Lieutenant Donaldson Tillar Memorial Scholarship: On February 27, 1991, 1st Lt. Donaldson “Donnie” Preston Tillar III died with eight other soldiers when their Blackhawk helicopter was shot down on the last day of hostilities during Operation Desert Storm. Donnie is the only West Point graduate to die in combat during Operation Desert Storm. This scholarship has been awarded annually to a graduating senior from James I. O’Neill High School since 1992, for many of those years being funded through the generosity of one high school friend. In 2019, members of the West Point Class of 1988 and past James I. O’Neill graduates established this scholarship to preserve Donnie’s memory and assist students in their pursuit of a higher education.

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School/Residency Applicant: Applicants must be graduating seniors of James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls, NY.
• Academic Record Applicants: Must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must be accepted to any accredited four-year university in the United States as a full-time student.
• College Major: Applicant may major in any subject.
• Financial Need: Financial need is a primary consideration.
• Length of Support: This scholarship will be awarded for one year only.

$1,000 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Geoscience Scholarships: The East Texas Geological Society Scholarship and the Natural Gas Society of East Texas Scholarship award scholarships to an undergraduate or graduate student who have declared his/her major in the energy industry field. These two scholarships are paired together on the same stand-alone application. Students whose final career path leads to research or university professorship are not encouraged to apply.

East Texas Geological Society Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who is at lealeast a sophomore at the time of application who has declared his/her major to be Geology.

• High School/ College/Residency Applicant: Applicants may be from anywhere in Texas but preference will be given to applicants who have attended high school in East Texas.
• Academic Record Applicants: Must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must attend a college or university located in the State of Texas that offers a Geology degree program.
• College Major: Recipient must have declared geology as their major in an undergraduate or graduate program. Must be at least a sophomore in college at the time of application. Applicants must demonstrate a motivation to pursue a career in the energy industry by written essay.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Length of Support: The scholarship will be renewable for up to two years, if the recipient meets the following criteria: Remains a full-time student (at least 12 hours) | Maintains a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale) | Continues to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree with a major in geology

$2,000 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

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Natural Gas Society of East Texas Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who has declared his/her major in the energy industry field. Eligible majors may include one of many degrees offered in engineering or gegeosciences.

• High School/ College/Residency Applicant: Applicants may be from anywhere in Texas but preference will be given to applicants who have attended high school in East Texas.
• Academic Record Applicants: Must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must attend a college or university located in the State of Texas that offers offers an applicable degree program.
• College Major: Recipient must be at least a sophomore at the time of application and must have declared their major to be in a field of study which directly relates to the energy industry. Eligible majors may include one of many degrees offered in engineering or geosciences.
• Financial Need: Financial need may be considered in the selection process but is not required.
• Length of Support: This scholarship will be awarded for one year only.

$1,000 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Randy Willmon Memorial Firefighter Scholarship: Randy Willmon held the rank of Captain for the City of Dallas Fire Department, where he served for 28 years. He also served on the Lindale Fire Department for 9 years. Randy set an example of how to live life. He was devoted to loving God, his family, and his many friends. He was a brave firefighter who led by example and a model of what a man should be. Steve and Lynn Winston established this scholarship, in honor of their special friend to benefit a deserving high school graduate from Smith County and surrounding counties including (Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rains, Rusk, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood) to pursue a certification in Basic Fire Suppression Academy, Fire Protection Technology or Paramedics at Tyler Junior College.

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School/Residency Applicant: Applicants must be a current graduating senior or former graduate of any school in Smith County, and surrounding counties Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rains, Rusk, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood.
• Academic Record: Applicants must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least a 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must plan to attend Tyler Junior College
• College Major: Recipient must plan to participate in one of the following programs offered at Tyler Junior College: Basic Fire Suppression Academy, Fire Protection Technology Associates Degree, Basic Firefighter Certification, Fire Service Leadership Certificate or Paramedics Certificate.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Length of Support: This scholarship is awarded for one year only.

$500 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Sherilyn A. Willis, MD Medical Scholarship: The Sherilyn A. Willis, MD Medical Scholarship was established in 2008 as a gift from her family to honor her career in medicine. It was created to help support students in medical school who plan to practice medicine in Texas.

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School/College/Residency Applicant: Applicants may be from anywhere in Texas but preference will be given to applicants who have attended high school in East Texas.
• Academic Record: There are no minimum GPA requirement for this scholarship.
• College/University Attended: Recipient may attend any medical school of their choice in the State of Texas.
• College Major: Recipient must be accepted to or currently attending a medical school in the State of Texas.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Length of Support: This scholarship will be awarded for one year only.

$500 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Christopher Lyon Memorial Scholarship: Established in 2007 with gifts from the family and friends of Christopher Lyon, this scholarship honors the memory of a young man known for his art, delicate soul, and quirky laugh. Chris was born on October 24, 1973, in Greenville, S.C. An artist by profession, he received his BFA in Drawing, Painting and Photography from Western Carolina University in 1996. He completed his MFA in Painting from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999, where he met his wife Alexis, also an U Penn graduate and now an art professor at the University of Texas at Tyler. The couple moved to Whitehouse in 2004. Chris died in January 2007 as a result of a motor vehicle accident. This scholarship was created to remember Chris, encourage young art students, and reward them for their hard work.

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School/ College/Residency Applicant: Applicants may be from anywhere in the United States but preference will be given to applicants who have attended high school in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas or Oklahoma.
• Academic Record Applicants: Must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must currently attend or be accepted to attend the University of Texas at Tyler.
• College Major: Recipient must be a declared art major in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the University of Texas at Tyler.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Length of Support: This scholarship will be awarded for one year only.

$1,000 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Hackler/DAI-FLY: Empowering Women to Do Great Things Scholarship: Established in 2025, this scholarship was created to support women with a dedicated interest in pursuing careers more often obtained by men. The belief is that women have creative minds that enable them to excel at communications, computer science, IT technology and/or political science professions. It is also believed that reading is the most valuable life skill to have. 

Female students seeking an undergraduate degree in communications, a science or technical field or a Master’s degree in Education with a focus on reading will be considered for this scholarship. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School/Residency: applicants must be a female student from anywhere in Texas but preference will be given to applicants who have attended high school in East Texas.
• Academics: must have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) with at least 60 hours completed toward a bachelor’s degree.
• College/University: recipient must attend one of the following East Texas colleges/universities: Stephen F. Austin, East Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University at Texarkana, East Texas Baptist University, the University of Texas at Tyler & LeTourneau University. A preference will be given to students attending the University of Texas at Tyler.
• College Major: Recipient must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in communications, science or technical fields including computer engineering, computer and information systems, computer science, information technology, political science or a Master’s of Education in reading.

Amounts awarded will vary based on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Nancy A. Berkhouse Classical Art Scholarship: Nancy A. Berkhouse Classical Art Scholarship: Established in 2024 by the family of Nancy A. Berkhouse. The Nancy A. Berkhouse Classical Art Scholarship will be awarded to a current college student who is pursuing an arts degree with a strong preference for students pursuing the Classicism, Realism, or Classical Realism painting genre, characterized by accurate proportions, clear and logical expression of subjects; such as the style found commonly in Western art including still life, portrait, landscape and seascape, indoor and outdoor figure painting. Nancy A. Berkhouse’s passion was the beauty of God’s creation and appreciation of those artists who sought to capture that beauty realistically.

REQUIREMENTS:

• College/Residency Applicant: Applicants must be at least a college sophomore (45 hours completed at time of application) and have a declared major to be art in an undergraduate program at any college university in Texas or Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.
• Academic Record Applicants: Must have achieved a minimum GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).
• College/University to be Attended: Recipients must attend a 4-year accredited college/university in Texas or Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.
• College Major: Recipient must be pursuing an arts degree with a strong preference for students pursuing the classicism, realism, or classical realism painting genre.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Length of Support: The scholarship is renewable for up to 3 years (a total of 4 years) if the student: Remains a full-time student (at least 12 hours) | Maintains a 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale) | Continues to pursue an undergraduate degree with a major in art.

$5,000 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

This scholarship is not being offered during the current scholarship cycle. 

Nickolas – Trusczkowska Scholarship: In recognition of the great strength inherent in persons overcoming alcohol or drug addiction, this scholarship will support students who have completed at least one year of sobriety and are currently pursuing an education or returning to school.

• Residency Applicant: U.S. citizens residing in any state may apply.
• Academic Record Applicants: Applicants can be a graduating high school senior, Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) holder, college undergraduate, or a non-traditional student starting or returning to school. There is no minimum GPA requirement.
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient may attend any accredited college or university or nonprofit vocational/technical school in the United States as a full or part-time student.
• College Major: Recipient may major in any subject.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Other Eligibility Requirements: This scholarship is focused on students age 17 to 30 who are recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. Preference will be given to veterans, military dependents, and dual diagnosis applicants.
• Anonymity: Applicants may request anonymity and award recipients can request their name be kept private.
• Length of Support: This scholarship may be renewed for up to two years, or completion of degree/certification, if all renewal criteria are met.

Amounts awarded will vary based on funds available and number of scholarships issued.

APPLY HERE

Owens Marmion Barke Clinical Mental Health Counseling Scholarship: The purpose is to provide educational scholarships for UT Tyler students preparing for careers in the field of mental health counseling with a preference for graduate students that are underrepresented in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

REQUIREMENTS:

• College/Residency Applicant: Applicants must be admitted to the clinical mental health program at UT Tyler.
• College/University to be Attended: Recipient must be enrolled at UT Tyler.
• College Major: Recipient is required to be recently admitted or currently enrolled and in good standing in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at UT Tyler.
• Financial Need: Financial need is not a consideration.
• Other Preferences: Racial minorities, males and differently-abled individuals are currently under-represented as practitioners in the field of mental health, so preference for this scholarship will be given to applicants who are male or members of an underrepresented group.
• Length of Support: This scholarship is awarded for one year only.

  $500 has been awarded but may vary depending on funds available and number of scholarships issued.