Each year for the past three years, The University of Olivet has participated in the national Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards program, sponsored by the publication “Diverse Issues in Higher Education.” Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr., these awards are given annually to students of color who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. To be nominated, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, a demonstrated record of service to the campus or wider community and be an active member of an intercollegiate athletic team during the current academic year.
The 2020 The University of Olivet Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award winners are:
Griffin Hammond, a member of the soccer team from Lapeer, is a rising senior majoring in business. His recent service work on campus includes serving as a representative to the OC Student Athletic Advisory Committee and volunteering for the Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention.
Liam Kinjorski, a wrestler from West Bloomfield, is a rising junior majoring in history. Liam is a member of The League of Extraordinary Historians and volunteers at various historical societies and in the The University of Olivet Archives. He was named to the 2018-19 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Academic Honor Roll and was also a 2018-19 National Wrestling Coaches of America Scholar All-American.
Keanalanimeleo’kekai Kunz, from Laie, Hawaii, is a rising senior majoring in biology and a student-athlete on the swimming and diving team. Kea is active in service both in Olivet and back home in Hawaii, volunteering in beach cleanups with various organizations and taking care of the OC science department teaching animals. She was named to the 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll and is a two-time recipient of the OC Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award, achieving first team national recognition for swimming and diving.
Karina Marin, a rising junior and member of the softball team from Canyon Lake, California, is majoring in exercise science. Her service work has included volunteering for youth softball camps and a program to improve the lives of children battling cancer. Karina was named to the 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll and serves as a resident adviser on campus.
Cameron Ramos is a rising junior from Charlotte. He is majoring in exercise science and a student-athlete on the basketball team. His volunteer activities include the Special Olympics and helping with a field day event at Fern Persons Elementary School. Cameron is a member of the The University of Olivet Global Citizen Honors Program and was named to the 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
Yul Snell, from Westland, is a rising senior majoring in criminal justice. He is a student-athlete on the football team and serves as a resident adviser on campus. He has a deep commitment to service, volunteering at a soup kitchen, serving a family nonprofit organization in Detroit and reading several hours a week to students at Fern Persons Elementary School in Olivet. Yul is a two-time recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award.
Samantha Torres, from Lansing, is a rising senior majoring in criminal justice and a member of the soccer team. She has traveled to Tennessee and Florida on weekend and alternative break service trips, doing hurricane relief work, and serves as a Spanish translator for an international student who needs assistance in the classroom. She also volunteers at the Crosswalk Teen Center in Charlotte and serves as a resident adviser on campus. Samantha is a two-time recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award.
Rachel Webb, a rising junior and member of the golf team from Sturgis, is majoring in accounting. She is a fellow of the The University of Olivet President’s Leadership Institute and certified with Volunteer in Tax Assistance (VITA), a national program that provides tax services at no cost for qualified individuals. Rachel was named to the 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll and was a 2018-19 Women’s Golf Coaches Association Scholar All-American.
The University of Olivet Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar honorees will be recognized in an upcoming special edition of “Diverse Issues in Higher Education” as members of the first, second or third all-scholar team, as determined at the national level.
For more information about The University of Olivet, contact the Office of Admissions at 800-456-7189 or admissions@uolivet.edu.
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