April 24, 2006

As part of its 10th Anniversary celebration the Big 12 Conference is spotlighting past recipients of the Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship Program. To be eligible for consideration a student-athlete must have possessed a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, participated in at least two years of intercollegiate athletics at the nominating institution, and plan to enroll in graduate school within 15 months of graduation.

This week the Big 12 salutes former Baylor student-athletes and Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship winners John Martin and Kerry O'Bric.

Martin enjoyed a solid career as a wide receiver on the Bears' football team from 2000-04. He lives is in the Stillwater, Okla., area after completing his undergraduate degree in communications studies with honors and his Masters of Science and Education in Sports Management at BU.

"Being an athlete in the Big 12 Conference was an honor and a blessing," he said. "I was very fortunate to have had the privilege of being a student-athlete in the best athletic conference. The Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship provided me the opportunity to continue my academic career at an elite institution such as Baylor. I am grateful to the Big 12 and Dr. Gautt for the gift they gave to us."

Kerry O'Bric, Baylor.

Upon completion of her track and field career O'Bric was accepted into the chemistry graduate program at Baylor, earning a degree in Analytical Chemistry. She is in her first year as a forensic scientist in the area of drug analysis with the Texas State Police Crime Laboratory.

"It was such an honor to receive the Dr. Prentice Gautt Memorial Scholarship," she said, "and I still remember the feeling of elation upon hearing that I was deserving of such an award. The scholarship was a motivation for me to continue on in my academic endeavors and allowed me the freedom to pursue an area of study that had fascinated me for sometime. In the end, the money helped me to be successful so that in the future I could be helpful to other people."

Since 1997 the Dr. Prentice Gautt Scholarship program has funded nearly $700,000 to Big 12 student-athletes for their postgraduate studies.