Paying It Forward
A native of Sharon, Tennessee, Noah Melton knew that given his multiple siblings, he would be responsible for financing his way through college. Early on, their parents instilled in them the importance of starting early and studying hard to earn good grades and in turn scholarships that would help ease the financial burden. Witnessing his two older siblings receive full rides through scholarships, Noah set his heart on following in their footsteps at UT Martin.
“Scholarships definitely made college possible,” Noah said. “Not just for me, but really my entire family, in that we have been able to go through merit-based scholarships which help local community kids. It really has made all the difference.”
As a recipient of the Charles and Bettye Moore scholarship, Noah has spent the last four years at UT Martin studying meteorology, a subject that has fascinated him from a young age. Set to graduate in May of this year, Noah aims to attend graduate school as his next step towards becoming a meteorologist. While for many people the word meteorologist brings the TV news to mind, Noah is more interested in the research side of the field.
“Only in the past 60 years, I believe, have we been able to forecast the weather with the help of computers and technology and there’s still so much that we don’t understand,” Noah said. “I really want to be a part of research because I think there are still a lot of advancements to be made.”
Each spring, the UT Martin Office of University Advancement hosts a Celebration of Generosity and Gratitude event that allows students to meet the donors that have made an impact in their collegiate experience. This experience allows them to connect and stay in touch, an opportunity Noah is further thankful for as it allows him to share the impact their gift has made and his ability to fully focus on school.
In addition to the financial impact, Noah also shared the added layer of motivation the scholarship provides during tough moments, such as Calculus 2. “Sure, you think about quitting,” he says, “but then you remember there are people who’ve invested so much, and it can be a motivation to keep going.”
During his internship this past summer, Noah’s perspective on “paying it back” shifted following a conversation with his mentor who mentioned she was more than willing to help him as others had helped her along the way and it was her way of “paying it forward.”
“For anyone thinking about being a donor just think about all the times that there have been people in your life who have helped you without expecting anything from you,” said Noah. “The best way to honor that legacy is to pay it forward to the next generation and give that same gift to the people who are coming after you.”