IRVING, Texas  (March 24, 2014) – As part of  the National Football Foundation Faculty Salutes Initiative, sponsored by Fidelity Investments^®, the NFF will present Georgia Faculty Athletics Representative David Shipley with a commemorative plaque and the school with $5,000. Georgia and Shipley are being recognized for their efforts in fostering excellence among the student-athletes as exemplified by 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Aaron Murray. The presentation will take place during a reception as part of Georgia’s “Faculty Appreciation Day” tomorrow, which is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET at the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall in Athens, Ga.

“David Shipley has been a critical liaison between academics and athletics at Georgia,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are proud to join with Fidelity Investments in highlighting his role in ensuring that the student-athletes at Georgia have an educational experience that prepares them for success long after their playing days in Athens.”

In 2011, the NFF announced, in partnership with Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of not-for-profit workplace retirement savings plans in higher education, that it was expanding its NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program to recognize the contributions of the faculty athletics representatives at each of the 16 schools with a member of the annual NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. As part of the initiative, the NFF is presenting each of the faculty representatives with a commemorative plaque and $5,000 from Fidelity Investments to support the academic support services for student-athletes at each school.

“The Faculty Athletics Representative position, fulfilled at UGA by David Shipley, is crucial to our athletic department, as David ensures academic integrity and looks out for the welfare of our student-athletes by monitoring the delicate balance of academics and athletics,” said Greg McGarity, the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics at Georgia. “We appreciate the National Football Foundation and Fidelity Investments honoring scholar-athletes and recognizing the Faculty Athletics Representative position on a national platform.”

Shipley joined the Georgia Law faculty as a professor of law in 1998, and he has taught courses on civil procedure, copyright, administrative law and remedies. In 2010, he was named the UGA Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). His responsibilities include working with the Athletic Association to support the academic progress and success of UGA's student-athletes; serving as secretary to the Athletic Association's board of directors; and helping monitor compliance with NCAA rules and regulations. In addition, he is chair-elect of the University Council's executive committee. In 2012, he was awarded the Georgia Athletic Association Professorship in Law.

Georgia was represented in the 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class by Aaron Murray, who maintained a 3.30 GPA as a Psychology Major while becoming the all-time leading passer in the hallowed history of SEC football. Murray is the first quarterback in SEC history to post 3,000-yard passing seasons in four consecutive years. He passed 2009 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy recipient Tim Tebow (Florida) as the conference’s all-time leader in total offense and passed 1996 Campbell Trophy recipient and College Football Hall of Famer Danny Wuerffel (Florida) as the SEC’s all-time leader in touchdown passes. The 2013 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Tampa, Fla., native was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-American this year while earning CoSIDA Academic All-District for the fourth consecutive season. A member of the 2012 AFCA Good Works Team, Murray is a member of the UGA Student-Athlete Leadership Academy and participated in the Georgia AAASP Wheelchair Football program.

The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, were established in 1959 as the first initiative in history to honor scholar-athletes with post-graduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. The program currently provides each member of the class with an $18,000 scholarship, distributing a total of $300,000 each year to the nation’s top scholar-athletes. In 2011, Fidelity Investments became the first official sponsor in the 56-year history of the program, which has awarded more than $10.4 million to 787 individuals since its inception.

About Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments is one of the world's largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $4.7 trillion, including managed assets of $2.0 trillion, as of Feb. 28, 2014.  Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms.  For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF Showcases, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Faculty Salute Initiative presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF also presents the William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth and hosted at the New York Athletic Club as well as bestowing several other major awards at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in New York City. NFF corporate partners include the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Sports Business Journal, and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.