Cerda Named 2021 Byers Graduate Scholarship Recipient
5/18/2021 1:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Former University of Michigan men's soccer standout Ivo Cerda was named one of two recipients of the prestigious Walter Byers Graduate Scholarship it was announced Tuesday (May 18) by the NCAA.
Established in 1988, the Walter Byers Scholarship program each year awards $24,000 scholarships to one male and one female recipient. The scholarships can be renewed for a second year. Recipients chosen by the NCAA Walter Byers Scholarship Committee are recognized as combining the best elements of mind and body to achieve national distinction for their achievements and to be future leaders in their chosen field of career service.
Cerda, who earned his undergraduate degree in cellular and molecular biology while playing soccer at U-M, was joined by Kentucky women's swimmer Asia Seidt, who earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology, as this year's recipients.
Cerda finished a master's degree in biomedical engineering in April and has been accepted to medical schools at Johns Hopkins, Washington University in St. Louis, Georgetown, Dartmouth and Thomas Jefferson University.
Seidt, the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year, is currently working on a doctorate in physical therapy at UK.
Cerda was a two-tine captain at Michigan in 2017 and 2018. A midfielder, Cerda finished his U-M career with nine goals and five assists, and was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Tournament team in 2017.
In the classroom, Cerda earned a 3.84 grade-point average and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Team honoree. He was further named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America first team in 2017.
Cerda grew up in Chuquicamata, Chile, a small mining town, before air pollution levels became life-threatening and his family moved to Santiago. He said the mental health of one of his sisters rapidly deteriorated due to the family's financial struggles, and his parents' relationship worsened. His mom worked night shifts cleaning buildings so she could afford mental health therapy for his sister.
"It was by supporting her in that struggle to find meaning that I found my purpose," Cerda wrote in his application essay. "I promised her I would devote my life to serve others struggling with health, whether physical or mental. As a physician, I want to help translate advancements in science and engineering into better preventative methods, diagnostic tools and treatments for mental health disorders."
• NCAA Release
