Two MVSU student athletes named 2020 HBCU Competitiveness Scholars

Two Mississippi Valley State University student athletes were chosen among 44 scholars from 33 historically black colleges and universities as 2020 HBCU Competitiveness Scholars.

Remeya Ganesh and Chyna Sawyers are being honored for their academic achievements by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“I am thrilled that our athletes are always in the hunt for excellence,” said MVSU Athletic Director Dianthia Ford-Kee in a statement. “Both Remeya and Chyna have demonstrated that they listen, learn and lead. You don’t achieve these types of honors without the three ‘L’s.’ Both ladies came to MVSU to be competitive on and off the playing surface.”

Ganesh, of Toronto, Canada, is a junior MVSU soccer player who maintains a 4.0 grade point average. She already has plans for her future after soccer.

“My career goal is to become a health care professional so that I can travel to third world countries and help those in need, especially orphans, women and individuals with special needs,” she said.

Sawyers is from London, England, and a member of the MVSU womens basketball team where she has maintained an impressive 3.6 GPA throughout college. She was recently voted as Miss MVSU 2020-2021 by her classmates. .

“I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college and earn a degree. I plan to continue my educational journey and obtain my master’s and Ph.D. My ultimate goal is to own a hotel and use it to house the homeless. Working with the homeless is near and dear to my heart, and helping them to find work and training is where I hope to start,” she said.

The 2020 scholars were selected from among several highly distinguished HBCU students. Both players were nominated and endorsed by Jerryl Briggs who is the President of MVSU.

Emmanuella Kyllians from Alcorn State University was also chosen as a 2020 HBCU Competitiveness Scholar, making three of the 44 students selected this year from Mississippi.