KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee specialist Parker Henry became the sixth Volunteer football player to earn the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship earlier this week, capping an outstanding academic and athletic career for the Hendersonville, Tenn., native.
He will receive a $7,500 scholarship to be applied toward the graduate degree program of his choice.
Henry, who holds a 4.0 GPA while double majoring in finance and political science, will graduate this May. He appeared in 24 games as Tennessee’s primary holder during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
The former Beech Senior High School quarterback plans to continue his education at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management and pursue a career in investment banking.
He joins Peyton Manning (1997), Tim Irwin (1980), Mike Mauck (1977), Tim Priest (1971) and Don Dembo (1971) as Tennessee’s recipients of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
“To be put in the category with guys like that is an honor,” Henry said. “I was fan, obviously, before I joined the team. My dad has been a lifelong fan. It’s an incredible honor to be mentioned with greats like that.”
The NCAA awards Postgraduate Scholarships to student-athletes who are in their final year of college athletics eligibility. Up to 175 scholarships are awarded each year for use toward an accredited graduate program. Awardees are evaluated on their academic and athletic achievement, campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership. The program rewards college athletes whose dedication and effort reflect the characteristics needed to succeed in graduate study.
Awardees are chosen by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which includes faculty athletics representatives, athletics administrators and a conference commissioner.
Henry expects his experience in football to help him find success in the investment banking world.
“Investment banking is big on teamwork,” Henry said. “There’s nothing better than college athletics. You meet people from different backgrounds. You bring that together. You get to be a part of team and a group that gets to present a project every Saturday. It’s not different from what you are going to see in the professional world.”
Henry said he appreciated the Thornton Center staff for pushing him and providing guidance during his four years in Knoxville.
“The Thornton Center did an excellent job of making me aware of the opportunities that are available to me,” Henry said. “The one defining term I would use is ‘accessibility.’ They open their arms to everybody for everything. They are willing to help. Every time I asked for something the answer was always a resounding ‘yes.’
“I wasn’t the only one thinking about my future. I had three other people (in the Thornton Center) thinking about what’s best for me and my future.”
The Postgraduate Scholarship honor is just the latest academic achievement for Henry.
In December, Henry was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team and he was a three-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Henry also captured the 2017 East Tennessee Outstanding Finance Award.
In November, he became only the second Vol football player to receive CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in back-to-back seasons, joining Manning (1996-97).
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