CONTACT THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT FOR SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION.
Athletic Director, Matt Cole 580-559-5568
All scholarships require full-time attendance (12 hours for undergraduate; 6 hours for graduate) unless indicated otherwise.
All scholarships require a 3.0 cumulative GPA unless indicated otherwise.
All scholarships are for fall and/or spring semester only (summer not included) unless indicated otherwise.
All recipients are recommended by the department, with final approval by the ECU Foundation Scholarship Committee.
Any exceptions must be approved by the Athletic Director and the Foundation Scholarship Committee.
BRILES SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the department, based on need and a minimum 2.5 GPA. Originally established as part of the Federal Student Loan Program, this scholarship was transferred to the ECU Foundation in 1995.
KYLE DAVIS FUTURE ATHLETIC TRAINER SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the ECU Athletic Director, to an ECU student who is preparing to become an athletic trainer. ECU alumni, Kyle Davis, is the head athletic trainer for the Indianapolis Colts.
DARLENE DRYDEN MEMORIAL SOFTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to an ECU Softball player that is going into her senior year and has played softball for ECU all 4 years of her college career. The recipient must have a minimum 2.75 GPA and display leadership characteristics on and off the field as a representative of East Central University Athletics. Darlene (Moore) Dryden was a cheerleader at ECU from 1975-1979. While at ECU, she was involved in many campus activities and served as a resident assistant in Pesagi Hall. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, and served in the public-school system for 25 years. Darlene's daughter, Jami Dryden Graham, received her Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications in 2004 and a Master's Degree in Education in 2007. Jami was a stand-out softball player for the ECU Tigers from 2000-2004. Friends and family established this scholarship in memory of Darlene and as a legacy for Jami.
ROMAN D. "BO" DUREN, JR. MEMORIAL BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a member of the ECU baseball team who demonstrates the characteristics that represent the legacy of Bo Duren and what it means to truly be a Tiger and a great teammate. The recipient must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or above. The recipient will be selected by the ECU baseball coaching staff or their designee. This scholarship was established by friends and family of Bo Duren, who tragically lost his life on September 15, 2019 in an automobile accident. Duren was a freshman on the ECU baseball team and was considered a coach's dream player. "His energy, enthusiasm, legacy and name will forever be our standards of what it means to be a Tiger". Family, friends and members of OK Leadership Class XIII provided the initial funding for this memorial scholarship.
RUBEN AND KARLA ELIZARDE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a student of Hispanic heritage who has completed athletic eligibility, but still needs additional hours to obtain a bachelor's degree. This scholarship may also be awarded to a student athlete working toward a master's degree. Preference will be given to a student who has participated in the Football program; however, if there is not a student who meets these guidelines at any given time, consideration may be given to a Hispanic student of either gender who has participated in any sport offered by ECU.
RON AND ESTELLE EVANS ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was established in 2009, ECU’s Centennial Year, by Dr. Ronald and Estelle Evans, and will be awarded at the discretion of the Athletics department.
DUANE GODWIN MEMORIAL BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding athlete, with preference given to a participant in ECU’s Basketball program. Preference will be given to students that have completed their playing eligibility or are serving as graduate assistants with second priority to current players. The funds for this scholarship were donated in memory of Duane, an outstanding basketball player at ECU, after his untimely death.
HIGGINBOTHAM FAMILY ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the Athletic department, and will be used primarily to assist with educational expenses for graduate assistants. Dorothy Higginbotham was an ECU alumna who understood and recognized the value of higher education and established this scholarship as part of her estate planning.
LEE HORNE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a student participating in ECU’s Football or Basketball programs who has no remaining eligibility, but still needs additional college work to reach degree completion. Mr. Horne was an avid supporter of ECU athletics and other programs, as well, and served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for several years. This scholarship was established in his memory by his family, friends, and colleagues after his death in 2009.
FRANK AND RUTH KENNON ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a current or former ECU Basketball or Football player, at the discretion of the ECU Men's Basketball Coach or ECU's Athletic Director. This scholarship was established by Coach Kennon’s family, friends, and former students in his memory.
CHRIS LANE BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the Athletics department to a baseball player. Chris was a stand-out member of the ECU Baseball team from Australia that tragically lost his life in 2013 only two weeks away from his 23rd birthday.
TOMMY QUAID SR. AND JR. SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a former ECU athlete still attending ECU full-time, with preference given to Men's Basketball, who has completed their eligibility, no longer able to play due to injury, sickness, or family circumstances, yet need additional hours to complete their degree or pursue additional work to meet chosen career requirements (classes needed for admittance to a professional program, hours to sit for a professional certification, etc.) First consideration will be to a former student athlete who majored in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science or related technology-oriented degree program while playing at East Central University. No preference will be given in order of major listed above. Tommy Wayne Quaid, both Sr. and Jr. both played basketball for the Tigers. Tommy Quaid, Jr. created this scholarship to honor his father and encourage students to complete meaningful and sellable degrees.
ROD RICHARDSON MEMORIAL FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be used to provide scholarships for East Central University students who are involved in the ECU Football program, but who have completed their eligibility or are serving as graduate assistants. Between stints of serving in the United States Marine Corps, Rod Richardson had three experiences of a lifetime, all while attending East Central University. Richardson met his future wife Rita Aleene Wiley, played football on a conference championship team in 1975 under head coach Pat O’Neal, and earned his degree from ECU in 1976. Throughout his years in the United States Marine Corps, Lt. Col. Rod C. “K2” Richardson was a leader in training and fighting whether it be in the jungles, in the desert, or on the oceans patrolled by the U.S. Fleet. After the Global War on Terror began in 2001, Richardson began working as a civilian contractor providing VIP security services throughout the Middle East, first in Afghanistan and primarily in Iraq. On Oct. 4, 2006 near Baghdad, Iraq, Richardson was killed as a result of injuries received from an improvised explosive device. He strongly believed in service, discipline, physical training, and developing the abilities of those he commanded. He was known to care for his men, but did not expect them to do anything he could not do. He was known for always being out front as a leader. This scholarship was established by friends, family, and colleagues in his memory.
ROARY'S KIDS CLUB SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to current ECU athletes. The student must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be a full-time student at ECU. This scholarship was established by the ECU Athletic Department in conjunction with the ECU Foundation from support of Roary's Kids Club. The recipients will be selected by the ECU Athletic Department or their designee.
GENE STEPHENSON ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to students that are members of an ECU NCAA Intercollegiate athletic team. The recipient must be classified at the junior level or above. Recipients must have and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and this scholarship may be awarded for subsequent semesters as long as all criteria is met. This scholarship was established by Dr. C. Gene and Lynda Adkins Stephenson. Dr. Stephenson started his career in education as a mathematics teacher and football/basketball coach at Shamrock, TX. He joined the East Central mathematics faculty in 1965. In his 25 years at East Central, he served 5 years as Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Arts & Sciences and 10 years as Vice President of Academic Affairs. In 1990, he retired from East Central and assumed the Presidency at the University of the Ozarks, Clarksville, AR.
BRAD & SANDRA THOMPSON CHEERLEADER SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to an incoming freshman with a high school GPA of 3.0 or above at graduation, that has been accepted to the ECU Cheerleading squad. All recipients must be full-time students at ECU. Preference will be given to students with a high school graduating class of 50 students or less, if no viable candidate meets these criteria then the class size can increase by 50 students. For class sizes of 250 and above those students are considered in the same class size for the award. If there are multiple candidates that meet these criteria equally, the candidate with the smallest graduating class shall be awarded - if class size is equal, then highest graduating GPA breaks tie. This scholarship is made possible by Brad and Sandra Thompson, both ECU alums and both former ECU Cheerleaders, that know the importance of an education and are proud to say, "Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger".
THORPE-WHITE SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a student who is active in athletics at the collegiate level. This was established by Louzelle Thompson White Malcom in memory of Jim Thorpe, a student of her husband Charles Walter White who taught in Garden Grove School (east of Shawnee, OK).
KEN TURNER BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the Athletics department to a baseball player. Ken was a long-time baseball and basketball coach and educator at ECU. He came to ECU as a student-athlete and earned his bachelor's degree in 1962, his master's degree in 1968 and a second master's in 1972 from OU. He became a member of the ECU faculty in 1967 and continued in his post until his retirement in 1994. Mr. Turner passed away in 2017 at the age of 83.
JIM AND KATHY UPCHURCH FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the Athletics department to a member of the ECU Football Team. Preference will be given to a member/pledge of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. Decorated hero and devoted Second Lieutenant of Echo Company, Jim Upchurch, 1966 ECU alum was a friend, husband, brother of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, accomplished offensive tackle for the East Central Tigers, and an inclusive and charismatic presence to all those he touched. On March 25th, 1969, while acting as commanding officer at Echo Company, Upchurch was killed by a mortar round during a heated firefight on Dong Ha Mountain. His wife Kathy, 1968 ECU Alumna, and friends established this scholarship in honor and memorial of Jim.
CHRIS VANDENHENDE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to students attending ECU full-time that are current members of an ECU recognized, NCAA athletic team. First consideration will be given to current members of the ECU Football team with priority to 1. Offensive Linemen and 2. Any other position. Second consideration will be given to current members of the ECU Women's Softball Team. Third consideration is to a current member of an ECU Basketball team with priority to 1. Women's Basketball and 2. Men's Basketball. The recipient must also have a declared major within the Stonecipher School of Business with priority to 1. Accounting and 2. Any other major with the School of Business. Both criteria have to be met for the award. The recipient will be recommended each year by the ECU Athletic Director in conjunction with the appropriate head coach or their designee. This scholarship is made possible by ECU Alum and Regent Chris VanDenhende and his family. Chris was a stand-out football player at ECU and knows the value of hard work and a higher education degree.
CHRIS VELASQUEZ STUDENT VIDEOGRAPHER SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded at the discretion of the ECU Athletic Director, to an ECU student identified based on their quality of video production for the ECU Athletics Department. Mr. Velasquez was previously honored as the NCAA Football Videographer of the Year while at Texas Tech and now serves in that capacity for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
RICHARD WILLIAMSON ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to students attending ECU full-time that are current members of an ECU recognized, NCAA athletic team/program.