Oklahoma State University Athletics
Billy Bajema Named Recipient of Prestigious Postgraduate Scholarship
November 01, 2004 | Cowboy Football
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize college football's best and brightest with these prestigious postgraduate scholarships,” NFF Chairman Jon F. Hanson said.
“These gentlemen have set the standard at their institution for all future student-athletes to follow, and we salute them for their dedication in becoming standouts on the gridiron, in the classroom and in their communities.”
One of 15 student-athletes chosen from a pool of more than 150 candidates for the honor, Bajema is currently pursuing a degrees in business administration and pre-medicine.
The Oklahoma City native has twice been selected to the Academic All-Big 12's first team as well as a CoSIDA Academic All-District pick. Bajema is a three-time Oklahoma State Academic Achievement Award recipient, a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and has been a member of the President's Honor Roll and Dean's List Honor Roll three times.
On the gridiron, Bajema was tabbed as a second-team All-Big 12 selection last season after earning honorable mention all-league recognition as a sophomore in 2002.
Off the field, he is a member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes while also assisting children with reading and math.
The OSU standout is the fourth Cowboy to receive the distinction, joining Rex Russell (1962), Doug Freeman (1982) and Kyle Eaton (2002).
Bajema and the rest of this year's class will be recognized at the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame's 47th annual awards dinner on Dec. 7 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
That evening, each honoree will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship, while one will be named the winner of the Draddy Trophy, honoring the top scholar-athlete in the nation and increasing the scholarship to $25,000.
