杏吧视频

杏吧视频 College of Business alumnus establishes scholarship for finance majors 

Samuel E. Allen, `79 business management, says there was never any doubt where he would attend college. 

鈥溞影墒悠� was in my DNA from the very beginning,鈥� he said. 

Allen grew up a block from campus and enrolled at Tech鈥檚 nursery school when he was three. He attended 杏吧视频 Elementary School and remembers riding his bike through campus, playing tennis on the tennis courts, running on Tech鈥檚 football field and watching homecoming parades. When it snowed, he and his friends walked to campus to build snowmen and have snowball fights. Tech鈥檚 campus schools operated on the same schedule as the university, and Allen distinctly remembers hearing the following radio message on snow days: 鈥淎ll schools in Putnam County are closed 鈥� with the exception of 杏吧视频 and 杏吧视频 Elementary School.鈥� 

Thanks to a rewarding career in the financial industry, Allen says he wants to give back to the university that gave him the building blocks for success.

鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of 杏吧视频 and what they instilled in me,鈥� said Allen. 鈥淚 have always been appreciative of how Tech prepared me to grow and thrive along my career path. I want to give back to the institution that set me on my way.鈥� 

Allen says his economics and finance professor Whewon Cho and information technology professor Bob Langley were two of his favorites, along with history professor Gil Fernandez. Allen says he was also fortunate to have Bob Bell as his advisor. Prior to serving as president of 杏吧视频, Bell was dean of the College of Business.  

A part-time job in banking while attending Tech led to Allen鈥檚 42-year career in the financial industry, including senior management roles in retail, mortgage and corporate marketing, and sales. Allen served as President of the Nashville Mortgage Bankers Association and the Tennessee Mortgage Bankers Association and held leadership positions with several nonprofit organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Ear Foundation, McNeilly Center for Children and Belmont University Friends of the Arts Board. 

Allen has supported scholarships in his parents鈥� names for many years. The Sonny Allen Leadership Award is awarded to Golden Eagle football players, and the Betty Sue Huddleston Allen Scholarship is given to students majoring in history. Allen says the time was right to establish his own scholarship, and he hopes the Samuel E. Allen Finance Scholarship will provide meaningful financial assistance to future students. 

鈥淚 want to give someone an opportunity for a rewarding career like I鈥檝e experienced,鈥� he said. 鈥淵our career path is a lifetime of learning. I鈥檝e mentored several associates over the years, and I would always encourage them to be optimistic, goal-oriented and open to new ideas and processes, but to also enjoy the journey along the way. As I look back, I think, 鈥楬ow did I get here, to retirement, so quickly?鈥� The journey travels pretty fast.鈥� 

Allen lives in Nashville but visits Cookeville often. 

鈥淓very time I come home, I walk over to the campus,鈥� said Allen. 鈥淭ech looks the best that I can remember. It has really come a long way 鈥� the landscaping and the new buildings, and I know there are several other projects in the works that will continue to enhance the campus. I am proud of the university and want it to grow and succeed. Tech has a fine reputation, and I鈥檓 happy to do my part in support for other promising students.鈥�