CLEVELAND – The five winners for the 13th annual John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards were announced today by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation.
The winners will each receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards postgraduate studies in athletics administration. Funding for the scholarship program has been provided in part by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); the Cleveland Cavaliers; Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA); and Sears, Roebuck and Co.
“Capital one is delighted to award this scholarship to Orlando Gunn,” said Byron Daub, senior director of sponsorships for Capital One. “We are honored to have the opportunity to help Orlando achieve academic success as he pursues a graduate degree in athletics administration.”
Minorities (as defined by federal guidelines) who intend to pursue a postgraduate degree in athletics administration are eligible for these scholarships. Students were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and have demonstrated leadership qualities on an institutional or community level.
Biographies on each of the winners and more information about the McLendon Award can be found below.
About the John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Program: The John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards are presented to senior-level minority students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration. If you have any questions regarding this program, please visit www.mclendonminorityfoundation.com.
About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 48th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,300 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
Jaleesa Rhoden attended the University of Georgia where she earned a dual undergraduate degree in business management and consumer economics. As a member of the Bulldogs’ women basketball team, Rhoden was a Dean’s List honoree, named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Academic Honor Roll. Rhoden now serves as the assistant coordinator for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is a Student Services and Compliance graduate assistant in the athletics department. She has also served as a Color Analyst for ISP Sports the Georgia Women’s Basketball games. Rhoden is active outside the University community as well, serving as a volunteer for the Special Olympics and Toys for Tots. Rhoden is currently pursuing her master’s in kinesiology-sport management and policy at Georgia.
