iSustain, a national leader in industrial recycling, has established with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a $400,000 graduate fellowship endowment to support the Haslam College of Business’s students. iSustain has committed $200,000 to the university, which will receive a one-to-one match from a matching gift program within the Haslam College of Business for a total of $400,000. The corpus will be placed into an endowed account, and a portion of the interest earned will be awarded annually to a Haslam graduate student. This endowment will support graduate students who have a passion for protecting and improving the health of the natural environment both in business and in their personal lives. The predicted amount of the annual scholarship is approximately $18,000.
Dr. Stephen Mangum, Dean of the Haslam College of Business, shares, “iSustain’s creation of this endowment will serve to assist generations of UT students in achieving their career and life goals. Their investment will help ensure that the business leaders of the future are both well trained and committed to preserving our planet’s natural resources.”
iSustain works with businesses across North America to improve their sustainability programs through the reduction and beneficial reuse of waste. Since iSustain’s inception, the organization has been fully committed to not only helping corporations improve their environmental footprint but have worked with nonprofits to further drive its community impact. Whether it’s partnering with the Tennessee Aquarium to not only understand the threat of microplastics but also help educate its visitors each day, or donning wader boots and helping inspire and educate the community to support river clean up with Keep the Tennesse River Beautiful, iSustain supports the preservation of the environment.
Paul Clark, Senior Director of Development of the Haslam College of Business, states, “This will be the first scholarship, undergraduate or graduate, within the Haslam College of Business that gives preference for students who are passionate about, and engaged in, promoting sustainability. This is a truly groundbreaking investment. This fellowship could be the di erence between a full-time graduate student working multiple jobs or being able to focus on their studies.”
While there are a wide variety of scholarships available to undergraduate students, graduate students are frequently left to fund their studies with personal funds or teaching assistant positions. There is no federal or state aid available to graduate students, making this fellowship all the more vital and unique. Not only does the establishment of this endowment help to fill this need for students seeking a graduate-level business education, but the scholarship is also a first of its kind that seeks students who demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
Mark Huber, Vice President of Business Development at iSustain and Class of 1997 Alumnus of the University of Tennessee, explained, “We want to exponentially expand our environmental impact. The establishment of this iSustain endowment will forever fund scholarships each year to students dedicated not only to seeking higher-level business education but students that demonstrate a love and passion for improving our planet. We create the greatest impact by not only assisting students in perpetuity but creating the business sustainability leaders of tomorrow.”