Burnam Family Chemistry Scholarship
The Burnam Family Chemistry Scholarship was established in late 2012 by Ken Burnam (class of 1961) in recognition of the Burnam family and its long history at Hardin-Simmons University.
The Burnam Math Scholarship was created in 1969 in memory of Ken’s grandfather, Dr. Joseph Edward Burnam, who taught at HSU from 1913 to 1961. Ken’s father, Joseph Edward Burnam II (class of 1934), taught math in many Texas schools. Ken’s uncle, Paul Wayne Burnam (class of 1934), was head of the accounting department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Ken’s brother, Joseph Edward Burnam III (class of 1962), and wife, Nan Jo Futch Burnam (class of 1962), have lived in Abilene for over 45 years. Nan was a member of the HSU Six White Horses team and the first HSU girls’ basketball team. Joe Ed and Nan are active in the Abilene community supporting tennis, Boy Scouts and the Lions Club.
This chemistry scholarship is given in memory of Dr. Otto Olive Watts. Dr. Watts was a chemistry professor at Hardin-Simmons from 1920 to 1971. Ken was a lab instructor under Dr. Watts from 1957-1961. Under Dr. Watts’ guidance, Ken fell in love with chemistry, and he taught chemistry and science for 42 years.
A portrait of Dr. Watts hangs in the hallway of the Sid Richardson Science Center. Other chemistry professors who influenced Ken were Ms. Wilma Collier (1946-1971) and Professor Hiram Arrant (1921-1966).
Criteria:
Recipients must:
1) Be full-time undergraduate students majoring in chemistry
2) Be Texas natives
3) Maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to qualify or re-qualify for the scholarship
4) Have completed 30 semester hours at HSU
5) Have financial need
6) Must be in good standing and free from any disciplinary action
If no student meets all the criteria, an undergraduate student majoring in another field of science, or meeting most of the criteria, may be selected.
Other Information
Recipients are to be selected by the dean of the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics in conjunction with the director of financial aid. Recipients may be re-awarded the scholarship on an annual basis if qualifying criteria are maintained. Application for the scholarship must be made annually.