HILTON HEAD, S.C. – UNC Pembroke wrestler
Mikey Thomas was named the 2017 recipient of the Peach Belt Conference-SunTrust Foundation Minority Graduate Scholarship. The announcement was made on Tuesday evening at the PBC's annual awards dinner in Hilton Head.
The announcement marked the fourth-straight year that a UNCP student-athlete has been presented with the scholarship. Volleyball's Marissa Baker and Danielle Brown were presented with the scholarship following the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years, while track & field's Jani Perez earned the honor last year. This is the fourth year that the PBC and Sun Trust has partnered to award the scholarship.
A native of Burlington, Thomas spent his freshman season at the University of the Cumberlands before transferring to UNC Pembroke and spending four years as a part of the wrestling team. Named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll twice, including a Gold Scholar nod in 2016, he was also a three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) academic scholar, was named to the UNCP Chancellor's List three times and received the Nu Omicron Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship as well.
Thomas graduated earlier this month with a bachelor's of science degree in biology with a minor in business administration. He begins graduate work this fall at East Carolina University in the dental medicine program.
"Being a dentist is more than fixing someone's teeth, it's an opportunity to make a significant impact on someone's life," Thomas said. "One simple act of compassion could be all that is needed for someone to make a change, and potentially change their life. Having already received my acceptance to East Carolina's School of Dental Medicine, I am one step closer to achieving this goal."
On the mat, Thomas was a team captain for the Braves in 2016-17. A second-team All-ECAC honoree, he advanced to the NCAA National Championships in the 184-pound class and finished 19-10 overall. He won two fall tournaments and was 7-4 in dual matches this season with four pins.
"Education is a key part of the foundation on which strong communities are built, and supporting educational initiatives is among the ways SunTrust helps light the way to financial well-being for our communities and our clients," said David Camden, President of SunTrust Bank, Savannah Region. "We are pleased to partner with the Peach Belt Conference in awarding this scholarship to
Mikey Thomas in recognition of his excellence in the classroom and on the mat."
SunTrust Banks, Inc., with total assets of $194 billion as of March 31, 2016, is one of the nation's leading financial services holding companies. Through its flagship subsidiary, SunTrust Bank, the company provides deposit, credit, trust and investment services to a broad range of retail, business and institutional clients. Other subsidiaries provide mortgage banking, asset management, securities brokerage, and capital market services. Atlanta-based SunTrust enjoys leading positions in some of the most attractive markets in the United States and also serves clients in selected markets nationally.
SunTrust's more than 1,500 retail branches and 2,250 ATMs are located primarily in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. In addition, SunTrust provides clients with a full selection of technology-based banking channels including online, state-of-the-art customer services centers, and through the latest mobile devices. SunTrust's Internet address is www.suntrust.com.
