Sept. 23, 2014
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
Story By Sarah Sherman; Video By Chip Fontanazza
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) -- The moment Martin Dupuis stepped on campus in 2006 as associate dean of The Burnett Honors College, he became an avid UCF Football fan and embraced what the Athletics program had to offer.
Once hearing about UCF's Everyday Champions program, he knew it was something that he wanted to be a part of to help make a difference in a student-athlete's life.
In a first-of-its-kind partnership, UCF Athletics and The Burnett Honors College have teamed up to support the Everyday Champions program.
Everyday Champions recognizes student-athletes who not only excel in competition, but in the community and classroom, as well. The privately funded scholarships provide the opportunity for student-athletes to pursue their academic, athletic and personal aspirations.
"I think the partnership between The Burnett Honors College and Athletics is a great one," Dupuis said.
As a memorial to his late parents, Dupuis and his sister, Alison, wanted to honor their mother, Janice, and father, Donald, by giving to student-athletes who exemplify the dedication needed to be both a student and an athlete.
"We were looking for a way to reflect both of their values and the impact that they had on both me and my sister," Dupuis said. "My mom really liked books, she loved reading, and she was a good student; my dad really loved sports and he was integral in our childhood in being active in our sports participation."
The scholarships endowed by Dupuis and his sister will go to a student-athlete enrolled in The Burnett Honors College. There are at least 20-25 student-athletes who are enrolled in the honors college in any given year, according to Alvin Wang, dean of The Burnett Honors College.
"Those students exemplify something that we hope all of our students strive for," Wang explained. "To be the best at what they can be, not only pursing excellence in the classroom and scholastically, but also in all of their endeavors. Whether that is a sporting event or some other form of competition, we expect our students to excel."
The first student-athlete chosen to receive this particular scholarship is UCF softball player Kaitlyn Steckel.
Steckel, who originally came to UCF as a soccer player, is a health sciences (pre-clinical) major and was recognized in 2013 as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division-I Scholar Athlete. She recently took part in the Knights Without Borders trip to Dublin that worked on a community hall renovation project with Habitat for Humanity.
Dupuis and his sister's decision to honor their parents and their own love of academics and sports was the driving factor in choosing to give to honors students who excel.
In addition, he wanted to show his appreciation for the teamwork and camaraderie that athletics fosters, believing it to be an integral part of college life and building school spirit. All the while embracing the mission to keep the student part of student-athlete as a top priority.
The scholarship is built around helping student-athletes succeed, giving back and connecting present Knights with future Knights.
So far, the program has made good on its promise of helping student-athletes succeed. UCF student-athletes boast one of the best academic records in NCAA with an 89 percent graduation rate across 67 different majors with a grade-point average better than a 3.0.
"The whole part of being a student-athlete is to get an education," Dupuis said. "I'm very proud that UCF has one of the best academic records in the NCAA and that is something that the whole campus should recognize and be proud of."