OFFICIAL RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio (June 3, 2019) – Naomi Eastland, a first-year Sports Medicine Graduate Assistant, was one of eight winners of the John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards announced by the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation on Monday.
Eastland was the recipient of the 2019 McLendon Scholarship, presented by the Fiesta Bowl. Through the Fiesta Bowl's endowment commitment to the Foundation, a John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship is awarded each year to a student associated with an Arizona-based four-year institution.
"In our third year with the McLendon Minority Scholarship, we've been impressed with the talent and personal character of the individuals in the program," Fiesta Bowl Executive Director Mike Nealy said in a statement. "Naomi is dedicated to excellence in education and leadership, two key drivers in the Fiesta Bowl mission as well. Helping Naomi on her professional journey in the education and sports management track is something we're honored to do."
Each of the McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship winners will receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards postgraduate studies in athletics administration. The scholarship program, in its 20th year, is sponsored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. McLendon was the first African-American head basketball coach at a predominantly white institution and first African-American head coach in professional sports.
Eastland will be entering her second year as a member with the Northern Arizona Sports Medicine team in the fall. The Everett, Wash. native is pursuing a master's degree in educational leadership and works with NAU's men's and women's track & field programs. She received her bachelor's degree from Eastern Washington.
In March, Eastland was also the recipient of the
David H. Perrin Scholarship from the National Athletic Trainers' Association.
