Frank Winston Fellow Embodies Vol Spirit
By Abby Ann Ramsey Peters (’24)
September 10, 2026
Zack Hodgson (Class of 2027) may not be from Tennessee, but it didn’t take long for him to catch on to the Volunteer spirit.
The third-year Winston College of Law student made the move to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, from Utah, where he earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. Now, he’s planning to pursue a legal career in public service and serve as many people as he can.
“I’ve always wanted to embody the kind of Volunteer spirit that I see here,” says Hodgson. “I would love to be able to serve people the best that I can, whether that’s in the federal government, the state government, or, of course, my local community.”
Hodgson is a Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellow. Created in honor of the college’s namesake and distinguished alumnus Frank Winston (’52), the fellowship is the most prestigious scholarship program in the college and has one cohort for business law students and one cohort for public interest law students.
The fellowship, along with the naming of the college, was made possible by the Bill Gatton Foundation’s $32.5 million gift, which pays tribute to the business relationship and enduring friendship between Frank Winston, an alumnus of the college and former Tennessee lawmaker, and Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, for whom Winston served as counsel. The Gatton Foundation gift also established the Frank Winston Leadership Grants, which award 150 $1,000 scholarships to Winston Law students each year.
Going to school past undergrad is such a financial commitment, and this provides us with an extremely helpful cushion.”
Zack Hodgson (Class of 2027)
A Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellow, Zack Hodgson wants to use his legal education to serve others.
“It is especially meaningful that a client would choose to honor a lawyer in this way,” says Paula Schaefer, interim dean of the Winston College of Law. “Bill Gatton and the trustees of the Bill Gatton Foundation respected Frank Winston because of the excellent legal counsel he provided. And they were in awe of him because of how he lived his life. He was a public citizen who served his state, the Bristol community, and the legal profession exceptionally well. Mr. Winston’s client has repeatedly described him to me as a person of the highest character, known for his kindness, integrity, sense of humor, and love for his family and the Tennessee Volunteers.”
Frank Winston Fellows receive full tuition, fees, a yearly stipend, financial support for summer internships, and extensive opportunities for academic enrichment and professional development. Fellows are expected to work in their chosen field for at least three years after graduation.
“In naming a fellowship for Frank Winston, the Bill Gatton Foundation was focused on developing future lawyers who would make a similar impact and share Mr. Gatton’s good character,” says Schaefer. “The selection committees saw great promise in Zack Hodgson and the 18 other students selected for this honor. The opportunities the fellowship provides will create a foundation for the Fellows to become outstanding lawyers of good character who make a difference for their clients and communities.”
Before coming to UT, Hodgson worked in the US House of Representatives in district offices in Utah, helping constituents with everything from tax questions to veterans’ benefits.
“I noticed that I was limited in the things that I could do, and I saw how much some of our constituents’ lawyers were able to help them,” says Hodgson. “It made me realize that there would be so much I could do to serve people if I had a law degree.”
For Hodgson, having a fellowship program like this showcases the university’s commitment to advancing public interest law across the state and directly impacting Tennessee communities that need legal assistance.
The selection committees saw great promise in Zack Hodgson and the 18 other students selected for this honor. The opportunities the fellowship provides will create a foundation for the Fellows to become outstanding lawyers of good character who make a difference for their clients and communities.”
Paula Schaefer, interim dean of the Winston College of Law
The college’s legal clinic, which serves clients who cannot afford an attorney, is the oldest continuously operated legal clinic in the country, providing an estimated $3 million in legal services to Tennesseans each year. Additionally, the college has a comprehensive pro bono program that gives each law student the opportunity to provide free legal services to the public.
On top of the fellowship, Hodgson is doing an externship with a Knox County judge, where he can get real-world public service experience while working for the community.
“Everything the school is doing to support public interest and public service—which really and truly serves the community—is just really special,” says Hodgson.
Having that support from the college also gives Hodgson security as a student. Not only does it cover his tuition, but that stipend provides a source of income for he and his wife.
“Going to school past undergrad is such a financial commitment, and this provides us with an extremely helpful cushion,” says Hodgson.
Beyond the academic opportunities, Hodgson and his wife have felt right at home since they were welcomed to Rocky Top. They regularly don their orange for football and basketball games, take advantage of nearby nature opportunities, and have found community within the college.
“Some of the friends I’ve made have similar backgrounds to me, and some don’t, but I think that’s part of the magic of UT,” says Hodgson. “It’s been great to have some of these different experiences and just be able to navigate law school together.”
Hodgson was a legal fellow in the US House of Representatives after his first year of school at UT and most recently served as a law clerk in the financial division in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in Nashville. Even being a few hours away from Knoxville for a few months, the Volunteer spirit remained evident.
“There’s so much pride in the University of Tennessee across the state,” says Hodgson. “It’s just orange everywhere. And that’s hard to find for a university.”
