IOWA CITY, Iowa — Hawkeye seniors Tia Saunders (track and field) and Kaleb Young (wrestling) were chosen as the University of Iowa’s recipients of the annual Big Ten Conference Postgraduate Scholarship. Two student-athletes from each of the 14 Big Ten institutions who plan to continue their education at a graduate degree program were awarded a $7,500 scholarship, based primarily on academic achievements.
Saunders is a native of Iowa City, Iowa, and an eight-time academic All-Big Ten honoree in track and cross country. She was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in in 2020 and 2021 and was named to the USTFCCCA Academic Team in 2020 and 2021. Saunders owns the fifth-best indoor 600-meter time in school history and ranks seventh on Iowa’s all-time indoor list in the 800 meters.
Young is a three-time All-American from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and three-time NWCA Scholar Athlete. Young earned his third All-America honor in 2021, placing seventh at the 2021 NCAA Championships to help the Hawkeyes win their 24th national title in program history. He was runner-up at 157 pounds at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, leading Iowa to its 37th team title in program history.
Each Big Ten institution developed its own on-campus selection process when awarding the scholarships. 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. The scholarship will be used to pay expenses of the student’s postgraduate education to include such related activities as research and teaching, as well as other expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board, and required course-related supplies and books. In order to retain the scholarship, the recipient must be accepted into a full-time graduate degree program within three years from the fall semester after selection.
The complete list of Big Ten postgraduate scholarship recipients is available at bigten.org.