FAIRFAX, Va. — Travis Sparks-Jackson of the University of La Verne football team has been named as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education for his outstanding athletic and academic achievements.

Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards are presented to undergraduate student-athletes who have excelled on and off their field of play. The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars also demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.

A liberal arts major, Sparks-Jackson accumulated a 3.67 grade point average in fall 2015 to raise his cumulative GPA to a 3.29.

On the field, Sparks-Jackson had arguably the greatest individual season in La Verne football history. He led the Leopards to their first SCIAC championship since 1995 and first NCAA National Championship appearance since 1994. In addition, he was named the 2015 D3football.com Second Team All-American, First Team All-Region and First Team All-SCIAC after rushing for 1,521 yards and 19 touchdowns in 10 games.

Sparks-Jackson has also been active in the community, speaking to children who were the victims abuse, volunteering at the regional Special Olympics and helping the local Habitat for Humanity. 

The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar athletes. Approximately 1,000 male and female students from across the country were nominated this academic year.