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June 5, 1997
North Carolina Central University senior cheerleader ShanaWalker is one of 16 national winners of the fourth annual Sears Director'sCup Postgraduate Scholarship Awards, the National Association of CollegiateDirectors of Athletics (NACDA) and Sears, Roebuck and Co., announcedWednesday (May 28)."I am very excited and honored to receive this award," Walker said. "Therewere so many qualified candidates in the selection process, to be named asone of 16 winners across the nation is a great privilege."
A native of Wilmington, NC, Walker was chosen from 181 nominees from theNCAA Division I, II and III, and the NAIA. Walker, one of four winners inthe NCAA Division II, will receive a $5,000 grant to be used towardpostgraduate studies. She is also the only winner from a N.C. school and theonly winner from a historically black university.
"This award serves as a tribute to the service and dedication Ms. Walker hasdemonstrated during her outstanding career as a student-athlete at NCCU,"said Dr. William E. Lide, NCCU Director of Athletics.
A North Carolina Teaching Fellow, Walker will use her scholarship money toenroll at N.C. State University to study public history. She plans to pursuea career in archiving or museology -- the science of museum management.
Walker earned a 3.937 grade point average (4.0 scale) in the classroom as aHistory Education major, while also staying active the community throughvolunteer work with the Children's Orphanage in Oxford, NC, and on campus asa cheerleader and NCCU Ambassador.
"I don't know how she does it," said LuAnn Edmonds-Harris, NCCU'scheerleading coach. "I am real proud of her."
The winners will receive their awards at the NACDA Scholarship AwardsLuncheon, presented by Sears, on Tuesday, June 17. Robin Roberts of ESPNwill serve as master of ceremonies.
"Rewarding achievement through academic scholarships is an extremelyimportant element of the Sears Directors' Cup program," said John H.Costello, senior executive vice president of marketing for Sears. "Searssalutes these 16 individuals who become the living legacy of the SearsDirectors' Cup and the Sears Collegiate Champions program."
Members of the athletic support staff are eligible for these prestigiousawards. This includes students from the categories of academic support, bandmembers, equipment room managers, facility managers, sports informationassistants, student coaches, trainers and cheerleaders. Each of the nomineeshad to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, demonstrateinvolvement on the collegiate or community level and maintain full-timestatus as a senior.
"We had an outstanding pool of candidates for the Sears Directors' CupPostgraduate Scholarships," said R. Elaine Dreidame, chair of the SearsDirectors' Cup Committee and senior associate director of athletics at theUniversity of Dayton. "It is representative of the type of students whoserve as members of the athletic support staff at our colleges anduniversities."
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