October 26, 2007

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--Longtime University supporters L.G. and Sara Cunningham and Clemit and Vicki Spruiell recently established the Clemit & Vicki Spruiell Athletic Training Scholarship to enhance the educational opportunities for promising athletic training majors.
 

Clemit, vice president for institutional advancement, and Vicki, director of Trio Programs, are UWA graduates who have spent the majority of their careers at the University. For them, this scholarship is a way to help the students who have helped them through so much.
 

“Over the past six years, I’ve had four orthopedic surgeries, and I’ve done all of my rehab at the UWA Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Center,” Clemit Spruiell said. “Vicki and I appreciate what this program means to the University and to the entire area.”
 

The Spruiell scholarship is one of many ways the Cunninghams support UWA. The couple has also funded the construction of the Bell Conference Center and the annual Loraine McIlwain Bell Trustee awards, named in honor of Sara’s mother, a UWA graduate. For L.G. and Sara, this scholarship honors dear friends.
 

“We gave this gift in appreciation of all of Clemit’s hard work in making the Bell Conference Center a reality,” Cunningham said. “We have so many good friends in Livingston, including Clemit and Vicki, and it is truly a source of pleasure to help UWA.
 

“I was only able to attend Livingston State Teachers College for one year,” she continued. “It is gratifying to help someone else attend UWA.”
 

UWA’s athletic training program, led by Dr. R.T. Floyd, is nationally recognized. The program places strong emphasis on the practical clinical experience, coupled with specific professional course work. UWA’s athletic training students put classroom concepts into practice by assisting staff athletic trainers with the day-to-day care of more than 300 student-athletes, while providing additional care to University students and community residents.
 

“We are extremely grateful to L.G. and Sara Cunningham for their generosity to UWA, and, in particular, toward assisting Clemit and Vicki Spruiell in establishing these athletic training scholarships,” Floyd said. “The Spruiells have dedicated their entire professional careers to UWA, and we are very proud and appreciative that they have chosen to support our program in this fashion.
 

“The scholarships are a tremendous boost to our athletic training education program, helping ease the financial burden for our best and brightest athletic training students in the pursuit of their degrees,” he said. “This is particularly helpful since our students have to spend a significant portion of their time out of the classroom in clinical assignments, with limited time available for outside employment.”
 

The Spruiell scholarship will be awarded annually to three outstanding sophomore, junior or senior athletic training majors with at least a 3.0 grade point average in overall and athletic training major course work. The first scholarship recipients are seniors Blake Hines, Forest, Miss.; Paul McMahan, Union, Miss.; and Hamp Smith, Slocomb, Ala.