WISE – The University of Virginia's College at Wise's Erik Howard has been awarded the South Atlantic Conference's McGriff Insurance Services Minority Postgraduate Scholarships, the Conference announced on Tuesday (May 25).
"We are honored to be able to award two postgraduate scholarships for minority student-athletes to assist these amazing individuals in furthering their education," said SAC Commissioner Patrick Britz. "The SAC has made a commitment to diversity and inclusion and being able to honor and reward the hard work and dedication that these student-athletes have put in on the court and the playing field, as well as in the classroom is very exciting."
"We are proud to be able to continue our support of these outstanding student-athletes as they further their education," said Dan Nunnery, Senior Vice President of McGriff Insurance. "We are committed to supporting the SAC and all of its student-athletes."
Howard, a senior linebacker on the football team from Glen Allen, Va., was third on the team in tackles during the shortened spring 2021 season recording 13 total tackles with seven solo tackles. He also had a tackle for a loss in three games this spring.
"Erik is a great young man who made a tremendous impact on our football program," stated UVA Wise Head Football Coach Dane Damron. "He is an exceptional man who has a great future ahead of him."
A four-year member of the UVA Wise football team, Howard was a seven-time Dean's List selection and a two-time ADA Academic Achievement Award winner. He was a member of the Darden Society, the vice president of the UVA Wise Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and was a member of the Sigma Zeta National Science and Mathematics Honor Society. Howard was a management information systems major with a 3.612 GPA, and upon graduation plans on attending graduate school at Old Dominion University where he will pursue a Master of Science in Cybersecurity.
Tusculum University's Alyssa Rojas received the Female Minority Postgraduate Scholarship.
The McGriff Insurance Services Minority Postgraduate Scholarships are awarded to SAC minority student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and have completed their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. Both Rojas and Howard will receive a one-time, non-renewable scholarship of $2,000 toward the graduate school of their choice.
