Suzie Marshall is a first year MA Candidate from Texas. She is currently working with the Hospitality Hub in Memphis. Here is her take on the importance of community development and the Tim Bolding Scholarship. 

Tim Bolding, if anyone, personified what it means to be a practicing applied anthropologist. By the time I came through the program in the late 90’s he was a well-respected, well-established alum of the department and practitioner in the Memphis community he loved. But Tim was more than his work with United Housing, he understood the value and necessity of mentoring and training anthropology students; giving them real world experiences as they honed their personal approach to practicing applied anthropology.

In truth, I only WORKED briefly with Tim during a project my first semester. Our interests and my path as a practitioner diverged after that, but he continued to be mentor and a friend. He left an indelible mark on who I am as an anthropologist as I’m sure he did the same for countless others. This scholarship is a way to make sure that that legacy and commitment to applied anthropology lives on.

Finally, the “powers that be” initially asked me to leave tequila and beer out of my comments, but for me that was part of the package. Those who knew Tim well knew he taught aerobics classes at lunch most days (at least in the late 90’s) not for his health, but to offset beer drinking calories after work. Additionally, for MANY years he hosted an often raucous departmental Cinco de Mayo party that coincided with graduation. More personally, however, he was there to offer a sympathetic ear and sage advice. While I lived in Memphis, we often met to discuss whatever I needed to talk about over a game of golf--that most times included beer or tequila on the course. All I had to do was call and say “hey man—I need a meeting to talk about Greenlaw” harkening back to that first project together.

When I was a graduate student in 2006, I worked with Tim Bolding on a project with United Housing in a community called College Park. They hosted a neighborhood cook-out for homeowners and their families. We had the opportunity to interview them about their lives in their new homes and neighborhood. My graduating cohort had a chance to practice what we had learned in our methods classes and to learn from Tim and other anthropology alum. We were helping to do critical research and evaluations in local neighborhood settings with a nationally recognized evaluation tool. Pretty cool stuff. Since it was my first time doing interviews in grad school, I was nervous and unsure of myself being that I was a stranger in a new community. Tim and his team made this engaged scholarship opportunity and the community-feedback loop fun, comfortable, engaging and memorable. Whether he ever realized it or not, Tim helped craft my relationship to evaluation work and set a trajectory for me to grow as an anthropologist and advocate. Over the years, I was able to work with him as a distant peer, but I always considered him a mentor. I consider my work with Tim a pivotal introduction for the work I’ve done at the University of Memphis and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis for the last 12 years.

Sometime during my second year as a graduate student, Tim found out I had a knack for writing grants and brought me on to help secure United Housing's NeighborWorks affiliation. For two years we shared an office that was the size of most people's closets. I do not even remember the point where my internship turned into a job but it did. Tim and I worked for 11 more years together in spaces large and small.  I credit Tim for teaching me how to hustle, to convene people (with and without beer) and to always listen to your gut. Tim wanted nothing more than to bring people towards anthropology, his Monday night Intro to Anthro classes not only brought him joy but gave him the opportunity to spread the gospel of anthropology according to Tim. For Tim, it all boiled down to community, to people, and the social systems we build to support each other

Amy Schaftlein was named executive director of United Housing in February 2018. In her role, she oversees all aspects of the organization and works diligently to help those striving toward homeownership. Prior to joining United Housing as executive director, Amy spent time with University Neighborhood Development Corporation as a research assistant and with Tennessee Housing Development Agency as the industry and government liaison. In between those two positions, she spent six years with United Housing as the director of development and communications. Amy received her master’s degree in Urban Anthropology from the University of Memphis and was a Housing and Community Development Fellow through the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Memphis.

Michele Harrington is a graduate of the University of Memphis ‘18 and is a first-year MA student. Her research interest is in Neighborhood Development. She was a research assistant on the first phase of the Anchoring Neighbors to Memphis Libraries Project last spring and has served as the Musical Director for New Bethel Church Ministries and Outreach in the Westwood, TN neighborhood for the past 3 years. She is presently working with Dr. Stanley Hyland and United Housing to increase awareness of the services available through United Housing. She will use the scholarship to continue this research and` hopes to be a part of a social entrepreneurship pipeline that challenges blight in Memphis. 

Tim Bolding was an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis and founder of United Housing. In his time as the Executive Director of United Housing spanning twenty-one years, Tim and his organization helped over 6,800 individuals purchase homes in Shelby County. While he dedicated his life’s work to helping the greater Memphis community, he spent his time at the University of Memphis engaging and challenging his students to do the same.

As the founding director of United Housing, Inc. (UHI), Tim led the transformation of community development in Memphis. His vision for an engaged model of affordable housing development and homeownership training became a driving force in how many of Memphis’ CDC’s operated and leveraged community assets.  He grew this model to include not only training for prospective buyers and the development of affordable homes but also established lending resources for those often unable to qualify in the traditional market. The impact of his leadership can be seen in the ongoing work of UHI and the impact on the lives of over 6,800 individuals and families who received homeownership counseling and the over 2500 homes purchased with assistance from UHI in Memphis and Shelby County.

For over 30 years, Tim built a system of engaged scholarship through internships and student engagement opportunities at UHI. While increasing home ownership may be Bolding's biggest impact, what he did to build the young leadership throughout the community truly stands out.

This scholarship was created by Paige (Beverly) Walkup, ANTH ‘99, the University of Memphis Anthropology faculty, and its Community Advisory Board to honor Tim Bolding and his legacy. For more information on Tim’s life go to: https://www.uhinc.org/about/tribute-to-tim-bolding