She had no money for tuition after graduating in 1992 and waited tables to survive — until a $500 check from Dolly Parton arrived
Brenda Price did not know just how far Dolly Parton’s $500 would take her
A small amount of money is sometimes all you need to start changing your life. Brenda Price was in middle school when Dolly Parton asked students to choose a buddy to work with towards graduation. Her rule was that if both partners graduated, she'd gift them a $500 prize, Price told WATE 6 On Your Side. Back in 1992, Price was living alone and waiting tables at Sevier County to make ends meet. She wanted to go to college, and Parton's generosity helped her move closer to her dream. The video was shared on September 3, 2026, and it had 27,300 views, 1,434 likes, and 11 comments.
Made college a possibility
Brenda Price attended Seymour Middle School when Parton introduced the program. Even though Price did not fully understand the importance of education, she knew the money was a lot. She told WVLT, "She’s here’s this Dolly Parton, and she thinks education is important. So it must be important. So it needs to be important to me." When Price graduated, Parton kept her word. She used the $500 to fund her first semester at Walters State Community College, but it did not stop there. She also received a scholarship set up by her principal from Seymour High School that helped her pay for her first year at college.
Framed memories
Over the years, Price continued pursuing degree after degree. She has a psychology degree, a Master's degree, and an education certificate, and completed a teaching internship at Lonsdale Elementary School. She received an education specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University, as well as a doctoral degree from East Tennessee State University. Price also taught at Seymour Intermediate School for more than two decades. Parton changed Price's view on education. Now, she's working as a mortgage loan originator, but said she would always be grateful for Parton's check. "This check made a difference in my life and put me on that trajectory, and I’m very grateful." Price kept the check, her certificate, and a photo of herself standing next to Parton, framed.
First to go to college
There are several stories of people who could not afford college but got the chance to pursue higher education after celebrities stepped in to fund it. One such example was Nicki Minaj back in 2017. The American rapper took to X to ask students with straight A's to send her their information. If she could verify it with their school, she'd pay their fees. Minaj dropped $18,000 on eight students who needed help with their tuition, books, and student loans, CNN revealed. Another example was Olivia Rodrigo. The pop star reached out to a first-generation college student and sent her $5,000 to help pay for her final semester in college. Similarly, Parton's help allowed Price to become one of the first in her family to go to college.
'Dolly created ripples that will go on forever'
People praised the late Dolly Parton's kindness and generosity in the comments. @sullivanccarter wrote, "Is this how the rest of our lives will be? We wake up every day and, somehow, Dolly has found yet another way to make us adore her even more?" @aterlier_analog added, "Dolly created ripples that will go on forever, truly. Affected generation after generation of people in her community and beyond."
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