Students & Faculty Story
The Impact of Giving
By Chandra Harris-McCray
UT College of Law graduate Brad Vaughan considered the title of Baker Scholar an honor like no other. Baker Scholars are UT’s brightest and most politically engaged students. A premier honor at UT, Baker Scholars must meet stringent academic requirements and are selected after a rigorous application process. Photo: Justin Fee
UT College of Law graduate Brad Vaughan considered the title of Baker Scholar an honor like no other.
Since he was a child, Brad Vaughan has heard about UT law alum and former Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr. “My parents have always talked about his resilience in public policy. I learned about his leadership role in the Watergate hearings in school,” Vaughan said.
So when the call came in 2004 asking Vaughan to be part of the inaugural class of Baker Scholars he jumped at the opportunity. Supporting and enhancing the goals of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, Baker Scholars are UT’s brightest and most politically engaged students.
Vaughan received other scholarships to attend UT, but he considers the title of Baker Scholar an honor. “Baker Scholar is the first line on my resume. It’s an honor that I am always eager to talk about,” said Vaughan, who graduated in 2010 with a dual JD-MBA degree.
The Crossville, Tenn., native who received his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from UT in 2006, said he is fortunate because he didn’t have the burden on his mind of how he was going to pay for tuition to attend college.