The University of Tennessee has offered a young Florida boy who was bullied over his homemade UT shirt a full scholarship.
The school says it will cover the 4th-grader’s scholarship in recognition of his “Volunteer spirit.” He would be able to join the Class of 2032 with all four years of his tuition covered beginning fall 2028 provided he meets admission requirements.
The offer comes after an outpouring of support for the boy, whose story captured national attention. A fan of the university, the boy didn’t have a UT shirt so he decided to make his own logo and pin it to his shirt, leading to reported teasing.
Once the university caught wind of his ordeal, several departments put together “pride packs” and sent them to the boy. In addition, the school has embraced his logo, painting it on the Rock and selling tee shirts with his logo.
Alumni, fans, and honorary Volunteers have also stepped up in response to this story. So far, more than 50,000 shirts featuring the boy’s design have been pre-sold by the VolShop. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go directly to the charity Stomp Out Bullying. The university will cover the cost of the scholarship separately. Orders will begin shipping later this month.
The boy lives in the Orlando area. University officials have spoken several times with his mother, who has expressed gratitude to the university and said the family has been deeply touched by the overwhelming outpouring from people around the world.