Dr. Ken Collier Gathers 2017 National Football Foundation Faculty Salute
11/20/2017 5:39:00 PM | Football
Faculty athletics representative, Dr. Ken Collier, recognized by the National Football Foundation as one of 13 NFF Faculty Salutes for 2017. Fidelity to donate $5,000 in support of the academic services for student-athletes at SFA.
NFF & College Hall of Fame release
IRVING, Texas – Stephen F. Austin Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Ken Collier has been honored by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 NFF Faculty Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, recognizing the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. Announced Monday morning, Dr. Collier is one of 13 faculty athletics representatives from the 13 schools with a 2017 NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
"For many decades, faculty athletics representatives have played 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 their contributions and pivotal support in ensuring that our nation's student-athletes succeed on and off the field."
Fidelity, which is also the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards and The William V. Campbell Trophy®, 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. As part of the initiative, each school with an NFF National Scholar-Athlete/Campbell Trophy® finalist receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school from Fidelity will be made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools.
Launched in 2011 by Fidelity and the NFF, the initiative is an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program that provides postgraduate scholarships for college football's elite student-athletes. The salutes have recognized 101 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $505,000 (including $65,000 this year) 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 in ensuring a strong connection between the academic and athletic experiences of our nation's student-athletes."
Collier was named faculty athletic representative earlier this fall by SFA president Dr. Baker Pattillo. He is an associate professor for political science at the university and has been a member of the SFA faculty since 1999. Collier earned both his bachelor's and doctoral degree in government from the University of Texas. Currently completing a book on presidential speechwriting, Collier teaches courses on the presidency, elections and Texas politics. He is the author of "Between the Branches: The White House Office of Legislative Affairs" and co-author of "Lone Star Politics," a textbook on Texas politics currently in its fifth edition.
Senior safety Marlon Walls, a native of Pearland, Texas (Pearland H.S.), became the first NFF National Scholar-Athlete in SFA football history and was named a finalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy® on Nov. 1. He is the only finalist for the national award, which is regarded as the academic equivalent of the Heisman Trophy in college football, who owns a perfect 4.0. Walls will be recognized on Tuesday, Dec. 5 in New York City at the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, where his accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Already receiving a $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the elite NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, Walls will have a chance to be named the winner of the 28th William V. Campbell Trophy® and have his scholarship increased to $25,000. The event, which will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown, will be live streamed on ESPN3 starting at 7:30 p.m. CST.
About the National Scholar-Athlete Awards
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, 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. In 2011, Fidelity Investments became the first official sponsor in the history of the program, which has awarded more than $11.3 million to 841 individuals since its inception. The program currently provides more than $223,000 each year in postgraduate scholarships to the nation's top scholar-athletes from all levels of collegiate play.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Fame inductees and athletics administrators. The committee traditionally selects 12-14 scholar-athletes from across the country for these prestigious $18,000 scholarships.
Faculty Athletics Representatives from schools with a 2017 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, including (names of the scholar-athletes in parentheses):
-SFA-
IRVING, Texas – Stephen F. Austin Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Ken Collier has been honored by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 NFF Faculty Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, recognizing the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. Announced Monday morning, Dr. Collier is one of 13 faculty athletics representatives from the 13 schools with a 2017 NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
"For many decades, faculty athletics representatives have played 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 their contributions and pivotal support in ensuring that our nation's student-athletes succeed on and off the field."
Fidelity, which is also the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards and The William V. Campbell Trophy®, 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. As part of the initiative, each school with an NFF National Scholar-Athlete/Campbell Trophy® finalist receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school from Fidelity will be made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools.
Launched in 2011 by Fidelity and the NFF, the initiative is an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program that provides postgraduate scholarships for college football's elite student-athletes. The salutes have recognized 101 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $505,000 (including $65,000 this year) 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 in ensuring a strong connection between the academic and athletic experiences of our nation's student-athletes."
Collier was named faculty athletic representative earlier this fall by SFA president Dr. Baker Pattillo. He is an associate professor for political science at the university and has been a member of the SFA faculty since 1999. Collier earned both his bachelor's and doctoral degree in government from the University of Texas. Currently completing a book on presidential speechwriting, Collier teaches courses on the presidency, elections and Texas politics. He is the author of "Between the Branches: The White House Office of Legislative Affairs" and co-author of "Lone Star Politics," a textbook on Texas politics currently in its fifth edition.
Senior safety Marlon Walls, a native of Pearland, Texas (Pearland H.S.), became the first NFF National Scholar-Athlete in SFA football history and was named a finalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy® on Nov. 1. He is the only finalist for the national award, which is regarded as the academic equivalent of the Heisman Trophy in college football, who owns a perfect 4.0. Walls will be recognized on Tuesday, Dec. 5 in New York City at the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, where his accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Already receiving a $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the elite NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, Walls will have a chance to be named the winner of the 28th William V. Campbell Trophy® and have his scholarship increased to $25,000. The event, which will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown, will be live streamed on ESPN3 starting at 7:30 p.m. CST.
About the National Scholar-Athlete Awards
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, 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. In 2011, Fidelity Investments became the first official sponsor in the history of the program, which has awarded more than $11.3 million to 841 individuals since its inception. The program currently provides more than $223,000 each year in postgraduate scholarships to the nation's top scholar-athletes from all levels of collegiate play.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Fame inductees and athletics administrators. The committee traditionally selects 12-14 scholar-athletes from across the country for these prestigious $18,000 scholarships.
Faculty Athletics Representatives from schools with a 2017 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, including (names of the scholar-athletes in parentheses):
- Arkansas State University, Karen McDaniel (Blaise Taylor, CB, 3.84 GPA)
- Boise State University, Roger Munger (Mason Hampton, C, 3.97 GPA)
- Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.), Susan Polansky (Sam Benger, RB, 3.67 GPA)
- Georgia State University, George Pierce (Chandon Sullivan, DB, 3.84 GPA)
- Jacksonville State University, Maureen Newton (Justin Lea, OL, 3.92 GPA)
- Northwestern University, Robert Gundlach (Justin Jackson, RB, 3.23 GPA)
- Oklahoma State University, Stephen Clarke (Brad Lundblade, C, 3.88 GPA)
- Slippery Rock University (Pa.), Joanne Leight (Marcus Martin, DE, 3.56 GPA)
- South Dakota State University, Rich Reid (Jake Wieneke, WR, 3.63 GPA)
- Stephen F. Austin State University, Ken Collier (Marlon Walls, S, 4.00 GPA)
- University of Miami (Fla.), Marvin Dawkins (Braxton Berrios, WR, 3.96 GPA)
- University of Nebraska, Josephine Potuto (Chris Weber, LB, 3.96 GPA)
- University of Virginia, Carolyn Callahan (Micah Kiser, LB, 3.42 GPA)
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
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