INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 20, 2023) – Chella Davidson, who recently graduated from Whittier College and was a member of the women's lacrosse team for the duration of her collegiate career, has been awarded a postgraduate scholarship, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced this week.
She is one of 21 women student-athletes across Divisions I, II and III of the NCAA around the country to receive this prestigious scholarship following the Spring 2023 season.
"Chella is extremely humble and hard working," said Whittier assistant women's lacrosse coach Larkin McDermott. "Her being awarded this scholarship is very well deserved. We are so proud of her and grateful for everything she contributed to Whittier over the past four years."
To qualify for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, student-athletes must excel academically and athletically, be in their final year of eligibility and plan to pursue graduate study. Student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.2 GPA and be nominated by their institution's faculty athletics representative. Created in 1964, NCAA postgraduate scholarships promote and encourage education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes.
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season, with 21 scholarships awarded each cycle to women and 21 to men for use in an accredited graduate program.
Davidson put a bow on a remarkable lacrosse career at Whittier by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in her final home game, defeating Chapman in dramatic fashion in a key game that kept Whittier's playoff hopes alive. The Portland, Oregon native double-majored in Kinesiology and France, finishing college with a nearly immaculate 3.96 GPA. At Whittier, Davidson assisted the athletic training staff at home athletic events and served as a tutor in the school's Center for Advising and Academic Success.
Following this season, Davidson received the SCIAC Character Award and was honored with Second Team All-SCIAC distinction for the second consecutive season. She was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team and was the Whittier College women's winner of the 2022-23 Poet Spirit Award. Davidson also received three awards at the Whittier College Honors Convocation in April: Outstanding Graduate in Pre-Physical Therapy, Outstanding Student in French and Outstanding Contribution to First-Year Programs for her work with The Whittier College Writing Program.
Below is a Q&A with the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner herself:
Whittier College Athletics (WCA): What was your reaction when you found out you were being awarded a $10,000 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship?
Chella Davidson (CD): I opened the congratulatory email about the scholarship while camping with a friend and felt instant gratitude. I immediately wanted to share the exciting news with my parents and others whose support was instrumental in helping me achieve my successes this year.
WCA: What does receiving this scholarship mean to you?
CD: Graduate school is expensive, so not only is this scholarship a humbling honor, but it also helps a lot financially!
WCA: What are your academic plans for graduate school and career aspirations, and how will this scholarship help you pursue these plans?
CD: Next year I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh, pursuing a doctorate in Physical Therapy. While I am not sure where I will land post PT-school, I am confident that Pitt is my next-right-step in finding my dream career. This scholarship is going to help set me up for success financially post-graduate school.
WCA: How has your experience as a Whittier College student-athlete enriched your life and prepared you for your future?
CD: Being a student-athlete at Whittier has enriched my life in countless ways. The mentors and sense of community I gained from being a student-athlete were invaluable aspects of my undergraduate career.
I summed this up in my scholarship application stating, "I am graduating from Whittier with a BA in Kinesiology and French and minors in Pre-Physical Therapy and Biology, in addition to irreplaceable friendships, mentors, life experiences, gratitude, and growth. As I look ahead to my future experience in Pittsburgh and beyond, I am confident that I am bringing a more resilient, open-minded, disciplined, inclusive, and hardworking version of myself to the table because of my time as a student-athlete."
WCA: What encouragement and advice do you have for those interested in becoming SCIAC student-athletes?
CD: FULL SEND! Being a student-athlete is truly an invaluable experience, and the SCIAC has a unique camaraderie throughout the league that fosters strong competition while also maintaining a sense of SCIAC-community. I am endlessly grateful for my time competing in the SCIAC while at Whittier and can't wait to keep following the growth of the league in the future.
