The women's John Stenner Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Gabrielle Zacks (University of Michigan) while the men's Stenner Scholarship was awarded to Carson Beckett (Brevard College). Emma Noverr (Hillsdale College) received the women's Joshua Kuck Memorial Scholarship while Jack Perry (Lees McRae College) was named recipient of the men's.
Each of the four recipients will receive $2,000.
Gabrielle Zacks is a graduate student at the University of Michigan, studying Mechanical engineering. Zacks is a Graduate Student Instructor teaching introductory engineering labs to first year college students. The 4-year member and 2016-2017 co-captain of the Michigan Hybrid Racing team (a race car engineering team), also has a 3.94 GPA, is on the Dean’s list, and volunteers at Elementary Engineering Partnerships exposing elementary students to engineering through design modules and mentorship. Along with several other podium finishes, Gabrielle won the women’s criterium at Midwestern Collegiate Conference Championships in 2017.
“It means a lot to me to be the recipient of the 2018 Stenner scholarship. I love cycling, and John Stenner's story is an important reminder to appreciate every minute of it. I hope to help others grow through cycling, as my Michigan coach and teammates have helped me.” – Gabrielle Zacks (University of Michigan)
Carson Beckett is a sophomore attending Brevard College with a 3.904 GPA in Exercise Science. Carson is on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and was named Brevard College Cycling Male MVP & Athlete of the Year for the 2016-2017 season. Along with many other achievements, in 2017, Carson was the SECCC Cross Country Omnium Individual Champion and was selected to represent the U.S. in the upcoming UCI Mountain Bike World Cup races in Albstadt, Germany and Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. When Carson isn’t racing, you will find him giving health talks at a low income assisted living home or working as an assistant coach and ride leader for his hometown high school team.
“Being selected as a recipient of the 2018 John Stenner Collegiate Cycling Scholarship is both an honor and a privilege. I am ecstatic to be able to represent the collegiate cycling community and a unique group who take pride in giving back through the sport. I am looking forward to continuing to share the experience that cycling has brought me through my time in college and beyond.” – Carson Beckett (Brevard College)
Emma Noverr is freshman studying Economics & Spanish at Hillsdale College. She is the President and Founder of the Hillsdale Cycling Team. In an effort to share her passion for growing the cycling community in her college town of Hillsdale, she began hosting spin classes, fundraising events and she is focusing on recruiting new team members. Her goals include developing a local club, organizing a bike race, hosting clinics for youth, and working with the town to improve bike paths and bike lanes. Prior to college, Noverr was the co-president of her high school’s student council. This summer, she will intern for the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington D.C.
"My love of cycling has brought me to amazing places and allowed me to meet wonderful people. I will forever strive to share what cycling has done for me with others. Receiving the Joshua Kuck scholarship is the ultimate validation of my work in bringing the benefits of this sport to the small town of Hillsdale. It is exciting to finally have the tools to kick start all the projects I have planned. I am so incredibly grateful for the Kuck family and USA Cycling for supporting me and my dreams!” – Emma Noverr (Hillsdale College)
Jack Perry is a Junior majoring in Finance & Marketing and minoring in Cycling Studies at Lees-McRae College. Perry holds a 3.65 GPA, is on the Dean’s list, and is a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. During summers, Jack works at his local bike shop and helps Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition develop and implement cycling safety curriculum. In 2017, Perry attended a National Bike Summit held in Washington, D.C. where he spoke with Senators and Congressmen regarding the future of cycling advocacy in the state of Massachusetts.
"I am pleased, honored, and humbled to win the Kuck scholarship. Lees-McRae College has been an amazing environment that has guided me toward my goals as a student-athlete. I owe a huge thank you to my coaches, professors, and teammates for that. Additionally, I wish to thank Richard Fries for believing in me and granting me the opportunity to educate new cyclists. Cycling has always been a passion of mine. I plan on maintaining my relationship with the cycling community and continuing to improve its accessibility for everyone." – Jack Perry (Lees-McRae College)
The John Stenner Memorial Scholarships are based on select criteria including academic achievements, athletic accomplishments, service to the community and collegiate team involvement. Stenner scholarships are funded by donations to the USA Cycling Foundation in honor of John Stenner, one of the founders of collegiate cycling.
The Joshua Kuck Memorial Scholarships are based on achievements in the areas of cycling safety, advocacy, and education. The program is funded through the USA Cycling Foundation by directed donations from the friends and family of Joshua Kuck, a University of South Florida collegiate cyclist who was tragically killed by a motorist on his bike in 2007.
