In a move celebrating the legacy of a long-serving firefighter, Pittman Properties has established a new scholarship for children of Knoxville firefighters. The scholarship, set to begin in the 2025-26 academic year, will grant $5,000 to graduating seniors with a parent in the Knoxville Fire Department, aiding them in pursuits at four-year universities, community colleges, or vocational schools, WVLT reports.
William "Bill" Pittman, who joined the Knoxville Fire Department in 1963 and retired as a fire marshal in 1998, is honored through the endowment by his family's real estate firm. "My father encouraged my own education and provided the opportunity for me to graduate from the University of Tennessee," Bill Pittman, principal of Pittman Properties, told WBIR. "I am proud we can honor my father and his distinguished career by supporting that opportunity for another firefighter's child to advance their education."
The Knox Education Foundation will administer the scholarship, with specifics on the application process to be released in January 2025. "When the Pittman family approached us to assist with establishing this scholarship, we immediately agreed as this type of scholarship will be meaningful to 95% of the folks we serve," Michael Taylor, CEO of Knox Education Foundation, said in a statement obtained by WVLT.
Commemorating Pittman's legacy, the Knoxville Fire Department took to Facebook to express gratitude. "Thank you, Bill Pittman, for your family's generosity to our Knoxville Firefighters' children," the Knoxville Fire Department stated.
