Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel honored the 2014-2015 John C. Stophel Distinguished Students from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) at the firm’s annual Stophel Scholars reception on Thursday, Feb. 12. The reception at the Chambliss Conference Center in Liberty Tower offered the 10 award recipients, including eight undergraduate and two graduate students, the opportunity to meet and engage with members of Chattanooga’s business community.
“It’s encouraging to see these students not only succeeding in the classroom, but also hard at work supporting our community,” said Mike St. Charles, managing shareholder at Chambliss. “We believe these outstanding students should be celebrated for their hard work and tireless commitment to excellence, as well as put in direct contact with local business leaders who are able to offer these students valuable advice and model the success that their hard work will foster.”
The Stophel Scholars program, now in its seventh year, aims to foster local talent and encourage promising students to build long-lasting mentor relationships with Chattanooga professionals. The John C. Stophel Distinguished Student Award recognizes students with high potential in the UTC College of Business who are emerging leaders. Award recipients are chosen based on their strong leadership, decision-making, and communication skills, as well as the presence of a high degree of self-motivation.
This year’s recipients include: Brooke Beal, marketing; Kori Botting, accounting; Andrew Clark, accounting; Alexander Davis, marketing and entrepreneurship; Larissa Hofstra, accounting; MacKenzie Miller, marketing and entrepreneurship; Megan Russom, marketing; Kaleb Tilton, accounting; Aaron DeLaughter, Master of Business Administration; and Madhuri Siddualagari, Master of Business Administration.
“The UTC College of Business is proud to celebrate this outstanding group of young men and women – they are exceptional leaders with a strong commitment to community service,” said Dr. Robert Dooley, dean of UTC’s College of Business. “We appreciate the commitment Chambliss has made through the John C. Stophel Award to recognize their accomplishments. Not only is this event an opportunity to introduce them to the Chattanooga community, but it gives the students a chance to talk with potential mentors and future employers.”
Chambliss law firm established an endowment at UTC in 2008 to honor the legacy of Stophel, a founding member of the firm. Stophel practiced law for more than 50 years, during which he led numerous civic, charitable, and religious efforts to benefit the Chattanooga community. He additionally served as Chairman of the University of Chattanooga Foundation Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2004.
To see more photos, pick up a copy of the Hamilton County Herald.
Source: Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel