The estate of Anne B. Shirley has made a generous $141,000 gift to Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) to establish the Anne B. and Ellis C. Shirley scholarship, a new full-tuition scholarship that will expand access to a J. Frank White Academy (JFWA) education for upper school students in grades nine through 12.
The scholarship honors the legacy of Ellis “E.C.” Shirley, who attended LMU during the 1924–25 academic year and credited the school with providing a strong foundation for his business career. In 1995, his wife Anne Shirley made the thoughtful decision to include LMU in her estate plans, ensuring that the couple’s belief in education would extend far beyond their lifetimes. Through this gift, the Shirley family legacy now supports JFWA students more than 100 years after E.C. began his own academic journey.
“We are so thankful to have the opportunity to change children’s lives,” said Dr. Kristina Hudson, principal of JFWA. “We truly believe in our school and the results that come from being a JFWA Knight, and this scholarship helps us further our mission.”
The Anne B. and Ellis C. Shirley scholarship is designed to fund full tuition and eligible fees for one or more JFWA upper school students. Awards are renewable each year as long as recipients remain enrolled at JFWA and in good standing. Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance and demonstrated financial need, with priority given to students who are not eligible for the Education Freedom scholarship.
Students will be selected by a scholarship committee and must submit two letters of reference, including one academic and one personal reference. Recipients are expected to meet academic and conduct standards and complete at least 50 hours of community service each year.
“It is a tremendous thing to have someone believe in education and support it in a way that tangibly changes a student’s life,” said Hudson. “We are so appreciative of this gift and the trust the Shirley family has placed in our school.”
Families may learn more and apply online at https://www.lmunet.edu/jfwa/
Applications for the 2026–27 school year are now open.
The J. Frank White Academy is a private, college preparatory day school serving grades Pre-K through 12 on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University. JFWA is fully accredited, and STEM certified by Cognia, which is the first internationally recognized mark of quality for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) schools and programs, signaling the growing emphasis on STEM education by educators, politicians, and business leaders around the world. For more information contact JFWA at 423.869.6234 or visit our website at JFWA.LMUnet.edu.
