Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) has received a $3 million gift from the estate of Evelyn Hoskins Phillips of Corbin, Kentucky, to support student scholarships in veterinary medicine, horticulture and agriculture.
The official announcement was made by Jonda M. Gaudin, CTFA, vice president with Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated of Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Cynthia Whitt, former LMU vice president for advancement, said Phillips had a lasting connection to the University and its mission.
“I have known Mrs. Phillips since 2012, and she was a quiet, gracious lady, with a sense of humor,” Whitt said. “Having lived in Harrogate, Tenn., for several years, she was very proud of LMU and was committed to the mission, and she wanted to do all she could to assist students. We talked much through the years about conservation, COVID and how it might impact our students and the country. She loved receiving flowers and being remembered and loved and she was so generous, always sending fruit at Christmas. Mrs. Phillips knew Jordan Smith, The Voice, and loved to hear him sing. It was my pleasure to have met her.”
LMU President Jason McConnell, DBA, said the impact of the gift will extend well beyond the University.
“This incredible gift is going to change lives, not just for our students but for the communities they’ll go on to serve,” McConnell said. “Mrs. Phillips’ generosity will ripple out for years to come, opening doors and creating opportunities that go far beyond our campus. It’s the kind of support that doesn’t just shape individual futures—it strengthens the mission of LMU and the impact our graduates will have across the region.”
Evelyn Phillips and her late husband, Ray, owned Phillips Tree Experts in Corbin. Mr. Phillips was a graduate of the F.A. Bartlett Tree School in Stamford, Connecticut. After several years with Bartlett Tree Experts, the couple relocated to Corbin in 1951 when Ray Phillips became area manager for Ashland Tree Experts of Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1961 and 1963, they founded Phillips Tree Experts of Kentucky and Phillips Tree Experts of Virginia. The couple operated both companies until their retirement in 1999. The Phillipses were widely respected for their expertise in landscaping and arboriculture and were longtime members of the National/International Shade Tree Association, the Kentucky Nursery Association, and the Arborist Association.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.
