BALTIMORE, Md. - Diverse: Issues in Higher Education announced the 2018 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards and Morgan State University had 10 recipients. This is the 26th anniversary of the awards that began in 1992. 

"I continue to be proud of the outstanding student-athletes we have at Morgan and how they have embraced the challenge of excelling in the classroom and competition," said MSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott.

"Having 10 student-athletes honored this year is a clear indication of the hard work of our student-athletes and the importance of our newly created student services unit."

Morgan State's  honorees include:  junior Erica Hawkins (softball), senior Danielle Pitpit (softball), senior Nikelene McLean (women's track & field), sophomore Jasmin Hubbard (volleyball), sophomore Roi Wallace (volleyball), senior Arjun Ramakrishnan (men's tennis), sophomore Vikarie Elliott (men's track & field), sophomore Halim Joseph (men's track & field), senior Stephen Varella (track & field), and sophomore Kevin Leach (track & field).

Morgan State's honorees hail from three different states and three countries.

The Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports-Scholar Awards honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.

To be included, minority students need to compete in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2; and be active on their campuses or in their communities. Over 1,000 outstanding minority student-athletes were nominated by their respective college or university Sports Information Office to receive Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar honors. The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar-athletes.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine - formerly Black Issues in Higher Education - dedicates an edition every year honoring student-athletes for their commitment to excellence. The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Program began in 1992 to honor undergraduate students of color who reflect the values of Arthur Ashe, Jr.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education is the nation's only news magazine dedicated exclusively to diversity issues in higher education. Visit www.diverseeducation.com for more information.

Also see: Diverse: 2018 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars

2018 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Honorees from Morgan State

Name	Year	Sport	Major	Hometown
Erica Hawkins	Jr.	Softball	Accounting	Lanham, Md.
Danielle Pitpit	Sr.	Softball	Physical Education/Recreation	Sylmar, Calif.
Nikelene McLean	Sr.	Women's Track & Field	Biology	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Jasmin Hubbard	So.	Volleyball	Sociology	Sparks, Nevada
Roi Wallace	So.	Volleyball	Sociology	San Dimas, Calif.
Arjun Ramakrishnan	Sr.	Men's Tennis	Management	Chennai, India
Vikarie Elliott	So.	Men's Track & Field	Electrical Engineering	Manchester, Jamaica
Halim Joseph	So.	Men's Track & Field	Industrial Engineering	Catonsville, Md.
Stephen Varella	Sr.	Men's Track & Field	Architecture	Silver Spring, Md.
Kevin Leach	So.	Men's Track & Field	Nursing	Hyattsville, Md.

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.