Six years ago, Black Issues In Higher Education established the Sports Scholars Award to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.
A scholar and athlete, Ashe dedicated his life to expanding opportunities for young people. Each year, we invite every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. Any student who is named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar must exhibit academic excellence and community activism as well as athletic prowess.
On the following pages are listed many fine student athletes who meet very rigorous standards. To be included, they needed to compete, at any level above club play, in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2; and be active, on their campuses or in their communities.
Two of these scholar athletes stood out beyond the others -- LeTisha Shaw and Patrick Stephen. They are the 1998 Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletes of the Year.
Black Issues In Higher Education salutes Patrick and LeTisha -- and all the scholar athletes on the following pages.
1998 ARTHUR ASHE JR. SPORTS SCHOLARS AWARDS
IMPRESSIVE -- DILIGENCE
LeTisHA Shaw Junior Stevens Institute of Technology Cumulative GPA: 3.72 Major: mechanical Engineering Sports: Division III Basketball (Captain): Soccer (Captain): Track and Field (Acting Captain)
When people who know LeTisha Shaw speak of her, it is with fondness and admiration. Admiration because they know she is maintaining a 3.7 grade point average while carrying twenty credits in a very rigorous and demanding course of study -- mechanical engineering -- while competing in three sports -- basketball, soccer, and track and field -- and actively participating in volunteer work. Fondness because she is what her soccer coach calls, "a regular person."
"She is an amazing young person. She's one of those leaders by example," says Sarah Raslowsky, head soccer coach of Stevens Institute of Technology.
