Tonight was the annual Academic Awards Banquet hosted by Kent Gresham at The Landing Restaurant downtown on Front Street. All student-athletes who made the Dean's List, with a 3.0 semester grade point average, during the last two semesters are invited to dinner along with donors of endowed scholarships.
About 10 dozen scholar-athletes were able to enjoy the evening. Some were, you might guess, unable to attend because they were in night classes.
Every one of our student-athletes is a success story. Each of them has enormous potential for their future. Undoubtedly, those who reach the academic threshold that these honorees have attained are shining examples of people who are maximizing their abilities and opportunities.
You don't have to be an honor student to succeed, but if you are an academic star, the forecast for success is heightened. It was fun visiting and looking around the dining room because this diverse group had one feature in common. I call it "bright eyes." These are engaging young people with a purpose, who are focused and excited. College is not easy. Some of those honored tonight make it look that way. Others scratched and clawed, figuratively speaking, to earn their way onto the Dean's List.
I kidded them and said that every year after the dinner, I call my mother and tell her that I got invited to the academic banquet again. But by the standard that Bear Bryant used as his foundation for success -- "surround yourself with good people" -- we were all winners tonight at The Landing.
Doug Ireland, SID
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