The newly endowed scholarship fund will provide financial assistance to military-connected students or those whose parents do not have bachelor degrees, providing increased accessibility to a university education.
Tusculum University has a newly established scholarship available to students who have military connections or are first-generation college students. The Col. Jo Anne Kilday ’59 First-Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by Lt. Col. Ginger Jacocks in memory of Col. Jo Anne Kilday, an alumna of the university, as well as a first-generation college student.
According to an article on Tusculum University’s website, Dr. Scott Hummel, the university’s president, was quoted as saying of the endowment, “We are grateful to Lt. Col. Jacocks for remembering Col. Kilday in such a meaningful way. More than 50% of our students are first-generation, so this scholarship is a perfect fit for our institution and the students who are blazing a new trail in their families. We are also honored to assist those with a direct connection to the military and are thankful for that service to our nation.”
Kilday was born in Ohio in 1936, later being raised in Baileyton, Tennessee. She was active in sports and was a compassionate person, always willing to help a friend in need. Kilday attended Woman Officers’ Candidate Training in 1957 and 1958 and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant after graduating from Tusculum University in 1959. She attended Woman Marine Basic School in Quantico, Virginia and was in the Marines until 1981. During her time in the Marines, Kilday served as executive officer, platoon commander, adjutant, and military secretary to the commander in chief, and retired as the senior female in the Marines. She received several honors and recognitions during her time in the Marines, including Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.
After leaving the Marines, Kilday became a real estate agent and spent a lot of time traveling and volunteering with her church. She passed away in 2024.
Jacocks said of Kilday’s experience with college, “Her mother, I think, really wanted her to go to collegeHer mother wanted her to have an opportunity to get out and do something other than spend her entire life in Baileyton, Tennessee. I don’t know that Jo Anne ever thought about going to a college other than Tusculum. She never knew who paid for her to go to school, and her mother never knew. She enjoyed her time at Tusculum, and she liked meeting people from all over the United States who were enrolled here. She was able to visit other states when she would go home with roommates. She always spoke fondly of things here. She joined the Episcopal Church while she was at Tusculum. I know she was on the yearbook staff, and I think she played in a lot of the club games and intramurals.”
Jacocks was a colleague and friend of Kilday. Jacocks was also in the Marines and met Kilday in the 1970s. The two became friends after serving the same command post in Norfolk, Virginia. After Kilday’s retirement, Jacocks was sent to Operation Desert Storm and needed assistance at home to take care of some financial matters, choosing Kilday to be that person to help her. Eventually, the two moved in together.
Speaking of Kilday, Jacocks said, “She’s somebody I would have trusted with anything. She wanted to donate every year to give back for what she had received here. She believed very strongly that she had gained a lot of her experiences and leadership attributes from sports and from coming to school here. And she wanted to make sure she was giving back.”
Jacocks decided to establish the endowed scholarship in Kilday’s name and memory despite the two never having discussed it before Kilday’s passing. Jacocks decided to have the scholarship benefit both military-connected students and first-generation students, as those were both important aspects of Kilday’s identity.
Edward Roberts, the university’s vice president of institutional advancement, said, “When people think about the many individuals and places that impact their lives, their collegiate alma mater is one of the most important. They develop not only a lot of knowledge that helps them in their careers but also the soft skills that lead to success. Those lasting friendships with fellow students and one-on-one connections with professors stay with them. Col. Kilday’s example of remembering the college that helped shape her life is excellent and worth emulating.”
Dr. David Smith, who serves as the executive director of TRIO programs at Tusculum University, which supports first-generation college students, said, “We appreciate Lt. Col. Jacocks for recognizing the value of supporting first-generation students. This endowed scholarship will provide these students, who might not come from households that have a lot of financial resources, with key backing that will help them earn a degree from Tusculum and then make a positive difference in the community. She is a blessing to our students, who will also be inspired by the heights Col. Kilday achieved.”
For more information about Tusculum University, visit the school’s website.