Gift from new graduate to support scholarships

A spring graduate from Mississippi State has named the university as beneficiary of a $250,000 life insurance policy to support the general scholarship fund and athletic scholarships.

Steve Tuttle of Germantown, Tenn., who received his bachelor's degree in political science on May 13, established the Steve and Dianne Tuttle Memorial Fund in memory of his parents, both of whom died of cancer during his time as a student at Mississippi State. Both were 47 at the time of their deaths.

The Germantown, Tenn., native has designated $150,000 of the gift to the general scholarship fund and $100,000 to athletics.

"A higher education is something a lot of people really want, but don't have the financial means to go after," said Tuttle. "I think everyone deserves a chance for an education. Although that is not always possible, I am trying to do what I can for those people who really want a chance to go to college, who aggressively seek the means to get an education.

"This scholarship fund will put something out there to help them succeed."

Tuttle, who recently began his after-college life with Alexander International in Memphis, was drawn to Mississippi State after high school because of the university's disability learning program.

He has known since the first grade that he suffers from Dyslexia, a disability which causes him to see numbers backwards. The disability learning program at Mississippi State provides for untimed testing, oral testing, books on tape, and note takers, among other things, to help dyslexic people be successful in college.

"Mississippi State has an excellent learning disabled program," noted Tuttle. "My dad fell in love with the place after meeting with Dr. White (Mike, dean of students) and Dr. Ruby (Roy, vice president for student affairs) and seeing that Mississippi State doesn't treat you like a number.

"There are a lot of quality people in this institution, and that says a lot about Mississippi State University."

Tuttle says he has plans to leave an additional gift in his will, possibly to support disabled students at Mississippi State.

While at the university, he was a member of the Student Association Senate for three years, president of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, public relations director for the Campus Activities Board, and an Elder Statesman.