Tennessee Tech alumna leaves estate gift to establish scholarship for Rhea County students
Tennessee Tech University received a generous estate gift from an alumna who believed
it’s never too late to chase a dream.
Victoria “Vicki” Lee Bennett graduated from Tech in 1974 with a degree in science and medical technology. After working in the medical profession for several years, she returned to school and received her law degree from the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR) in 1990. Following a period in private practice, she joined Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where she served for many years as a risk management attorney. After retiring from ACH, she moved back to Rhea County, Tenn., and worked for fellow Tech alumnus Ron Harris at his financial planning business, Money Concepts. Bennett passed away on Nov. 10, 2023, leaving an estate gift to establish the Victoria Lee Bennett Scholarship Endowment at her beloved alma mater.
“She loved her time at Tech,” said Janet Layman, Bennett’s executor. “She had a real interest in promoting education to young people and helping those who might need a little boost.”
Friends and family remember Bennett as adventurous, multi-talented and unwavering in her determination.
“Whatever she wanted to do, she did it – all the way,” recalled her nephew, Kevin Bennett. “Nursing, finance, law school – she never held back.”
Bennett’s friends and family say one of the things they admired most about her was her variety of interests. She liked to sew, quilt, paint, knit, crochet and travel, especially to Ireland and the southwestern United States. She also joined a writing group and published a book titled Ghosts of the Cove.
“Vicki was one of those people who wasn’t just into one thing,” Layman said. “Whatever captured her attention, she did it full-on. By doing that, she became quite an expert on many different things.”
Her generosity was just as expensive as her interests. She made dish cloths, Christmas ornaments, quilts and folded paper Christmas cards for everyone.
“She carried her generous spirit into everything she did,” said longtime friend and fellow Tech alumnus Larry Bullock. “She always had a positive outlook.”
Harris, added, “She was extremely determined. And she had energy – even after she got sick, she had energy. She was also extremely loyal to me in my business.”
Bennett’s decision to attend law school came later in life – and was sparked by a challenge.
“I am pretty sure she went to law school because a man told her she wasn’t tough enough,” Layman said. “But she finished because she found that she loved it. She was on the Law Review Journal at UALR, and she was really proud of that accomplishment.”
Bennett’s friend and colleague Sherry Furr says Bennett inspired Furr’s own law school journey.
“She was the one who encouraged me to go to law school, which I did when I was 43 years old!” Furr said.
The Victoria Lee Bennett Scholarship will support junior, senior and graduate students at Tech with preference given to students from Rhea County, Tenn., the community Bennett called home.
Bennett’s legacy now lives on in students like Gabriel Ramos, a junior accounting
major from Dayton, Tenn., and the first 
recipient of the Victoria Lee Bennett Scholarship.
“I learned about Tennessee Tech through my JROTC instructor, who was an alum,” Ramos said. “When I looked into Tech’s College of Business and the MAcc program, I knew this was the place for me. The opportunities I’ve had here have helped me grow as a person, and this scholarship means so much.”
Ramos has already made his mark at Tech, serving as a student orientation assistant, helping with ESTAR Sanos as a translator and founding a multicultural fraternity.
Bennett’s friends and family say they see her adventurous and ambitious spirit reflected in Ramos.
“She liked the idea of giving new graduates the chance to do anything,” Kevin Bennett explained. “To give someone a debt-free start and let them pursue their dreams – that would make her proud.”
Tiff Rector, executive director for planned giving at Tech, worked with Layman to establish the scholarship Bennett outlined in her estate plans. He says Ramos is a living example of what Bennett’s generosity will do.
“After Gabriel Ramos, there will be many more generations of students who benefit
from this scholarship,” Rector said. “They won’t know Vicki Bennett personally, but
they will know that the name is more than just a name on a scholarship – she was a
person who cared about the university. That legacy will continue forever.”