COOKEVILLE—John Rose has been selected by Tennessee Tech University to receive its Outstanding Philanthropy Award for 2018. The award will be given at the University’s Annual Alumni Banquet Friday evening. Rose is a Republican Candidate for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District and Cookeville native who graduated from TTU in 1988 with a degree in Agribusiness Economics.

The Outstanding Philanthropy Award is given to Rose for his decades-long record of giving to the University. Among the many ways Rose has supported Tech, he is most proud of the scholarship given in memory of his parents, the late Jerry and Betty Williams Rose of Cookeville.

“God blessed my siblings and I with parents who always encouraged us, pushed us to be our best and taught us to leave things better than the way we found them,” said Rose. “It is thanks to my parents that I was able to reach the place in life where I could pay it forward by establishing a scholarship to assist incoming freshman studying agriculture.”

Rose has been involved with volunteer causes since his teenage years. Most notably, Rose has served as Chairman of the Tennessee Tech University Foundation, the Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation and the Tennessee State Fair Association, all of which are non-profit groups aimed at providing opportunities for youth. His volunteer involvement with educational and agricultural efforts are hallmarked by Rose’s dedication to improving his community and state.

Through the years Rose has been consistently praised for his volunteerism and philanthropy. Since 2000, Rose has been recognized with the TTU Outstanding Young Alumnus Award; the VIP Citation from the National FFA Organization; the Cooperation Award from the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators; the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy from the Tennessee Board of Regents; the Distinguished Service and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Tennessee FFA Association; the Statesman of the Year Award from the Tennessee Republican Party; and the Community Service Award from the Smith County Chamber of Commerce.

Rose is a small business owner, farmer and first-time candidate for office. He is an eighth generation Tennessean who has spent his life in the 6th District working to improve and contribute to his community. Rose is a conservative seeking the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, a seat left open by Diane Black who is running for Governor.

Photo caption: John Rose (above, center) of Cookeville has been recognized as Tennessee Tech University’s 2018 Outstanding Philanthropy Award Winner for his service and generosity to the University. Rose’s primary area of giving has been toward scholarships for incoming Future Farmer of America (FFA) members studying agriculture.