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The fund is named in honor of longtime Knoxville Area Urban League President and CEO Phyllis Y. Nichols, who during her nearly 30-year career with the organization championed public policy efforts to attain excellence and equity in public education, especially for students of color, and empowered countless East Tennesseans to accomplish significant goals.

Nichols’ passion for education and understanding of its ability to improve lives guided her impactful tenure at the Knoxville affiliate of the National Urban League. As the daughter of educators and an elementary school student who attended segregated schools, Nichols experienced educational disparities firsthand. She knows the value of learning equality and is committed to granting opportunities to all. The scholarship is an extension of that belief and will allow more local students to pursue secondary education.

Please contribute to the Phyllis Young Nichols Scholarship – your donation makes a transformative difference for local students. With your support, young people who otherwise would have been unable to afford the cost of higher education will experience the advantages that a college degree can offer and will embark on a new life trajectory.