University of Minnesota Athletics
Smits, Gagnon Receive Postgraduate Scholarship
5/10/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
The Big Ten Conference office announced its annual postgraduate scholarship recipients on Thursday with two representatives from each school. Lindsey Smits (track) and Joel Gagnon (gymnastics) are the honorees from Minnesota.
The scholarship goes to students who plan to continue their education at a graduate degree program. They were each awarded a $7,500 scholarship, based on primarily academic achievements.
Smits just wrapped up her undergraduate career in neuroscience and plans to attend the University of Illinois-Chicago for graduate school. She recently entered the Gophers top-10 in the 400m hurdles with a winning 59.89 performance at Louisville. She has earned USTFCCCA All-Academic, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honors in her career.
Gagnon plans to attend McGill University in Montreal. He was an aerospace engineering major during his time at Minnesota. He was a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award (the men’s gymnastics version of the Heisman) and is a two-time All-American at Minnesota. He has been named Academic All-Big Ten and a CGA All-America Scholar in his career.
Students must have maintained at least a 3.2 grade-point-average, demonstrated leadership qualities, served as an excellent role model and intended to continue their academic work beyond their baccalaureate degree at a graduate degree program to earn the Big Ten postgraduate scholarship.
