Education and tennis are twin pillars supporting personal growth and excellence. At the Southern Tennis Foundation, we believe that combining these two powerful avenues can propel passionate individuals toward success both academically and athletically.
Before diving into the application process, ensure you're eligible. Here's a refined snapshot of what we look for:
USTA Membership
Must be a current member.
Geographical Criteria
Current resident of a Southern state and must have had residence in a Southern state for a minimum of one school year.
Household Income Cap
Annual household income of $125K or less.
Tennis Participation
Played on a high school team for two years OR
Participated in Junior Team Tennis, NJTL team or program for two years, OR
Ranked in the top 500 in USTA Southern in the past two years
Application Essentials
Must include a high school transcript, a concise essay, a support letter, and financial documentation. Every section of the application must be completed and all supplemental information uploaded for consideration.
Recipient Responsibilities
Be prepared to actively participate in publicity related to your scholarship, cite the pivotal roles of tennis and education in your journey, and provide a photo and/or video.
Available College Scholarships
Investing in Future Leaders
We're committed to recognizing outstanding potential. The Southern Tennis Foundation increased funding amounts of the ten (10) annual scholarship assistance awards and will offer to two (2) $4000, and eight (8) $1500 awards in 2025.
Opens March 3, 2025 Closes April 18, 2025 View the factsheet
These scholarships do more than assist with tuition costs. They represent belief, trust, and the promise of potential realized. Through them, we've witnessed the development of extraordinary student-athletes, poised to shape the future.
Our alumni have ventured into various fields, carrying the values of discipline, hard work, and perseverance they cultivated on the tennis court and in the classroom. Their successes stand as a testament to the efficacy and impact of our scholarship programs.
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Funds and Endowments
Each scholarship is a legacy that changes lives. Once endowed, these funds create a perpetual impact, providing $1,000 annually to a deserving student-athlete over four years. Discover the stories and successes behind each named scholarship and see how they renew hope and opportunity every year.
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Donnie Ellis & Keith Swindoll Scholarship Endowed Fund Established
NAMED FOR TWO ALABAMA TENNIS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF), the charitable affiliate of USTA Southern, is proud to announce the establishment of the Donnie Ellis & Keith Swindoll Scholarship Endowed Fund to provide college scholarships to deserving students in Alabama and across the South.
Keith Swindoll & Donnie Ellis
The coaches have been mainstays in the Alabama tennis community for decades and are Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame inductees.
DONNIE ELLIS Donnie Ellis has taught and coached in Alabama for 36 years. He has been Director of Tennis at Selma Country Club for 32 years and has worked alongside Keith Swindoll as a professional at Indian Hills Country Club for 12 years in Tuscaloosa. He was inducted into the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012, served as USTA Alabama President from 2013 to 2014 and as an STF Trustee from 2016 to 2018.
Here is a list of his many other accomplishments:
Alabama USPTA Professional of Year, 2010
Member of USPTA, PTR and Wilson Advisory Staff
Awarded Sportsmanship Award and Male Player of the Year by USTA Alabama
Represented Alabama on numerous Callen Cup teams in 45s, 55s and 65s divisions, including the 2009 winning team
Held the ranking of No. 1 in 40s, 45s, 50s, and 55s age divisions in Alabama
Served as President of USTA Alabama Board of Directors, 2014 -2016
Served as Vice President of USTA Alabama Board of Directors, 2013 -2014
Served as Regional Vice President of USTA Alabama Board of Directors, 2006 -2012
Instrumental in building the USTA Alabama Office and Hall of Fame Building, 2015
Coached Morgan Academy High School tennis team to two state championships in the 1990s
Captained numerous USTA League teams
Ellis said, “I’m very honored that some very fine individuals have created this scholarship in my name, and it means even more having Keith Swindoll, a lifelong and close friend on the scholarship as well. The benefits this scholarship will have on deserving college students is very gratifying. I feel very humble and honored that this scholarship has been made possible by great friends and associates at this time in my career.”
KEITH SWINDOLL Keith Swindoll is a USPTA Master Professional and has held the position of Indian Hills Country Club Director of Tennis since 1987. He was inducted into the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013 and has been named USTA Alabama Pro of the Year four times. He is currently Executive Vice President of USTA Alabama and Volunteer Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at the University of Alabama since 2015.
His accomplishments include:
Earned B.S. in Sports Marketing, University of Alabama, 1985
Won 14 state championships as Head Coach of Tuscaloosa Academy boys’ and girls’ tennis teams and one with the West End Christian boys’ team
Indian Hills Country Club named USTA Alabama Facility of the Year, 1989
Named USTA Alabama Pro of the Year, 1990, 2002, 2005, 2009 and USPTA Alabama Pro of the Year, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2014
Served as President of Tuscaloosa Tennis Association, 1992-94
Received USPTA Southern President’s Award, 1994 and USPTA Southern High School Coach of the Year, 1994, 1997
Served as University of Alabama Women’s Tennis Volunteer Assistant Coach, 1999-2005
Achieved USPTA Master Professional status, 2008
USTA Alabama Facility of the Year, 2000, and Charity Event of the Year, 2009
Keith’s Classic raised more than $160,000 for a variety of charities, 2011-2022
Alabama Charity Event of the Year-Will May Tournament, 2016
USPTA Southern Charity Events of the Year-Keith’s Classic, Will May, 2019
USTA Alabama Adult Tournament of the Year- Pritchett Moore Men’s City, 2020
USPTA Southern College Coach of the Year, 2020
USPTA Southern Teaching Professional of the Year, 2021
Volunteer Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at the University of Alabama, since 2015
Swindoll said, “I’m very grateful to everyone who made this possible, including the students, players, and friends in my Indian Hills tennis family who were moved to donate to this scholarship.” He went on to say that he is “honored to share this with one of the best there is my buddy, Donnie Ellis. Thanks to all who made this possible.”
The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF), the charitable arm of USTA Southern, announces the establishment of the JL Stacks Memorial Endowed Scholarships. These scholarships were established by JL’s wife, Jean Stacks Harrold, to commemorate her late husband, who passed away in 2013.
JL (Jessie Lester) Stacks was born in Mooresville, N.C. in 1956. His passion for tennis began when he was 12 years old and started playing on the Davidson College campus tennis courts. He went on to play in junior tournaments around the state, often getting rides with friends. As his skills as a junior player improved steadily, he became a star player for North Mecklenburg (N.C.) High School.
Former STF Chairman Paula Hale describes how playing tennis with Harrold laid the groundwork for the scholarships. “After we played tennis one day, Jean asked me about opportunities to honor her late husband JL Stacks, who was a beloved pro. We discussed the educational scholarships the STF was working to endow and she immediately said, ‘That is what I want to do.’ She said JL was passionate about tennis and education and this would be the perfect way to honor his legacy. The STF is extremely grateful for this endowment and for Jean’s generosity.”
CW Stacks, JL’s brother, said, “We were fortunate to have many role models while we were growing up. One of them was, Dr. James Causey, who introduced JL and me to tennis. I am certain that my brother would say that the life lessons we learned through tennis helped us achieve our parents’ goal and our goal of becoming accomplished, responsible, and caring individuals. My sister, Vickie, and I are thrilled that our sister-in-law Jean Stacks Harrold has chosen to honor our beloved brother by providing funds to assist deserving students attend college where they, too, can begin achieving their life goals.”
“JL loved growing up in Davidson around the college tennis program. Those college players, along with CW, were heroes he could emulate. His success in the investment world was achieved only after significant struggle and I attribute overcoming those struggles, at least partly, to lessons learned on the tennis court,” said Dean Channel, a dear friend and business partner of JL’s from BB&T Scott & Stringfellow. “JL would be very proud of the endowment,” he added.
Though JL’s parents were not able to attend college, they highly valued education, worked hard, and made many sacrifices so that their children could do just that. This made it possible for JL to play No. 1 on the Florida Southern College men’s tennis team. JL worked as hard off the tennis courts as he did on them. He was elected to the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society and earned a B.S. in Business Administration.
After college, JL continued to excel as a player and as coach. He reached the finals of the N.C. Adult Closed Tennis Championship in 1985. JL enjoyed his work as Head Tennis Pro at country clubs in Birmingham, Ala.; New Orleans; Gainesville, Fla.; and Raleigh, N.C. Students old and young greatly improved their tennis abilities and enjoyed their time on the courts with JL.
“We have so many fond memories of our time learning tennis with JL. Our almost daily after-school lessons were something that we really looked forward to. When JL pushed us hard on the tennis courts, we knew that it came from a place of caring and wanting us to achieve our full potential. He encouraged us to do well and was there to console us when we failed. Our time with JL taught us more than just how to become better tennis players, but how to become more well-rounded people. We were truly blessed to find a coach and friend like JL. We’re so happy that his legacy lives on in this endowment,” said Murali and Vidyha Bashyam, two of JL’s former tennis students.
JL’s connections in tennis led him to a career in the financial sector. He joined Robinson-Humphrey as an investment advisor in 1988. In 1994, JL was asked to help form a Raleigh, N.C., office for Scott & Stringfellow. After becoming an Accredited Asset Management Specialist, JL was named Managing Director and served on the Advisory Board of BB&T Scott & Stringfellow. JL’s assistant Blake Manley noted that his consideration for others and his work ethic make these scholarships a perfect tribute: “JL believed and practiced … if you always do the right thing for your client, everyone wins.”
JL wrote this in an op-ed article in April of 2009 about A.J. Carr, a reporter for The News and Observer, whom he greatly admired, “Let’s face it, a strong character, gentlemanly behavior and unwavering integrity are obtainable to us all, yet in today’s world we are all too frequently reminded of their absence.”
According to JL’s business partner, Channel, “JL could have written that letter about himself. He too, was a gentleman of character.”
Jean Stacks Harrold described her desire to honor JL in these terms. “JL loved his work. He spent his days as a Money Manager doing what he enjoyed most — researching investment opportunities and staying informed about the choices he made. As an investor, the bulk of his net worth was invested on the same terms and in the same instruments as his clients. JL focused on risk before return, aiming to purchase at a rational price, shares in easily understandable businesses whose earnings were virtually certain to be materially higher in five, 10, or 20 years. As a result of JL’s wise and prudent investment strategies, I am thankful that I am able to establish this endowment in JL’s memory and continue his legacy. I am certain he would be honored, as it was his desire to give back. Our daughter, Claudia Stacks Twilley, and sons, Parker and David Stacks, share my enthusiasm. They are delighted that we have found such a meaningful way to recognize their father and his many accomplishments.”
ESTABLISHED FOR SOUTHERN TENNIS HALL OF FAMER, PAST USTA SOUTHERN & USTA SOUTH CAROLINA PRESIDENT
The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF), the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Southern Section, announces the establishment of the Jack Mills Scholarship Endowment Fund.
This endowment was established by Mills’ friends and admirers in his home state of South Carolina and throughout the section and nation to recognize a lifetime of contributions to the sport of tennis. The Jack Mills endowment will be used to fund college scholarships for exceptional student-athletes from the nine Southern states.
Mills, who lives in Columbia, SC, is owner and President of Mills Communications. An active tennis volunteer for over 40 years, he served as President of USTA South Carolina in 1977-78, and as President of the USTA Southern in 1988-1989. He was inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992 and into the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. He was a charter Board member of the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation and a long-time volunteer for the STF.
Mills has an impressive list of accomplishments in the tennis world. He served on the USTA League Committee and chaired the Sanctions and Schedules Committee and the Public Affairs Committee, where he assisted in obtaining more than $700,000 in government grants as well as pro-bono USTA advertising appearances by Donald Trump and Jeff Gordon. He was elected a USTA Regional Vice President, representing four sections including Southern. In 1993, he was a member of the US Open Committee and he chaired the US Open Project Committee during the planning and construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the renovation of Louis Armstrong Stadium. He represented the USTA on the International Tennis Federation Olympic Committee before and during the 1996 games in Atlanta and was an advisor to the committee that focused on the construction of the tennis stadium and complex.
His dedication to tennis and his involvement in NASCAR, where he has worked with many of the sport’s top celebrities, have led to other achievements in the world of sports. He has been a member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, a board member of PE4Life, and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the College of Hospitality, Retail & Sports Management at the University of South Carolina. He was named one of the 25 most influential sports figures in South Carolina and listed among the state’s top 100 sports figures for the millennium. In 2002 he received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award.
Jack Mills passed away June 8, 2024 after a courageous struggle with declining health.
The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF), the charitable affiliate of USTA Southern, is proud to announce the establishment of an endowed college scholarship for former USTA Mississippi President Jim Warren.
Warren was serving as USTA Southern Director at Large on the Board of Directors when he unexpected passed away in his hometown of Jackson, Miss., last year. He also was the chair of the USTA Constitution and Rules Committee.
Jim Warren
The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF), the charitable affiliate of USTA Southern, is proud to announce the establishment of college scholarship for former USTA Mississippi President Jim Warren.
JIM WARREN
USTA Southern Board of Directors Director at Large, elected in 2021
President of USTA Mississippi President, 2015 – 2016
Served as USTA Mississippi Grievance Committee Chair
Served as USTA Mississippi Area Director
Member of the USTA Constitution and Rules Committee
Chaired the USTA Southern Constitution and Rules Committee
Member of the USTA Southern Play It Forward Task Force and NTRP Grievance Committee
Worked as a tennis official
Born on Feb. 5, 1962 in Huntsville, Ala., and passed on Aug. 9, 2021
SOUTHERN TENNIS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE SERVED AS NEW ORLEANS TENNIS DIRECTOR
The Southern Tennis Foundation established the endowed scholarship in memory of Southern Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Nehemiah Atkinson.
Atkinson, who was inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986, served as City of New Orleans Director of Tennis for 22 years. An accomplished player, he won more than 15 Southern singles titles, finished as a USTA national finalist on several occasions and was the recipient of the inaugural Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award. In 1997 he became the first Black player to be inducted into the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame.
Nehemiah Atkinson list of accomplishments:
Avid tennis player since the 1940’s who specialized in singles competition
Director of Tennis for the City of New Orleans for 22 years
Won over 15 Southern Singles Championships and several Silver Balls as a finalist at USTA National Championships
Represented Louisiana at Senior Cup competition, captain of the Southern 75’s team at the USTA Intersectional Team competition, 1993 USPTR Player of the Year and winner of the 1996 USPTR Men’s 70 singles title
Recipient of the inaugural Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award and the T. N. Touchstone Memorial Trophy presented annually to a Southern senior player who displays outstanding sportsmanship and support of tennis in the South
Played on the 1999, 2000 and 2001 United States Gardner Mulloy Cup Team which won the competition in 2001 to become world champions in the Men’s 80’s
Inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986
Born on Sept. 8, 1918, in Biloxi, Miss., and passed on Feb. 9, 2003
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In Their Own Words
"Both tennis and my education have taught me incredibly valuable lessons that have made me who I am today. They have taught me determination, G.R.I.T., work ethic, and courage. I have learned how to manage my time well and to stay motivated when times get hard, and these skills will help me be more successful in life and to reach my goals."
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