Pruett Family of Cullman Endows Scholarship at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Jerry C. Pruett Memorial Endowed Scholarship, given within The University of Alabama’s prestigious Computer-Based Honors Program (CBHP), was awarded to junior Adam Byram of Florence.

“The Jerry C. Pruett Memorial Scholarship is one of the highest honors I have ever received, and as such, I have been striving to put it to the best use possible,” Byram, a computer science major, said. For more than a year, Byram has conducted research on particle image analysis with Dr. Duane Johnson, an assistant professor in chemical engineering.

The Clomar Pruett family of Cullman has endowed a scholarship at UA in memory of their oldest son, Jerry, who died unexpectedly before age 50.

All three of the Pruett’s children, Jerry Pruett, Janice Pruett and Jane Pruett Batson, attended UA and they were admitted into the highly competitive and selective CBHP. Jerry Pruett, a 1968 graduate of Cullman High School, was a member of the first CBHP class.

Byram said developing a close relationship with the Pruett family has made the scholarship more meaningful. He remains in contact with the family throughout the year.

“Instead of simply being given a piece paper with an arbitrary name on it and being awarded a standard scholarship, the Pruetts have given me the extraordinary opportunity to get to know the wonderful, caring family behind the gift,” he said.

Batson, of Tuscaloosa, said her family donated the scholarship because the family believed in the program’s purpose and principles. She said her brother was fond of Dr. Charles L. Seebeck, the founder of CBHP.

“It was one way in which we could honor his memory that he would have been proud of,” Batson said.

Dr. Cathy Randall, director of CBHP, said the scholarship honors excellent work in the freshman class and encourages excellence throughout the program. The scholarship recipient must be an outstanding student in CBHP who did not receive a scholarship as an incoming student. Byram is the second scholarship recipient since the award was endowed in 1997.

Randall said CBHP provides opportunities for academically superior students to learn how to use computing technology in their major fields of study. CBHP was the first university-wide program in America for this type of undergraduate research, she added.