Senior Scott Erwin Named to USA Today All-USA College Academic First Team
February 17, 2005
Scott Erwin, the University of Richmond senior who created the Ambassadors of Democracy program in Iraq and survived being shot in a Baghdad ambush, has been named to the First Team of USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team. Erwin is the featured team member on the front page of the newspaper’s Lifestyle section today announcing the academic all-stars.
Erwin was one of 20 college students selected for the honor and Richmond’s first to earn First Team honors in the 15-year history of the awards. The criteria are designed to honor students who excel in scholarship and leadership roles, both on and off campus. Given greatest weight is a student's outstanding original academic or intellectual product.
First Team members receive a $2,500 cash award in addition to recognition in the newspaper. Forty other students were announced earlier this week as members of the Second and Third teams. Previous University of Richmond undergraduates chosen for the All-USA College Academic Teams were John Joseph, '90, of Worthington, Ohio, (1990 Second Team in the inaugural year of the awards) and Dana Wallace, '01, of Richmond (2001 Second Team).
“Scott embodies our vision to prepare students for a lifetime of great deeds,” said Richmond President William E. Cooper.
Erwin will graduate from Richmond in May with a double major in political science and classical civilization. He is completing an independent study in New York while serving as an assistant to the Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations and will return to Richmond’s campus next month to complete additional studies. Erwin said he hopes to continue to work in civil society development in the Middle East or Central Asia and attend law school.
Last December, Erwin received the Defense of Freedom Medal, the highest civilian honor of the Department of Defense. Among his campus activities, he has been a member of Phi Beta Kappa, president of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, vice president of Richmond College Student Government Association and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
He is a graduate of Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., near his hometown of Weatherby Lake and is the son of Bob and Karen Erwin.
“Scott typifies much of what is great about America,” said Akiba Covitz, a Richmond professor of political science who nominated Erwin for the honor. “He is sincere, ambitious, entrepreneurial, brilliant, and above all, good-hearted.
“I have known Scott since we both started at Richmond and since then he has never stopped trying to create ways to take reality as he finds it and make it better in every way,” Covitz said.
Erwin said the Richmond campus community and Iraqi university students should share in his recognition.
“While I am honored to be recognized by USA Today,” Erwin said, “the credit really belongs to the entire University of Richmond community. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of my professors in particular. Each went out of his or her way to assist me in my development as a student and person in general.
“I hope this award will raise awareness of the inspiring work being done by university students in Iraq to ensure that their country's transition to a democratic form of government is successful. They are far more deserving of recognition.”