students become successful.
Applicants must have passed Principals of Accounting I to be eligible and have a 2.5 grade point average, and preference will be given first to students from Crenshaw County, then to applicants from Barbour, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Dale or Pike counties. If no applicants are from those areas, then preference will be given to a first-generation college student from any county.
Scott Sport is a 1986 graduate of the Sorrell College of Business, having completed his undergraduate degree in accounting. He went on to earn an MBA from Auburn University. He is a partner in accounting firm Ernst & Young's Strategy and Transactions practice with more than 35 years of public accounting, corporate development and private manufacturing and distribution experience.
He currently serves as EY's Global Leader for Transactions & Corporate Finance.
A native of Luverne, Sport's father, Joe Rex, was a TROY alumnus and long-time educator in Crenshaw County, eventually serving as superintendent there. His two sisters became teachers as well.
“As I became successful, I set up the Joe Rex and Barbara Sport Scholarship at TROY to both honor my parents for all they did for me and to help others from Crenshaw and surrounding rural communities pursue their own education at TROY,” Sport said. “I am very pleased that we have been able to support a number of students in their educational pursuit.”
Similar to his initial scholarship, he hopes to provide the same help specifically to Accounting students at TROY, in turn empowering those students to “pay it forward” to future generations of TROY students.
“While at TROY, I majored in Accounting. In doing so, I found that it provided a solid foundation for business acumen and underlying financial skills that enabled my career progression . . . When I look back at the key ingredients to my success and advice I would pass on to others in Accounting, I would say: (i) always be learning, (ii) take some chances and (iii) reinvent yourself as new opportunities arise,” Sport said. “These, coupled with hard work and some good fortune, have allowed me to have a rewarding career.”
JR Eason, Director of Development at TROY, said Sport's support is invaluable to the growth within the Carr School.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Scott to establish his second scholarship endowment. We cannot thank him and his family enough for their continued investment in making college more affordable for TROY's students,” Eason said. “The scholarship will be instrumental in recruiting accounting students, especially from this region of Alabama, and will be impactful for the Carr School of Accountancy for many years to come.”
In the end, Sport said he'd found a deeper appreciation for the University and the Sorrell College.
“As I look back to my time at TROY, I most fondly remember the teachers (Mr. [Gene] Sherman, specifically) who took interest in my education, and the friends I have made at TROY,” he said. “Over the years, I have also come to appreciate just how much TROY means not only to me, but to many others from rural communities with backgrounds similar to my own, and who are seeking education as a vehicle for success in their careers and lives.”
Alumnus Baker gives back to help TROY Kinesiology and Health Promotion students
Troy University helped to lay the foundation for Barry Baker's successful career in the areas of sports medicine, physical therapy and exercise science. Now, the two-time TROY alumnus is giving back to help future students to follow that same path.
Baker has established The Barry Baker Endowed Scholarship to help deserving students who are pursuing a degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion from TROY.
Baker, the owner of Cornerstone Fitness and Wellness in Clanton, Alabama, has spent his entire career in the fields of sports medicine, physical therapy, kinesiology or exercise science. His business, which he opened nearly 24 years ago, serves both physical therapy and fitness and wellness needs and employs 30 full- and part-time employees.
“My whole adult life has been in the fields of sports medicine, physical therapy, kinesiology, and exercise science,” Baker said. “I have a daughter, Anna Kathryn Baker, at TROY now that is in the program. I just wanted to do something in that area for students who are pursuing the path of some sort of allied health field.”
While the scholarship will give preference to qualified students from Chilton County, Baker said his main interest is helping hard-working students who want to pursue his beloved profession.
“I grew up in Chilton County. I live in Clanton,” he said. “We have had quite a number of students from this area go to Troy University over the years. If there is someone from this area that qualifies, then I would love for them to be considered but I didn't want to limit it just to Chilton County. My own experience, I noticed that a lot of scholarships may say you have to be at a certain income level or have a certain GPA. I really wanted to put an emphasis on someone that works hard and has some grit about them.”
The scholarship is the latest way that Baker is giving back to his alma mater. He has also served on the advisory board for the College of Health Sciences.
“Over the last few years, I have come to realize the importance of alumni being involved and doing what they can to support, give back and work to strengthen Troy University,” Baker said. “To me it is personal. TROY has done so much for me with my education and contacts. I could never repay Troy University for all it has done for me. It, its faculty, its administration has just done so much. I will always be indebted to Troy University.”
Baker, who is legally blind, said the faculty did so much to help him be successful and admits that he remains in touch with many of those professors today. However, one story of his time at TROY still resonates with him today. It involved a phone call during his senior year from TROY Chancellor, Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr.
“I'm legally blind and a couple of years before I came to TROY, Dr. Hawkins came from the Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind to be TROY's Chancellor. I was the trainer for the baseball team my senior year, and we had been at the conference tournament,” Baker said. “I had missed a lot of school traveling with the team, and I was really worried about it because I cared about my grades. Somehow Dr. Hawkins found out about that, and he called my hotel room on a Sunday, and told me not to worry, that everything was going to be fine. I was just a month or two from graduating, and he told me that my professors would work with me. Maybe he knew who I was because I was a student with a disability involving my vision. I'm sure he doesn't remember making that phone call, but it really helped to set my mind at ease and showed me how much he and Troy University cared about students.”
Baker said endowing the scholarship was another way he could give back to the school that had given him so much.
“I think when you are young and you get out of school, you are at a place in your life where you may be getting married or buying your first home. Life is happening and it is happening fast,” he said. “As I got older and began to look at all the things the University did for me in my life, and I just wanted to be involved in any way that I could to help. I wanted to be involved in the college that I went through to hopefully make it better for the next students that come through. I want to continue to support it through the years in any way that I can.”
For more information on establishing a scholarship at Troy University, please contact the Office of Development at (334) 670-3297.
2024 Donors stories
New scholarship will help students complete Accounting undergraduate degree at TROY
https://today.troy.edu/news/sport-accounting-scholarship/
Alumnus Baker gives back to help TROY Kinesiology and Health Promotion students
https://today.troy.edu/alumni/alumnus-baker-gives-back-to-help-troy-kinesiology-and-health-promotion-students/
Scholarship pays dividends for TROY education students, Troy City Schools
https://today.troy.edu/news/scholarship-pays-dividends-for-troy-education-students-troy-city-schools/
Proud alums create an endowed scholarship to help students experience TROY
https://today.troy.edu/news/proud-alums-create-an-endowed-scholarship-to-help-students-experience-troy/
New bench on TROY's campus bears name of former Dean of Enrollment
https://today.troy.edu/news/new-bench-on-troys-campus-bears-name-of-former-dean-of-enrollment/
Troy University surpasses Giving Day goal for seventh straight year, raises almost
$445K
https://today.troy.edu/news/troy-surpasses-giving-day-goal-for-seventh-straight-year/
Sports Science Lab in new Jones Hall to bear name of TROY icon John “Doc” Anderson
https://today.troy.edu/news/sports-science-lab-in-new-jones-hall-to-bear-name-of-troy-icon-john-doc-anderson/
Laura Aaron Mixon memorial scholarship aims to spread “love and light” to new choral
students
https://today.troy.edu/news/laura-aaron-mixon-memorial-scholarship-aims-to-spread-love-and-light-to-new-choral-students/
New scholarship will honor the memory of FarmHouse's Matthew Awbrey
https://today.troy.edu/news/aubrey-farmhouse-scholarship/
Alabama Nursing Foundation, Beard family gift to help equip TROY's School of Nursing
with advanced simulation equipment
https://today.troy.edu/news/anf-beard-family-gift/
Student-inspired Pike Community Scholarship to provide tuition for four years
https://today.troy.edu/news/student-inspired-pike-community-scholarship-to-provide-tuition-for-four-years/
Donors recognized at annual Scholarship Brunch
https://today.troy.edu/news/donors-recognized-at-annual-scholarship-brunch/
Sorrell young alumnus establishes endowed scholarship to ‘give back' the chance he
was given as an undergraduate
https://today.troy.edu/news/dick-gives-back/
Betty Floyd Vance Endowed Nursing Scholarship to aid TROY nursing majors from Pike
County
https://today.troy.edu/news/betty-floyd-vance-endowed-nursing-scholarship/
Joe and Mary Ann Cromeans Charitable Foundation Scholarship aids TROY students studying
sciences, nursing and the arts
https://today.troy.edu/news/joe-and-mary-ann-cromeans-charitable-foundation-scholarship-aids-troy-students/
A new scholarship will honor the memory of TROY alumna Tabatha Martineau by helping
eligible students with disabilities.
https://today.troy.edu/news/tree-of-life-scholarship/
Scholarship pays dividends for TROY education students, Troy City Schools
https://today.troy.edu/news/scholarship-pays-dividends-for-troy-education-students-troy-city-schools/