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Football Alexandra Smith

NFF and Fidelity Investments® Highlight 2025 Faculty Athletics Representative Honorees

The NFF and Fidelity Investments recognize the critical role of faculty in supporting the interests of student-athletes nationwide.

IRVING, Texas (Nov. 13, 2025) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the names of the 20 Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) who will be recognized as part of the 2025 NFF Faculty Salutes Presented by Fidelity Investments®, honoring the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation.
 
As part of the initiative, each school with a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments® receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school (a total of $80,000 this year) from Fidelity Investments is made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools. Including this year's honorees, the salutes have recognized 214 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $1.07 million in donations.
 
"Faculty Athletics Representatives play a critical role in college athletics," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "They ensure that student-athletes thrive academically while pursuing their athletic dreams. By highlighting their dedication through the NFF Faculty Salutes, we celebrate the mentors who make excellence both on the field and in the classroom possible. The NFF National Scholar-Athletes provide a natural vehicle for emphasizing their contributions. We are very grateful to Fidelity Investments for their leadership and support of the program."

The NFF will recognize 20 Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 16 schools with a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments, including (names of the scholar-athletes in parentheses):
 
  • Austin Peay University: Dr. Jennifer Thayer (Chandler Kirton, OL, 3.92 GPA)
  • Baylor University: Dr. Carson Mencken (Sawyer Robertson, QB, 3.73 GPA)
  • DePauw University (IN): David Gellman, Jeane Pope (Robby Ballentine, WR, 3.92 GPA)
  • Fordham University: Chris Dietrich (James Conway, LB, 3.71 GPA)
  • Grand View University (IA): Dr. Zeb Sullivan (Jackson Waring, QB 3.88 GPA)
  • Harding University (AR): Stephen Burks (Ty Dugger, DB, 3.92 GPA)
  • Minnesota State University Moorhead: Dr. Ellen Fagerstrom, Dr. Julia Poplin (Jack Strand, QB, 3.87 GPA)
  • Ohio University: Aimee Edmondson, Chris Thompson (Parker Navarro, QB, 3.96 GPA)
  • University at Buffalo: Mark Frank (Red Murdock, LB, 3.46 GPA)
  • University of Iowa: Nicole Grosland, Liz Hollingworth (Aaron Graves, DL, 4.03 GPA)
  • University of Kansas: Susan Stagg-Williams (Jalon Daniels, QB, 3.58 GPA)
  • United States Military Academy: Dr. Joseph P. Hanus (Andon Thomas, LB, 3.98 GPA)
  • United States Naval Academy: Christine Copper (Blake Horvath, QB, 3.69 GPA)
  • University of Texas: Mechele Dickerson (Trey Moore, LB, 3.65 GPA)
  • University of Washington: Alexes Harris (Jonah Coleman, RB, 3.91 GPA)
  • Vanderbilt University: Tracey George (Eli Stowers, TE, 3.92 GPA)
 
Fidelity Investments, the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, has taken a leadership role with the Faculty Salutes. This initiative reflects their ongoing support of the scholar-athlete ideal and commitment to higher education nationwide. Launched in 2011 as a joint effort between Fidelity and the NFF, the Salutes expand the reach of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards program, which provides $18,000 postgraduate scholarships to college football's top student-athletes.
 
"We are honored to play a role in recognizing this standout group of faculty members who go above and beyond to support their student-athletes academically so that they can give it their all on the field," said Sangeeta Moorjani, head of Tax-Exempt Market at Fidelity Investments. "The ongoing support and commitment these twenty faculty members have imparted on their student-athletes is pivotal to their success both on and off the field, and we are thrilled to celebrate them."
 
The NFF consulted with the 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives (1A FAR) to design the initiative, and the organizations continue to collaborate on its implementation. In 2015, the 1A FAR presented Fidelity with its "Friend of FAR" Award for its efforts with the program, and the group honored the NFF with the same award in 2016.
 
About the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards
The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards were established in 1959 as the first initiative in history to honor scholar-athletes with postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. The NFF has awarded more than $13.2 million to 954 individuals since its inception, including the 2025 honorees. Fidelity Investments has served as the presenting sponsor of the annual NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class since 2011.
 
Submitted by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the Campbell Trophy® must be either a senior player who will complete his final year of eligibility during the 2025 season or be a graduated player or grad transfer who has already earned a bachelor's degree and will participate in the 2025 season; must have minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; must have outstanding football ability as a starter/significant contributor; and must have exhibited exemplary leadership on the field, in the classroom and within the community.
 
In 2025, the NFF has selected 16 of the nation's best and brightest to each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will all travel to the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, where one of them will be named the winner of the 36th Campbell Trophy® as the nation's top football scholar-athlete and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000. The event will take place at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
 
For more information regarding the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, please visit www.footballfoundation.org. 
 
ABOUT FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
Fidelity's goal is to strengthen the financial well-being of our customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses we serve. Fidelity's strength comes from the scale of our diversified, market-leading financial services businesses that serve individuals, families, employers, wealth management firms, and institutions. With assets under administration of $17.5 trillion, including discretionary assets of $6.8 trillion as of September 30, 2025, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a broad and growing customer base. Privately held for 79 years, Fidelity employs more than 78,000 associates across the United States, Ireland, and India. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://about.fidelity.com/.

ABOUT 1A FAR
The 1A FAR is an organization of faculty athletics representatives at NCAA Division I institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly known as Division 1A. The mission of the 1A FAR is to advocate for effective interaction and academic and fiscal balance between an institution's academic mission and its intercollegiate program. The purpose of the 1A FAR is to address issues unique to FBS institutions, which requires a careful balancing of academic versus athletics interests, of student-athlete welfare versus competitive success and of cost containment versus additional revenue generation. Learn more at oneafar.org.
 
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 journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, the William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more at footballfoundation.org and follow @NFFNetwork on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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