The 7 Year Milestone: Celebrating the Anniversary of the ScholarBaller® Patch
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The 7 Year Milestone: Celebrating the Anniversary of the ScholarBaller® Patch Contributors: Lindsey Mauro and the SB Team September 1, 2011 September 1, 2011 will mark the 7 th year anniversary for the introduction of the Scholar Baller® (SB) Patch in a Division I athletic contest to acknowledge student‐athletes success in the classroom. While the VIP list of invitees and supporters of SB included Dr. Myles Brand, Dr. Bernard Franklin (was actually present), and cultural entrepreneur Russell Simmons, all contributed with written letters and other stamps of approval. What made this night so unique? This was the first team to have its athletic uniform in the history of intercollegiate athletics to have the ThinkMan® patch worn by Arizona State University (ASU) student‐athletes in a football game versus University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). At this inaugural game, 29 student‐athletes donned the logo signifying their academic achievements of receiving a 3.0 or higher the previous academic year. ASU beat UTEP 41‐9, but the scoreboard did not depict the real victory that day. By the 2004‐2005 academic year ASU had an all time high of 41 student‐ athletes to earn this Scholar Baller® recognition. Since 2004, Scholar Baller® has worked with over 50 NCAA institutions, 40 community colleges, and 15 high schools to help bring education to the forefront of sports and entertainment. Jean Boyd, Sr. Associate Athletic Director and Co‐ Founder of Scholar Baller®, describes his early experience with the organization. “When we introduced the concept of the Scholar Baller® Paradigm to the ASU Football student‐athletes in 2001, there was an immediate energy associated with “ballin” out in school. From 2001 forward we saw every measurable academic statistic improve with our
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September 1, 2011 will mark the 7th year anniversary for the introduction of the Scholar Baller® (SB) Patch in a Division I athletic contest to acknowledge student-athletes success in the classroom. While the VIP list of invitees and supporters of SB included Dr. Myles Brand, Dr. Bernard Franklin (was actually present), and cultural entrepreneur Russell Simmons, all contributed with written letters and other stamps of approval.
Transcript of The 7 Year Milestone: Celebrating the Anniversary of the ScholarBaller® Patch
The 7 Year Milestone: Celebrating the Anniversary of the
ScholarBaller® Patch
Contributors: Lindsey Mauro and the SB Team
September 1, 2011
September1,2011willmarkthe7thyearanniversaryfortheintroductionoftheScholar
Baller®(SB)PatchinaDivisionIathleticcontesttoacknowledgestudent‐athletessuccessinthe
classroom.WhiletheVIPlistofinviteesandsupportersofSBincludedDr.MylesBrand,Dr.Bernard
Franklin(wasactuallypresent),andculturalentrepreneurRussellSimmons,allcontributedwith
writtenlettersandotherstampsofapproval.Whatmadethisnightsounique?Thiswasthefirstteam
tohaveitsathleticuniforminthehistoryofintercollegiateathleticstohavetheThinkMan®patch
wornbyArizonaStateUniversity(ASU)student‐athletesinafootballgameversusUniversityofTexas
atElPaso(UTEP).Atthisinauguralgame,29student‐athletesdonnedthelogosignifyingtheir
academicachievementsofreceivinga3.0orhigherthepreviousacademicyear.ASUbeatUTEP41‐9,
butthescoreboarddidnotdepicttherealvictorythatday.Bythe2004‐2005academicyearASUhad
analltimehighof41student‐athletestoearnthisScholarBaller®recognition.
Since2004,ScholarBaller®hasworkedwithover50NCAAinstitutions,40community
colleges,and15highschoolstohelpbringeducationtotheforefrontofsportsandentertainment.
JeanBoyd,Sr.AssociateAthleticDirectorandCo‐FounderofScholarBaller®,describeshisearly
experiencewiththeorganization.“WhenweintroducedtheconceptoftheScholarBaller®Paradigm
totheASUFootballstudent‐athletesin2001,therewasanimmediateenergyassociatedwith“ballin”
outinschool.From2001forwardwesaweverymeasurableacademicstatisticimprovewithour
footballprogramculminatinginover50ScholarBallers®afterthe2005‐06academicyear.The
highlightthoughwasfirsthavingCoachDirkKoetteragreetoallowustoputthepatchonthejersey,
andthenseeinghistorymadewhen29playersworethemincompetitioninthe2004ASUversus
UTEPgame.”ThisdayalsomarkedahugemilestoneforScholarBaller®Co‐Founder,Dr.C.Keith
Harrison.“Tocollaboratewithmycolleague,menteeandbestfriendJeanBoydinmakinghistoryin
termsofbecomingthefirsteveracademicrecognitionpatchwornonNCAAathleticteamappareland
duringanathleticcontest,isadreamcometrue.Thefactthatwebridgedtheoryandpracticewiththe
culturalidentitychallengesoftoday’sstudent‐athletetooksomemuchresilienceandcourage.”Dr.
Harrison,PresidentandC.E.O.ScholarBaller®hasseentheorganization’smovementevolveoverthe
past7years.TheSBteamlooksforwardtofutureyearsinwhichtheywillcontinuetoinspire
student‐athletesbyredefiningwhatiscoolinthesports,entertainmentandsociety.Tostay
connectedwithScholarBaller®followusonTwitter@ScholarBallerandonFacebookat
ScholarBaller.Visitourwebsiteatscholarballer.comformoreinformationonhowtopartnerwithSB.
