Eligible students must fill out a federal application, the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (additional information), in addition to the SIS Jane Moulton Ray Scholarship application available below. The Jane Moulton Ray Scholarship is open to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or veteran status with the restrictions below. Applications will be sent to students beginning each January and the deadline is February 15.

1. The scholarship will be available to students who are currently enrolled or have been admitted to the University of Tennessee, School of Information Sciences.
2. Selection shall be based upon financial need, not exceptional academic performance. The student(s) awarded this scholarship shall have demonstrated adequate academic performance.
3. A student who held the Jane Moulton Ray Endowed Scholarship in a previous year shall have preference in the selection procedure in subsequent years with all other things being equal.
4. The recipient of this scholarship shall be a resident of Tennessee or a graduate of a Tennessee high school with preference given to schools in Monroe or Cocke Counties in Tennessee, then from schools in East Tennessee.
5. Additionally a preference is given to those who were first-generation undergraduate students or are first-generation graduate students.
6. Preference for this award shall be also granted to a graduate of the School of Information Sciences program who is actively pursuing a career in the traditional library track and/or setting.

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About Jane Moulton Ray

Rich Ray established the scholarship to honor his wife Jane who graduated from the School of Information Sciences in 1988.  She is a retired Knox County School librarian.

The first recipients of the scholarship are Bridgette Johnson, Matthew O’Connor, Casey Fox and Rebecca Baker.  All four were able to attend a ceremony on April 23, 2013 to express their gratitude to the Rays for their generosity.

Jane and Rich Ray have four children.  Jane returned to school to earn her master’s degree after the birth of her children.

She was a resourceful and enthusiastic school librarian and often collaborated with the teachers in her school to ensure students had access to materials in the library to support their classroom studies.  As a result, Jane Ray often used her personal funds to supplement the needs of the library.  Her husband teased her when she retired saying, “They’ll have to raise taxes in the county now to make up for the shortfall left by the void of your private funding!”

Jane and Rich Ray understand the important role librarians play in their schools and communities.  They also are keenly aware of the special needs and reliance rural communities have on their libraries and librarians.

This endowment represents the single largest gift made to the School of Information Sciences.  The school and its faculty and students are very grateful for the generosity and caring demonstrated by the Rays.