For the second year, the Troy Letterman T-Club presented its Eric D. Mizell Big E Endowed Scholarship.

The scholarship was endowed in honor of Mizell, who was the founder of the Letterman T-Club and a former Troy football player. Mizell, a Lucedale, Miss., native, started his college football career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before transferring to Troy. Following his football career – and graduation from Troy – he went on to serve as wealth manager at Henderson Wealth Management with Troy Bank and Trust.

Mizell made a point of giving back to his school and his community during his life. He was a lifetime member of the Troy University National Alumni Association, Co-founder of the Letterman T-Club, a member of the Alumni Board, member of the Warrior Council and an avid tailgater and Troy football supporter.

He was a member of the Troy City Schools Education Foundation Board, a volunteer coach at Troy Parks and Recreation and helped found the recreation department’s flag football league. He also volunteered as secretary of the West College Street Historical Association.

Unfortunately, Mizell passed away in 2016. Right away, Mizell’s family and the T-Club wanted to honor the former Trojan and found a perfect way to do so with the scholarship.

After getting the scholarship endowed with Troy University in 2022, the inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2023.

Last week, Troy Bank and Trust – Mizell’s former employer – held its annual Mizell Memorial Golf Tournament and held its annual silent auction to raise funds for the Mizell Scholarship. A record $17,400 was raised at the auction to help fund the scholarship.

“It goes to show you how much everybody still thinks about Eric and his legacy,” Troy Bank & Trust Executive Vice-President Bo Coppage said. “Most people are donating because of Erica and what he meant to the bank and the community as a whole.”

This year’s scholarship was awarded to Charles Henderson senior Lauren Wilks.