A $10k scholarship and an exclusive Rose Bowl Game work experience will be awarded to each recipient from Big Ten and Pac-12 Conference universities.
PASADENA, Calif. (September 30, 2021) –The Tournament of Roses® announced today the recipients of the Rose Bowl Game Keith Jackson Postgraduate Scholarship. Adam Shibley (University of Michigan) and Desiree Stinger (Washington State University) will each be awarded a $10,000 scholarship award toward their postgraduate education in addition to receiving a unique and specialized work-study experience at the 2022 Rose Bowl Game.
The scholarship recognizes Shibley and Stinger for exceptional achievement in both academics and civic service at a Big Ten and Pac-12 university. The application process was open to senior-level undergraduate students and first year graduate students who submitted a personal essay along with the other application materials. The scholarship was first awarded in 2019 but was not awarded in 2020 due to restraints related to the global pandemic.
Shibley is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies. He excelled in the classroom and on the field, as a member of the football team. Shibley, who contributed on defense and special teams for the Wolverines, was a member of the team’s Leadership Council. While at Michigan, Shibley founded and ran a non-profit called “The Uniform Funding Foundation,” which provides uniforms, equipment, and mentorship to thousands of underserved youth athletes. Shibley was also a member of the Big Ten’s Equality Coalition, the Lebanese Student Association and Athletes in Action. He is currently pursuing a post-graduate degree in business at the University of Notre Dame where he is also playing on its football team.
Stinger is a graduate of Washington State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. While at WSU, she was four-year letter winner in Cross Country & Track and served on both the Pac-12 Student Athlete Leadership Team and WSU Athletics’ Student Athlete Advisory Committee. She is currently an intern with Major League Baseball in their Operations and Development division and is working toward her master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco.
“Adam and Desiree are exceptional individuals and are deserving recipients of the Rose Bowl Game Keith Jackson Scholarship,” said Bob Miller, President of the Tournament of Roses. “The scholarship recognizes excellence in the classroom and the community and is geared toward students who are pursuing a career in the sport’s industry. Adam and Desiree have bright futures ahead of them and the Tournament of Roses, along with our conference partners at the Big Ten and Pac-12, are thrilled to be a part of their journey.”
The scholarship is named on behalf of Keith Jackson, who was the voice of college football for several generations. Jackson was a man of many catchphrases, including “Whoa, Nellie” and “Big Uglies”, but was also credited with popularizing the Rose Bowl Game’s nickname as “The Granddaddy of Them All”. He was on the call for the Rose Bowl Game on 15 occasions, more than any other broadcaster, from 1989 to 2006. His final game in the broadcast booth was the 2006 BCS National Championship at the Rose Bowl Game.
The Keith Jackson Postgraduate Scholarship is funded by the Rose Bowl Game, which is a tri-party agreement between the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Big Ten Conference and the Pac-12 Conference. For more information, including details on eligibility and how to apply, please visit www.tournamentofroses.com/events/scholarship.