Montana State football defensive back Jordan Craney was chosen as one of the 2010 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars, according to the recent Diverse Issues in Higher Ed Magazine who publishes the honors every year.
Jordan Craney, a senior in Business Marketing maintains a 3.28 grade point average in addition to running his own business, and volunteering in his spare time. The awards were established “to honor undergraduates of color who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination,” according to the magazine.
Craney was nominated for the award by Jonathan Taylor, Academic/Life Skills Coordinator at MSU.
“We’ve nominated students for the last three years and our nominees have been honored each year. It started with Nubia Garcia in 2008 (women's basketball) and Esteban Ferrero (men's tennis) last year,” Taylor said. “Jordan fits all the criteria of the award,” Taylor said. “He is a leader in the classroom, is the heart of our secondary on the football team, and is an active volunteer.”
Craney has volunteered with the Big for a Day program with Bozeman Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and has participated in D.A.R.E. both in Bozeman and in Pocatello.
“My mom is a principal in Pocatello so that gives me some opportunities to go into the schools when I am down there,” Craney said. “I enjoy the volunteering even though I don’t have a lot of free time."
Part of the reason Craney is so busy is that he is the manager of a local College Pro Painters franchise here in Bozeman.
“Being a marketing major, I thought it would be good experience for me about the real world job market,” Craney said.
He is entering his fourth year of school and eligibility, and will graduate in May. He has aspirations of entering the marketing field with an athletics bent.
“Once you are deeply involved in athletics, it’s hard to get away from it,” Craney said. “I’d like to take my degree and use it somewhere at the university or professional level. I’m going to try and stick in athletics as long as I can.”
Craney is honored by the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award.
“It’s a great honor whenever you get recognized for something like this. I mean, it’s more than just athletics—it’s academic and service,” Craney said. “It’s not something you just let pass. When someone puts your name out there, it makes you want to take that next step and continue what you are doing.”
Being a student of diversity has been a comfortable role for Craney at MSU.
“Growing up in Pocatello is a lot like Bozeman,” Craney said. “You kind of stick out a little bit, but there are a lot of great people at this university that are willing to help you no matter what race you are representing. It’s been a great experience for me here at MSU.”