FAU's Tara Cripe Awarded Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship

June 12, 2015

BOCA RATON, Fla. -

Florida Atlantic University cross country and track and field runner Tara Cripe has received the Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship Award as announced by Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky today.

Cripe received her bachelor's degree in psychology in May, graduating cum laude with a 3.52 GPA. She plans to continue her education toward a master's degree in speech-language pathology and audiology.

"I feel so honored and blessed to receive this scholarship," said Cripe. "I have been so fortunate to represent Conference USA both in the classroom and on the track over the past two years. I'd like to thank them for making graduate school a reality for me and helping me to pursue my passion of speech-language pathology."

Cripe, a two-time C-USA Honor Roll member, served as captain of the cross country/track and field squad her junior and senior seasons and was the team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She began participating in the FAU Honors Seminar in fall 2013. During this time, she worked with children on the autism spectrum as an undergraduate student, conducting at-home behavior therapy with children several times a week.

The Florida native also excelled on the course and on the track. She put up her best 5k time of the season, 18:15.4, at the C-USA Cross Country Championship, which placed her eighth all-time in school history. She also was part of the distance medley relay team that broke the school record at the C-USA Indoor Championship with a time of 12:04.60. To conclude the outdoor season, Cripe set a lifetime best in the 1500 meter (4:44.13) at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in April.

The conference annually awards the $4,000 postgraduate scholarships to graduates as selected by the C-USA Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Board of Directors.

For a complete list of award recipients, visit www.conferenceusa.com.

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