Dr. Burl E. Gilliland Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Burl E. Gilliland, distinguished professor emeritus, retired in 1997 from the University of Memphis, where he was twice elected by students and faculty as Distinguished Professor of the Year. Gilliland was instrumental in developing the PhD program in counseling psychology at the University and co-authored graduate level textbooks in psychology & counseling and crisis intervention strategies. At his retirement, to commemorate his contribution to their lives, his doctoral students planted a water oak tree on campus. Also while in Memphis, he consulted with the Memphis Police Department in setting up a Crisis Intervention Training Program. In 1978, he was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Award in recognition of his devotion to the ideals of social justice and non-violence. Previous to his professorship, he was a guidance counselor and later chairman of the Guidance Department at Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, TN (1960-1969). Gilliland was a retired Captain in the US Navy and a decorated veteran of WWII and the Korean conflict. In addition to all his professional accomplishments, Gilliland was a celebrated carver of whimsical twig animals.
After his death in 2004, Martha, his wife of 54 years, established the Dr. Burl E. Gilliland Memorial Scholarship to continue his legacy of caring and support for his students. Martha and Burl’s daughters, Carol and Ruth, plan to continue funding the scholarship into the future.