CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ally Spector (Laurel, Md./Reservoir) of the Radford University women's tennis team is one of two recipients of the Big South Conference's inaugural Sunbelt Rentals Scholarship as announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon.
Also chosen for the scholarship was Winthrop's Theresa Verostek (Rock Hill, S.C.). Spector and Verostek will each receive $4,000 from Sunbelt Rentals toward their final semester as an undergraduate.
Courtesy of the Big South Office
Sunbelt Rentals will present Verostek her scholarship at Saturday's UNC Asheville-Winthrop men's basketball game at Winthrop Coliseum that will be televised on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Spector will be recognized at a future Radford home basketball game. Both students will also be honored during the Big South Conference's 25th Anniversary Banquet and Awards Dinner later in May.
The Sunbelt Rentals Scholarship program was established in August 2008 as a means of recognizing the work done in the classroom, campus and the community by students within the Big South Conference. In order to be qualified, the students had to be enrolled in a Big South Conference member institution and entering their final semester as an undergraduate. The students had to be of an underrepresented population including women, minority groups, disabled students, and/or current and former military personnel. In addition to the scholarship, Spector and Verostek will also be given the opportunity to participate in the Sunbelt Rentals JumpStart Sales Training Program upon graduation with guarantee of full-time employment upon successful completion of the program. The Sunbelt Rentals JumpStart Sales Training Program is a four-month on-the-job training program designed for entry level to inexperienced candidates in the rental and/or sales business that provides opportunity for advancement, unlimited earning potential, and intensive training that prepares its participants for success.
“Theresa and Alexandra have both shown academic achievement, leadership, character and a commitment to community service,” commented Kenny May, Director of Leadership Development for Sunbelt Rentals. “These two students have shown tremendous passion, in and out of the classroom, and we were very impressed with their demeanor and ability to juggle multiple activities. Theresa and Alexandra, as well as all of the students that applied for our scholarship, have extremely bright futures and we wish them continued success as they enter their final semester and begin a new chapter in their lives.”
“I would like to thank Sunbelt Rentals and the Big South Conference for presenting me with this scholarship,” said Spector, who is a 4.0 student majoring in communication sciences and disorders. “It truly is an honor. Thank you to Mr. May and Mr. (Ken) Rothmel for taking the time to interview me and choosing me to represent Sunbelt Rentals. I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, teammates, coach and Radford University. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”
“I feel very honored to receive such an amazing scholarship,” added Verostek. “I am grateful for the opportunity to use my energy and talents in the Sunbelt JumpStart Program.”
A committee of Big South Conference administrators, Sunbelt Rentals executives and institutional representatives from Big South Conference institutions selected the recipients of the Sunbelt Rentals scholarships.
ABOUT SUNBELT RENTALS
Sunbelt Rentals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ashtead Group plc, is one of the largest equipment rental companies in the United States. Sunbelt is based Fort Mill, SC, and provides equipment rental solutions for the industrial, construction, and municipal markets, plus the DIY markets, from its network of more than 430 branches, including 90 Sunbelt Rentals at Lowe's locations, in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Sunbelt's extensive equipment fleet includes a wide range of general construction and industrial equipment, and is further broadened by specialty businesses serving the Pump, Power, Trench Shoring and Scaffold markets. For more information, visit www.sunbeltrentals.com.
ABOUT THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
The Big South Conference is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2008-09, and since its founding in 1983, the Conference has matured into a competitive leader in college athletics, actively pursuing excellence on the field of play and in the classroom. Comprised of 10 member institutions throughout the Southeast, the Big South continues to be a national leader both on the field through its 18 championship sports while intentionally fostering the academic, personal, social, athletic and leadership development of each student-athlete. Charleston Southern University, Coastal Carolina University, Gardner-Webb University, High Point University, Liberty University, Presbyterian College, Radford University, UNC Asheville, Virginia Military Institute and Winthrop University comprise the membership of the Conference, which is based in Charlotte, N.C. The Big South is online at www.BigSouthSports.com.
