The NFF and Fidelity Investments recognize the critical role of faculty in supporting the interests of student-athletes nationwide.
IRVING, Texas (Nov. 15, 2023) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the names of the 16 Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) who will be honored as part of the 2023 NFF Faculty Salutes Presented by Fidelity Investments®, honoring the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation.
As part of the initiative, each school with a member of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments® receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school (a total of $80,000 this year) from Fidelity is made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools. Including this year’s honorees, the salutes have recognized 184 FARs since the program’s inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $920,000 in donations.
“Honoring the faculty athletics representatives from the schools with NFF National Scholar-Athletes sends a powerful message,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “There is no group more committed to the well-being of our student-athletes, and the NFF National Scholar-Athlete success stories provide a natural vehicle for emphasizing the important contributions of the faculty athletics representatives across the country.”
The NFF will recognize 16 Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 16 schools with a member of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments, including (names of the scholar-athletes in parentheses):
- Benedict College (SC), Dr. Melvin Miller (Loobert Denelus, DE, 3.96 GPA)
- Duke University, Dr. Linda Franzoni (DeWayne Carter, DT, 3.47 GPA)
- Johns Hopkins Univ. (MD), Dr. William Smedick (Luke Schuermann, DE, 3.61 GPA)
- Kansas State University, Dr. Shawna Jordan (Cooper Beebe, OL, 3.84 GPA)
- North Carolina Central Univ., Dr. Deborah Fortune (Davius Richard, QB, 3.59 GPA)
- Penn State University, Dr. Dennis Scanlon (Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, 3.45 GPA)
- The College of the Holy Cross, Dr. Sarah Petty (Jacob Dobbs, LB, 3.76 GPA)
- United States Military Academy, Col. (Ret.) Joseph Hanus (Leo Lowin, LB, 3.92 GPA)
- University of Georgia, David Shipley (Ladd McConkey, WR, 3.85 GPA)
- University of Maryland, Dr. Bradley Hatfield (Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, 3.61 GPA)
- University of Michigan, Dr. Ketra Armstrong (Zak Zinter, OL, 3.53 GPA)
- University of Notre Dame, Patricia Bellia (JD Bertrand, LB, 3.62 GPA)
- University of Oregon, Joshua Gordon (Bo Nix, QB, 3.62 GPA)
- Wabash College (IN), Dr. Dan Rogers (Liam Thompson, QB, 3.87 GPA)
- Wartburg College (IA), Dr. Todd Reiher (Owen Grover, LB, 3.99 GPA)
- West Virginia University, Dr. Robert Gerbo (Zach Frazier, C, 3.88 GPA)
“Faculty athletics representatives continue to play a critical role in the overall educational experience of our country’s student-athletes,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are proud to join Fidelity Investments in continuing to highlight the contributions of the FARs in ensuring that our nation’s student-athletes succeed on and off the field.”
Fidelity Investments, which also serves as the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, has taken on a leadership role with the Faculty Salutes as a natural extension of its ongoing support of the scholar-athlete ideal and commitment to higher education nationwide. Launched in 2011 as a partnership between Fidelity and the NFF, the Salutes expand the reach of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program, which provides $18,000 postgraduate scholarships to college football’s top student-athletes.
“We feel privileged to partner with the National Football Foundation another year to honor the faculty athletics representatives who support their school’s scholar-athletes both on the field and in the classroom, empowering them every day to reach their full potential,” said Sangeeta Moorjani, head of Tax-Exempt and Retirement Solutions at Fidelity Investments. “Today’s scholar-athletes have a very unique opportunity to study at some of the top higher education institutions in the country while also exceling in their athletic endeavors. With that opportunity comes a unique set of demands for these students. We applaud the faculty athletics representatives being honored this year for helping to guide these student-athletes to success.”
The NFF consulted with the 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives (1A FAR) to design the initiative, and the organizations continue to collaborate on its implementation. In 2015, the 1A FAR presented Fidelity with its “Friend of FAR” Award for its efforts with the program, and the group honored the NFF with the same award in 2016.
“We are pleased to support the National Football Foundation and its programs, which celebrate outstanding football scholar-athletes and the hard work of faculty athletics representatives,” said 1A FAR president Dr. Donald Bruce, Director of the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee and a professor in the Department of Economics who serves as the Volunteers’ FAR. “The National Football Foundation has joined with Fidelity Investments not only to recognize the work of the FARs at an array of campuses each year, but to support academic services on campuses for student-athletes and to award significant postgraduate scholarships to outstanding football student-athletes.
“These programs emphasize that success as a student-athlete is about more than just athletic accomplishments on the field. Participating in college athletics provides the opportunity for a top-flight education at our nation’s finest institutions of higher education and facilitates the development of unparalleled leadership skills.”
About the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards were established in 1959 as the first initiative in history to honor scholar-athletes with postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. The NFF has awarded more than $12.6 million to 922 individuals since its inception, including the 2023 honorees. Fidelity Investments has served as the presenting sponsor of the annual NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class since 2011.
Submitted by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be either a senior player who will complete his final year of eligibility during the 2023 season or be a graduated player who has been enrolled in school at least three (3) years (even if he has remaining eligibility); must have minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; must have outstanding football ability as a starter/significant contributor; and must have exhibited exemplary leadership on the field, in the classroom and within the community.
In 2023, the NFF has selected 16 of the nation’s best and brightest to each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will all travel to the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, where one of them will be named the winner of the 34th Campbell Trophy® as the nation’s top football scholar-athlete and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. The event will take place at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Past recipients have used their postgraduate scholarships to set the standard for excellence in our society, earning more than 155 medical degrees, 105 law degrees, 80 MBAs and 45 PhDs. Others have used the financial backing to enhance their successful careers in finance, consulting and engineering. Continuing their excellence on the field, more than 260 recipients have played in the NFL with an average career of six seasons or double the length of a typical NFL player. Former honorees include 13 Rhodes Scholars, six Heisman Trophy winners (including two Campbell Trophy® winners), 42 College Football Hall of Fame inductees and eight who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
For more information regarding the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards or the College Football Hall of Fame programs, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.
ABOUT FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
Fidelity’s mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses we serve. With assets under administration of $11.7 trillion, including discretionary assets of $4.5 trillion as of June 30, 2023, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a diverse set of customers. Privately held for over 75 years, Fidelity employs over 70,000 associates who are focused on the long-term success of our customers. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company.
ABOUT 1A FAR
The 1A FAR is an organization of faculty athletics representatives at NCAA Division I institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly known as Division 1A. The mission of the 1A FAR is to advocate for effective interaction and academic and fiscal balance between an institution’s academic mission and its intercollegiate program. The purpose of the 1A FAR is to address issues unique to FBS institutions, which requires a careful balancing of academic versus athletics interests, of student-athlete welfare versus competitive success and of cost containment versus additional revenue generation. Learn more at oneafar.org.
ABOUT The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob’s Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, ,the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.
The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, Preparing the Future, and Protecting the Game Through Programs and Initiatives that Support
• 772 Colleges & Universities • Over 81,000 College Football Players
• 15,810 High Schools • Over 1.04 Million High School Football Players
