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Family honors Late APSU professor with Dr. Arthur J. Eaves Memorial Diversity Endowed Scholarship

Austin Peay State University - APSUClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) Foundation recently received a gift from Charles Eaves and Elaine Eaves McCormick to create the Dr. Arthur J. Eaves Memorial Diversity Endowed Scholarship in memory of their late brother. The scholarship program is intended to aid a wide variety of APSU students.     

Late Austin Peay State University professor Dr. Arthur J. Eaves. (APSU)
Late Austin Peay State University professor Dr. Arthur J. Eaves. (APSU)

In accordance with University policy, the Languages and Literature Scholarship Committee, along with a family representative, will determine the recipients from a competitive group of applicants.

To qualify, students must be sophomores, juniors or seniors enrolled full-time with a major in the Department of Languages and Literature and a 3.5 GPA. Eligible applicants must show cultural diversity and be a member of an underserved population, including but not limited to multi-racial, LGBTQ, students with disabilities and non-traditional students.

Candidates will be required to write a 1,000-word essay explaining the importance of cultural diversity within the APSU community. This essay should include their personal experiences as members of an underserved population, details on how this scholarship can advance their future goals and ideas on what they can do to promote diversity on campus.

Among other things, students may use this award to assist with study abroad fees. Because the scholarship is not renewable, recipients must reapply each year.

Dr. Art Eaves was a professor of English at Austin Peay State University for 37 years, from 1978 until his retirement in 2015. He continued tutoring and working with students until his death in 2019. He and his older brother and younger sister were raised in a small town in Ohio by their parents, Helen and Charles Eaves.

One of Dr. Eaves’ most lasting legacies at APSU was his involvement in the creation of the Joseph Asanbe Diversity Symposium. He served as chair and co-chair for many years. He also helped expand the symposium beyond the boundaries of the Department of Languages and Literature.

Under his leadership, the symposium became a campus-wide event, and later expanded to involve the surrounding community, bringing in renowned speakers and performers from around the world.

“Art believed that diversity comes in many forms – religion, ethnicity, race, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation and more,” Elaine Eaves McCormick said. “It was his conviction that the more we know about each other, the better we can get along. One of his professional missions was to promote diversity on the campus and in the community at large, and we hope to help continue that mission with this scholarship fund.”

“Art had the mind of a scholar but his heart was in teaching and mentoring,” Charles Eaves said. “Our family has been touched by the many students of his who have taken the time to write about the profound impact he had on their lives. To us, creating a scholarship in his name seems like the most appropriate way to honor him.”

Endowments are permanently restricted funds managed by the Austin Peay State University Foundation. The amount of each scholarship award may vary and will be determined based upon the value of the endowment and the Foundation spending plan.

To make a contribution to the Dr. Arthur J. Eaves Memorial Diversity Endowed Scholarship, please contact Director of Development Jerica Swiger at 931.221.7130 or swigerj@apsu.edu.

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