Nelson, Murphy Named U-M's 2021 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
7/28/2021 3:56:00 PM | General, Men's Gymnastics, Women's Track & Field
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- University of Michigan graduate students Briana Nelson (women's track and field) and Justin Murphy (men's gymnastics) have been awarded the 2021 Big Ten postgraduate scholarships among the recipients announced by the Big Ten Conference on Wednesday (July 28).
Two students competing in intercollegiate athletics from each of the 14 Big Ten institutions who plan to continue their education at a graduate degree program each were awarded a $7,500 scholarship, based primarily on academic achievements.
Briana Nelson (Kentwood, Mich.)
Nelson -- who is pursuing her master's of public health degree in nutritional sciences with an eye toward using what she has learned to address racial inequities -- has been an instrumental member both of the women's track and field team in competition and of the athletics department as a whole beyond competition.
She came into her own as a competitor during the winter indoor season as she broke the school record in the weight throw en route to a career-best fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. Though her season was cut short by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, her impact on the department was just beginning. After the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 sparked an international social justice movement, Nelson was at the forefront of the discussion within Michigan Athletics.
In addition to helping to organize social justice discussions for student-athletes and staff, she was a co-founder of the student group Wolverine Against Racism and is a member of the Big Ten Conference's Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition.
From her excellence in the classroom, she has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in each of the past four years, to go along with Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors in 2020.
Justin Murphy (Fenton, Mich.)
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten member and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Murphy maintained a 3.56 grade-point average as a political science and history major. In U-M's Big Ten Championship season, he competed on pommel horse in six meets and also was included in U-M's pommel horse lineup at the NCAA Championships. He scored a season-best on the event with a 13.400 versus Minnesota (March 14).
Part of a Michigan-centric family, his sister, Ashley, also was a member of the Michigan cheerleading team.
Murphy will be attending the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University and will study business and corporate law while enrolled. Following graduation, he will pursue a career in the sports world.
Each Big Ten institution developed its own on-campus selection process when awarding the scholarship. Students must have maintained at least a 3.2 GPA, demonstrated leadership qualities, served as an excellent role model and intended to continue their academic work beyond their baccalaureate degree at a graduate degree program. The scholarship will be used to pay expenses of the student's postgraduate education to include such related activities as research and teaching, as well as other expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board, required course-related supplies and books. In order to retain the scholarship, the recipient must be accepted into a full-time graduate degree program within three years from the fall semester after selection.
Players Mentioned
