
Normally, select Northwestern State student-athletes would be able to express personally their thanks to those responsible for the athletic department’s 58 permanently endowed athletic scholarships.
Like many events in the spring of 2020, the annual Northwestern State University Foundation and Demons Unlimited Foundation Scholarship Banquet, originally scheduled for April 2, was canceled because of the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
What has not stopped is the appreciation Demon and Lady Demon student-athletes have for those who help pave the financial way for them to compete in their chosen sport. Befitting a time where most Americans are working from home and holding virtual meetings, Northwestern State student-athletes took to showcasing their gratitude to donors via video.
“Thank you, Mr. (Glenn) Talbert for the scholarship and for all the donations you’ve made to Northwestern State,” football tight end Aaron Howell said via video. “It makes my dreams come true. I’m from here (in Natchitoches), and I’ve always wanted to play here. To do it for free is a blessing.”
That gratitude extended to Demons who have come from outside of Natchitoches as well.
“I wanted to say thank you again for donating money for people like me to give people like me a chance,” said junior offensive lineman Jakob Sell, the recipient of the John and Angelina Manno Scholarship. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without people like you with such great hearts.”
The annual banquet is a chance for student-athletes to meet with the benefactors of their scholarships and develop a relationship with one another.
As much as the student-athletes gain from the interaction, the donors glean a similar amount of happiness and kinship from the event, developing relationships that transcend generations and cultures.
“I was disappointed the Scholarship Banquet had to be cancelled this year,” said Jill Morrison, namesake of the Jill Cantrell Morrison Scholarship. “It’s a great event. Scholarship benefactors get to meet the recipients of their scholarships and know their money is going to a worthy cause. And the recipients see first-hand the funding for their education comes from a real person and is often very personal to the person making the donation. Everybody feels appreciated and grateful. It’s a little bit of magic
“The best part of my Athletic Scholarship is the connection it created with the recipient, Judit Castillo Gargallo. Like many student athletes at NSU, Judit is driven, smart, and grateful for the opportunity to play her sport while she receives an outstanding education. My scholarship allows me to stay connected to my university, and because it is permanently endowed, it also makes me feel good to know that it will always support future Demons.”
To learn more about Demons Unlimited Foundation scholarships, visit www.NSUDemons.com/endowments.
Below is a list of the NSU Athletic Department’s Scholarships and their 2019-2020 recipients:
Scholarship Name | Recipient |
Alario 22 Baseball Scholarship | Hilton Brown |
Jake and Elaine Sherman Baseball Scholarship | Lenni Kunert |
Julien Vienne Baseball Scholarship | Logan Hofmann |
Sampite Family Baseball Scholarship | Josh Banes |
The Pearce Demon Dirtbag Scholarship | Tyler Smith |
Webb Family Athletic Scholarship | Kyle Swanson |
Nathan H Ezernack Baseball Scholarship | Jonathon Harmon |
Robert & Irene Gray Baseball Scholarship | Drake Smith |
Ann & Jack Brittain Family Endowed Scholarship | Levar Gumms |
Bryant & Heloise Lewis Scholarship | Ja’Quay Pough |
Chris Waddell Football Scholarship | Landon King |
Christopher Truax II Athletic Scholarship | Zach Clement |
Coach John Ropp Scholarship | Darius Whitfield |
Dan & Lilly Chase Athletic Scholarship | Hayden Bourgeois |
Don Purser Memorial Scholarship | Bishop Breaux |
Donald Horton Scholarship | Tanner Ash |
Gary Reasons Football Scholarship | Kyle Moore |
Glenn & James R. Bucky Talbert Scholarship | Aaron Howell |
Jack & Nellie Clayton Memorial Scholarship | Jared West |
James Oliphant Athletic Scholarship | Kaleb Fletcher |
John & Angelina Manno Athletic Scholarship | Jacob Sell |
John Wayne Odom Football Scholarship | Curtis Williams |
Kurt Rodriguez Football Scholarship | Kenny Sheldon |
Pete Ellis Football Scholarship | Fred Lee |
Richard Ware Football Scholarship | David Fitzwater |
Walter Ledet Scholarship | William Hooper |
Coach H. Lee Prather Basketball Scholarship | Brian White |
Gayle Hatch Scholarship | C.J. Jones |
John & Corene McConathy Men’s Basketball Scholarship | Jairus Roberson |
Johnny Ellzey Basketball Scholarship | Jovan Zelenbaba |
Gerald & Rose Long Athletic Scholarship | Robert Chougkaz |
O.L & Marie Cole McConathy | Nikos Chougkaz |
Richard Stagg Track & Field Scholarship | Will Malone |
Hugh & Henry Bernard Scholarship | Trenton Massner |
Stewart Brothers Scholarship | Bronte Rhoden |
Charlie Ragus Athletic Scholarship | Nicole Henry |
David & Sam Gallien Scholarship | Norma Trejo |
Long Twins Athletic Scholarship | Alexis Weaver |
Jerry & Regina Pierce Tennis Scholarship | Patrycja Polanska |
Jill Cantrell Morrison Scholarship | Judit Castillo Gargallo |
Lydia Briggs Women’s Tennis Scholarship | Dorota Szcygielska |
Ed Schroeder Scholarship | Yannik Gerland |
Marguerite & Billy Hudson Scholarship | Annemarie Broussard |
Richard Davis Athletic Scholarship | Addison McDermott |
C.L. Starnes Athletic Scholarship | Bryce Potter |
Charlie Tolar Athletic Scholarship | Hannah Brister |
T.R. & Sue Sibley Athletic Scholarship | Haley Hoang |
Bill Loftin Scholarship | Tristen Washington |
Harry & Clarice Creech Athletic Scholarship | Kira Bonner |
Tynes Hildebrand Scholarship | Halei Gillis |
Kelvin Fee Track Scholarship | Brooke Petkovich |
Ruth Rosas & Julie Nash Athletic Scholarship | Isabella Hudson |
Thomas Crump Athletic Scholarship | Amber Bruce |
Martin Poole Athletic Scholarship | Jasmyn Steels |
Dr. Violet Davion Shavers Athletic School for Women | Natalee Henry |
W.C Haile Scholarship | Siera Stone |
Doug Ireland Extra Effort Scholarship | JaBralen Yarber |
Nanette Hawthorne Athletic Scholarship for Women | Keely Dubois |