Burrell graduate Nikki Scherer, a senior member of the Pitt women’s track and field team, is a recipient of $2,500 in tuition from the Go Teach Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway, a partnership of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the College Football Playoff Foundation, the conference announced Tuesday.
She is one of 15 student-athletes — one from each ACC school — to earn the scholarship money.
Scherer, a communications major who entered this academic year with a 3.22 cumulative grade-point average, was recommended by campus representatives based on her aspirations for a career in teaching or coaching.
The nominees were invited to a video conference hosted by the CFP Foundation when the scholarship honors were revealed. The conference included representatives from Dr. Pepper, former NFL safety Darren Woodson and student-athlete nominees from the other Power 5 conferences.
“The Atlantic Coast Conference has great respect for the teaching profession and we are proud to support our student-athletes in their desire to become future educators,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford in a release announcing the scholarship recipients.
“ACC student-athletes embody teamwork, understand the importance of collaboration and have gained significant life lessons learned from athletics. With these talents and their passion to educate, they will undoubtedly go on to positively impact the lives of their students.”
Over the next six years, the CFP Foundation and Dr Pepper plan to award a collective $1.5 million in tuition to those from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC.
Each year up to 65 total student-athletes will be awarded $2,500 in tuition, and five grand-prize recipients will receive an additional $20,000 tuition grant – one student per conference.
Scherer, an All-ACC Academic Team honoree for the 2019-20 year, last competed for Pitt at the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships in South Bend, Ind., at the end of February.
She qualified for the finals of the 400-meter dash and placed sixth overall with a time of 54.04 seconds. That finish earned her second-team All-ACC recognition, her first indoor All-ACC honor.
Scherer also helped the 1,600 relay placed sixth, and she took 15th in the 200 dash with a season-best 24.28.
