CSR (Missy Smith Awarded NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR June 28, 2006

Calvin College track and field standout Missy Smith has been awarded a prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship.

Smith is one of 58 scholar-athletes (29 male and 29 female) who were awarded postgraduate scholarships of $7,500 each who participated in spring sports, which include baseball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, women's rowing, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's volleyball, women's synchronized swimming and women's water polo.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent, and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

A native of Ada, Smith was recently graduated from Calvin with a double major of German and Asian Studies while carrying a minor in art history. She is planning a career in architecture and will attend the University of California-Berkley's graduate school of architecture next fall.

At Calvin, Smith carried a 3.93 grade point average and was a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American ® including a first team selection this year. Smith spent a semester studying overseas in southeast Asia and during the semester, helped design an orphanage in India.

Smith is also an accomplished violinist and has often been called upon to play at weddings, her church and at other public functions.

As a track and field athlete, Smith was a four-time All-MIAA selection and a three-time NCAA III All-American. Her specialty event was the pole vault. During her collegiate career, Smith captured three MIAA titles in the event while establishing MIAA (12-6) and Calvin (12-7) records. Smith was also a four-time national (outdoor) qualifier in the pole vault, finishing 10th in 2003, fourth in 2004, fifth in 2005 and third in 2006.

Smith served as a team captain this spring, helping lead Calvin to its 17th consecutive MIAA title.

Smith is the eighth individual in Calvin history to receive an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. A graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School, Smith is also the third individual from her high school to receive the award as a Calvin athlete, joining John Brink (1983) and Steve Honderd (1993) to have done so.

CALVIN'S NCAA POST-GRADUATE SCHOLARS

Mark Veenstra (1977), Basketball * Physical Education & Biology Major
John Brink (1983), Cross Country/Track & Field * Engineering Major
Peter Vande Brake (1987), Track and Field * Philosophy Major
Steve Honderd (1993), Basketball * Economics Major
Raymond VanArragon (1995), Cross Country/Track and Field * Philosophy & Religion Major
Amy Kuipers, (1996), Cross Country/Track and Field * Nursing Major
Joel Klooster (2002), Cross Country/Track and Field * Electrical Engineering Major
Missy Smith, (2006), Track and Field * German/Asian Studies Major

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed Jun 28 11:20:41 2006