March 23, 2005

Spartanburg, SC - The Southern Conference today named its Postgraduate Scholarship recipients for the 2004-05 academic year. Seven senior student-athletes received the scholarships and will be recognized at the Southern Conference Honors Dinner on June 1 in Hilton Head, SC. The Postgraduate Scholarships are part of the TIAA-CREF Academic Awards Program.

The nine honorees include Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship recipient Keith Clifton of The Citadel, Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship recipient Samantha Giudici of Appalachian State, TIAA-CREF Graduate Scholarship recipient Pramote Malasitt of Elon, Sony Graduate Scholarship recipient Kristen Trexler of Appalachian State, David Knight Graduate Scholarship recipient Molly Mungovan of Furman, Rans Brempong of Western Carolina and Michelle Conklin of Appalachian State, both recipients of the Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarships, and Brent Stephens of Georgia Southern and Amber Mangrum of Appalachian State, who each earned the Renaissance Graduate Scholarships.

Clifton, a business administration major from Keller, TX, will be honored with the Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship. Clifton is a two-time member of the SoCon Wrestling All-Academic team and three-time honor roll recipient. He won his weight class in 2003 (184) and 2004 (174) at the SoCon Wrestling championships, advancing to the NCAA championships, and finished third in the 184-pound class at the 2005 SoCon championship. Clifton is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, a business department honor graduate with a 3.61 GPA, and will graduate cum laude in the spring. He has served in numerous leadership roles on campus in within the Corps of Cadets and has served on community service projects, including his service as an Eagle Scout.

Giudici, a volleyball player from Elkin, NC, will receive the Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship after posting a 3.94 GPA in political science. She is a four-time member of the SoCon honor roll, ASU Chancellor's List and is a member of the Appalachian State Prestigious Scholar's program. Giudici received the Appalachian State Academic Achievement Award in 2003 as a member of the top one-tenth of her class. She was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 3 University Division First Team in 2004 and has posted five-straight semesters with a 4.0 GPA. Giudici is a member of numerous honor societies and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics. Malasitt, a men's tennis player from Knoxville, TN, will receive the TIAA-CREF Graduate Scholarship, which includes an honorarium for a professor of his choice. He carries a 3.92 GPA in computer science and has aspirations of becoming a doctor. Malasitt is a member of multiple honor societies and received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete award in 2004. In 2004, Malasitt received the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete Award, which goes to the Elon student-athlete with the highest GPA. He was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 At-Large first team in 2004 and earned SoCon TIAA-CREF Student-Athlete of the Week honors as well. He was a member of the SoCon Academic Honor Roll and the Academic All-Conference team for 2003-04. Malasitt has been a member of Elon's Student-Athlete Leadership Council and attended the Southern Conference Leadership Institute in July of 2004. On the court, Malasitt earned first-team all-conference honors in singles and doubles in Elon's first year in the conference, compiling a 10-6 singles and 13-3 doubles record, both at the number one position. He received Elon's Robert C. Browne Memorial Sportsmanship Award, the lone recipient for all men's sports at Elon.

Trexler, a cross country and track competitor for Appalachian State from Arden, NC, was awarded the Sony Graduate Scholarship. The native of Arden, NC, carries a 3.87 GPA in exercise science with a minor in biology and psychology. She is a member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and All-Academic team while also making the ASU Chancellor's List the last three years. Trexler has been active in Habitat for Humanity and the Watauga Humane Society among other community service projects. She was a member of one SoCon Cross Country Championship team, two indoor track and field championship teams and three outdoor track and field championship teams.

Mungovan, a cross country and track student-athlete at Furman, will receive the David Knight Graduate Scholarship. A native of Atlanta, GA, Mungovan is a member of three honor societies and has been on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll for the past three years. She was awarded the Furman Bisher Academic Athletic Scholarship in 2003 and has been active in volunteering at the children's hospital for the past year. Mungovan also volunteers as a fifth-grade tutor, which sparked her interest in continuing her education and teaching. She is a four-time letterwinner on the Lady Paladin cross country team, receiving all-conference honors in 2003 and 2004. She was also an All-Southern Conference selection at the 2004 track and field championship.

Brempong, a center for the Western Carolina men's basketball team, will be honored with a Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship. He is a member of WCU's academic honor roll and a four-time letter winner for the Catamounts. Brempong volunteers with the community table and with the Catamounts Basketball Clinic. In 2005, Brempong became the Southern Conference's all-time blocked shots leader after breaking the WCU record as a sophomore. The communications major from Thornhill, Ontario, has a 3.0 GPA.

Conklin, a forward for Appalachian State's women's basketball team, will also be receiving a Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship. The biology major from Lawrenceville, GA, holds a 3.632 GPA and is minoring in chemistry and marketing. Conklin is a three-time member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and was named a TIAA-CREF Student-Athlete of the Week in 2004. She is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board and the Student Government Association at Appalachian State. A four-time letterwinner, Conklin is tied for eighth all-time at Appalachian State for career three-point field goal percentage and is among the Southern Conference all-time leaders in the same category. She is planning on a career in the medical field.

Stephens, an outfielder on Georgia Southern's baseball team, will receive a Renaissance Graduate Scholarship this year. He is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society as well as several other honor societies. Stephens volunteers with the Boy's & Girl's Club, Joseph's Home for Boys and the East Georgia Regional Medical Center. He also attended the Columbia University Summer Medical Education Program in 2004 as part of his preparation for medical school. Stephens received a letter in 2003 in baseball and redshirted the 2004 season with a season-ending injury. He is double-majoring in management and chemistry and carries a 3.73 GPA.

Mangrum, a volleyball player for Appalachian State, will also receive a Renaissance Graduate Scholarship. She is a psychology major from Allen, TX, and has maintained a 3.96 GPA. Mangrum is a four-time member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and received the Appalachian State Academic Excellence Award from 2002-05. She was member of the 2003-04 squad that received academic honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Mangrum is a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Chi and participated in Relay For Life in 2005. She has also served as treasurer for Appalachian State's Student-Athlete Advisory Board. Mangrum was named to the Southern Conference All-Conference first team in 2004 after being named to the second team in 2003.

For over 85 years, TIAA-CREF has been helping millions of people working in the academic, medical and cultural fields plan for their retirement. Their clear and long-held commitment to serve those who dedicate themselves to the benefit and enlightenment of others remains unchanged.

With its nonprofit heritage, TIAA-CREF has long subscribed to a different set of guiding principles. Principles directly influenced by the people they serve. With over $310 billion in combined assets as of June 30, 2004, their approach to investing goes beyond sound portfolio management. They are mindful of their social responsibilities. And they stay focused on the best interests of their participants. Visit TIAA-CREF.org or call 800 842-2776.

2004-05 Southern Conference Graduate Scholars

Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship: Keith Clifton, The Citadel (wrestling)

Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship: Samantha Giudici, Appalachian State (volleyball)

TIAA-CREF Graduate Scholarship: Pramote Malasitt, Elon (men's tennis)

Sony Graduate Scholarship: Kristen Trexler, Appalachian State (cross country/track)

David Knight Graduate Scholarship: Molly Mungovan, Furman (cross country/track)

Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship (Male): Rans Brempong, Western Carolina (basketball) (Female): Michelle Conklin, Appalachian State (basketball)

Renaissance Graduate Scholarship (Male): Brent Stephens, Georgia Southern (baseball)

(Female): Amber Mangrum, Appalachian State (volleyball)