Senator Herbert Walters: Decades after His Death, Continuing to Make Dreams Come True for UT Students

By Chandra Harris-McCray

Seated on a small bench, surrounded by a barrage of paint cans and random mechanic parts on wooden shelves, Brandon McCloy bent and sculpted pieces of metal in the garage. It was an art form he first learned from his stepfather at the age of 14.

He soaked up all the tricks of the trade he could to create multi-dimensional works of art that would make his dad, Lawrence Sharpe, beam with pride. By 17, Brandon discovered he had a gift to repurpose metal scraps and lawnmower parts to create one-of-a-kind metal sculptures. It was his senior year at Powell High School. It was supposed to be the highlight of his high school career  he had been accepted into the prestigious architecture program at the University of Tennessee, and he looked forward to creating his largest piece yet, a life-size sculpture to be placed in his high school’s outdoor classroom. At the start of his senior year, the unexpected happened  his stepfather died of a sudden heart attack.

“It was my dad who showed me how to transform a scrap piece of metal into something amazing. He taught me how to work hard for everything. He was the one who showed me how to save for the things I wanted. He let me work with him, and he showed me how to fix cars,” Brandon said remembering the legacy of Lawrence, whose vision built his own mechanic and automotive equipment business.

With the grief came the question of how Brandon, now 18, would go to college. His mother, Teresa Sharpe, was left to bear the weight of maintaining the household and supporting Brandon and her daughter, Jessi McCloy, a junior at Tennessee Tech University, through college.

“He was going to go to college, I just didn’t know how, financially speaking,” said Teresa, who is a business manager in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at UT. Along with her prayers for a miracle, Teresa accepted the possibility she might have to secure loans to ensure Brandon furthered his education. Brandon worked overtime and stockpiled the money he made at King Collision Repair as a just-in-case college emergency fund.

A miracle happened. Brandon was chosen to receive the university’s distinguished Herbert S. Walters Scholarship.  Brandon is part of an elite group of more than 400 students who have benefited since 1990, when the scholarships were first awarded, from the living legacy created by the former U.S. Senator and member of the UT Board of Trustees.

Noted as one of the first UT supporters to establish a charitable trust, Walters, who attended UT from 1915 to 1918, wanted the four-year academic scholarships to be given to students who needed the money the most. His niece, Sara Louise Mott, said Walters did not want the scholarships to be based solely on high scholastic achievement, but also sought to help those who showcased diligence in their volunteer and work efforts.

Walters contributed 70 percent of his estate in a trust agreement which supported his wife until her death in 1989. When the trust was established, it was worth an estimated $700,000. The fund is now valued at $6.4 million. “His hard work is still blessing the lives of others,” said Mott.

“What an impact this scholarship has made on my life. I can only hope I am able to give back to change a student’s life the way Sen. Walters has changed mine,” said Brandon, who is anxious to start his freshman year at UT in the fall.

“I know his stepfather is proud,” said Teresa.