First Choice Farm and Lawn of Union City, in partnership with Kubota Tractor Corporation, has established the Nick Smith Agriculture Scholarship Endowment at the University of Tennessee at Martin in memory of Nicholas “Nick” Doyle Smith, of Golo, Kentucky. Smith, a farmer and businessman, passed away April 16, 2022.
Ron and Don Parks, UT Martin alumni and co-owners of First Choice Farm and Lawn, along with their team, established this scholarship endowment to thank Smith for the many contributions he and his family have made to the business over the years. The Parks’ purpose for establishing this scholarship is to pay it forward and open doors for UT Martin students much like Smith did throughout his life for others.
“Through my travels and business opportunities all over the country, I have come to realize that people with true success are the ones who open the doors for others,” Ron Parks said. “Nick’s work ethic, his love for family, and the opportunities that he provided to others in our industry have been an inspiration to many, including myself.”
All agriculture students are eligible for this scholarship through the UT Martin Scholarship Aviator, UT Martin’s online scholarship manager. The goal is to build the Nick Smith Scholarship Endowment to $200,000 so that the endowment will earn approximately $10,000 a year for deserving students.
For more information or to make a contribution, contact Jeanna Swafford, associate vice chancellor for UT Martin Development, at 731-881-7629.
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