By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer
Beginning this fall, Baylor’s future quarterbacks will receive financial assistance thanks to an endowed scholarship in honor of Baylor alumnus and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Griffin was honored on March 12, “RG3 Day,” at the State Capitol and Sen. Kirk Watson, a 1981 Baylor Law alumnus, and President Ken Starr announced the scholarship fund created in his honor.
As an endowed scholarship, the funds will be collected through donations. The scholarship size will be dependent on the amount of money put into the endowment.
Starr said this scholarship would need support from fans and the greater Baylor community.
“We want all of Baylor Nation to support Baylor athletics and rally around this particular project,” Starr said. “The more Baylor Nation works to support, the better it is for the overall budget for Baylor University.”
Interested donors can donate to the RG3 scholarship fund at www.baylor.edu/nation/rg3.
In an interview with Baylor Media Communications, Griffin said he could never have dreamed that a scholarship would be named after him. “It’s truly an honor to have your name associated with something so great,” Griffin said. “You don’t dream of that as a kid. You can dream of playing professional sports but you don’t dream of having a scholarship named after you. Those things just don’t come about, so you have to cherish them.”
Griffin earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Baylor in 2010. Griffin was Baylor’s quarterback from 2008 to 2011 and brought much attention to Baylor football, particularly through the 2011 Valero Alamo Bowl victory and winning the Heisman Trophy that same year.
He had been working toward his master’s degree in communications when he was drafted in the 2012 NFL draft, joining the Washington Redskins. During his first season with the Redskins, Griffin was named NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Starr collaborated with other administrators and athletic department faculty members to put together the endowment project. He said the fund is a way to honor Griffin and the legacy he leaves behind.
“The Robert Griffin III endowed scholarship is a powerful recognition of Robert’s magnificent contributions to Baylor,” Starr said.
Starr said this scholarship fund opens up the chance for endowment programs to be set for all 19 of Baylor’s varsity sports.
“The RG3 scholarship gives us a great opportunity to rally around all of our student athletes with endowed scholarships,” Starr said. “I think it’s the beginning of a shift to endowing all of the starting positions in all of our 19 sports. We want this to be a very wonderful project that energizes all of Baylor Nation.”
Ian McCaw, director of athletics, said he is excited about the opportunity for fans to support the football team.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to honor Robert Griffin III,” McCaw said. “And, at the same time, it’s an opportunity to allow alumni and supporters to contribute to the scholarship fund for quarterbacks. It will be exciting for the quarterback to know their financial aid is coming from this fund.”
