Sode: Wayne Duke Award Recipient
Apr 15 | Men's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers men's lacrosse senior Campbell Sode was chosen as a 2015 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipient by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership. The award is an annual scholarship recognizing one male and one female Big Ten senior student-athlete pursuing a postgraduate degree for achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and leadership. Jessica Plant from the University of Minnesota was also recognized.
"I'm very proud of Campbell for being awarded this distinguished honor," head coach Brian Brecht said. "As coaches, we wish we could have 40 Campbell Sode's in our program. He certainly has earned this with the way he's gone about preparing for his academic regimen, being a 4.0 student every semester in college, and the way he competes on the field, in every minute of practice and in every drill.
He has done a great job of mentoring the younger players in our program all throughout his career in understanding the discipline needed to be both a great student and a great lacrosse player. I'm very proud of Campbell, he certainly is well deserving of this prestigious honor."
The Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award is named for the former Big Ten Conference commissioner who served from 1971-89. While leading the Big Ten, Duke spent much of his time working to improve academic standards and graduation rates for student-athletes. The award is made possible by donations from local corporations and individuals supporting collegiate student-athletes. The Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership is comprised of the State of Indiana, City of Indianapolis, Indiana Sports Corp, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and Visit Indy.
In recognition of the Big Ten's leadership in fully integrating athletics into the academic mission of its member institutions, the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership initiated the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award in 2008. Each Big Ten institution was asked to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for 2015, with a $10,000 scholarship awarded to each winner.
Sode will graduate in May with a degree in labor studies and history. Entering his final undergraduate semester, Sode has a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Rutgers University's School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, which includes enrollment in advanced courses as well as a senior thesis of more than 100 pages, which will be evaluated by scholars in the field. Prior to Rutgers joining the Big Ten, Sode earned Big East All-Academic Team recognition, an accomplishment he has also received from the Big Ten. He has been inducted as a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National Student-Athlete Honor Society, and has earned Academic All-America accolades.
In the community, Sode has coached in youth lacrosse leagues in his home state of Texas, where he achieved his Eagle Scout. He has volunteered his time with initiatives such as Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen, the Ronald McDonald House, Big Chill Run and Charity Toy Drive, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Red Cross.
Currently in the midst of his senior season, Sode has played in 33 career games, scoring two goals and adding two assists, and collecting 23 ground balls and causing three turnovers.
Sode is also a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council for Rutgers. He will attend law school beginning in the fall and hopes to serve as an advocate for those who suffer from hearing impairment, like Sode.
Sode and Plant will be honored during the 44th Annual Big Ten Football Kickoff Luncheon on Friday, July 31, 2015 in Chicago.
