Alan and Teresa Icenhour have always believed in the power of education to help make a positive impact in the world. The husband and wife never want finances to dictate whether a student can pursue a college degree.
That is what led them to establish the Alan and Teresa Icenhour Nuclear Engineering Scholarship Endowment through the University of Tennessee’s Tickle College of Engineering. The endowment’s first scholarships will be awarded in the fall of 2026.
Alan Icenhour earned his master’s and PhD degrees in nuclear engineering from UT in 1995 and 2000, respectively, and is a member of the NE Hall of Fame.
“I think we feel very fortunate to have an opportunity to give back and to help others,” Alan Icenhour said. “We have a real passion for education, and in particular nuclear energy and technology, because we see the value of it. This is a great opportunity to invest in the next generation of students.”
Alan Icenhour is a nuclear technology consultant and retired Oak Ridge National Laboratory senior executive. After graduating from North Carolina State with a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering, he was a commissioned officer in the US Navy serving on a nuclear submarine.
The Icenhour Endowment has a preference, but not a requirement, that the scholarship be given to a military veteran or someone who has military ties in their family. UT has a Gold ranking as a Military Friendly School.
Once Icenhour left active duty, he continued as a Navy reservist, retiring with the rank of Captain. Icenhour began taking classes at night at UT while starting his career at ORNL in 1990 to work on his advanced degrees.
“It was important, especially where I was working at the lab, to continue my education. It’s a great partnership between the lab and UT, and a great program in nuclear engineering,” said Icenhour, who worked at ORNL for nearly 33 years. “I was just very fortunate the way things lined up. It gave me a solid educational foundation that I built my career on.”
Paying It Forward
Teresa Icenhour’s family has ties to UT that spans generations, from her mother and aunt to her daughter and son-in-law.
“My grandfather gave up his truck so my mom and her sister could afford to go to school at UT and get their degrees,” said Teresa, an NC State graduate who was a teacher at Concord United Methodist Weekday Preschool in Knoxville. “The seed was planted then, and of course my mom and dad encouraged us to take our education seriously. I always tried to do the same with my students when I was teaching.”
The Icenhours are passionate about nuclear technology and the benefits it provides society. They can think of no better legacy than empowering future generations of students to become the stewards of nuclear engineering.
“The nice thing about an endowment is that it’s going to outlive us. After we’re long gone, there’s still someone getting it and benefiting from it and using it for good purposes to advance the use of nuclear technology,” Alan said. “Because I think you can give one time for something, but to have something that goes beyond, we really feel like that is important for such a great cause.”
The Icenhours hope their donation to establish an endowment may inspire others to do the same.
“I always say that if you have the means, you have the obligation because there’s been plenty of people that helped us along the way,” Alan said. “It’s really rewarding when you’re able to see how others have taken what little you give them and just multiply it.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu)