Image Courtesy of Duke Athletics
Duke fencing graduate and ACE alum Eoin Gronningsater was recently selected for two notable awards that speak to not only his capability as a student-athlete but also his commitment to excellence in the classroom and desire to give back to communities around him.
First, Gronningsater was selected as one of the 15 recipients of the Go Teach Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway. The award is given by the Atlantic Coast Conference in partnership with the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation. The tuition giveaway awards one $20,000 grand prize in addition to fifteen $2,500 scholarships to student-athletes pursuing careers in education. ACC student-athlete recipients were recommended by campus representatives based on their aspirations to pursue a career in teaching or coaching.
Then, the NCAA announced in early January that Gronningsater was selected as one of only 10 student-athletes who receive the 2021 Today’s Top 10 Award. The award recognizes former student-athletes for their successes in their sport, in the classroom, and in the community. The honorees are selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, composed of representatives of NCAA member schools, conferences, and distinguished citizens, including past awardees.
A two-time captain and three-time All-American in foil, Gronningsater has seen both athletic and academic success throughout his four years as a Blue Devil. He was honored with an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, named the 2020 ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for fencing, Duke Male Student-Athlete of the Year as well as the 2020 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Award recipient from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
As for his dedication to service, he participated in ACE in Vietnam in 2018, and he volunteered weekly with Families Moving Forward-Durham, tutoring children at a local shelter. Gronningsater also co-founded Fence 4 the Fight and facilitated the partnership between Duke fencing and the Duke Cancer Institute to raise $32,000 for breast cancer research in 2020.
His commitment to giving continues as he currently serves with Teach for America. He is teaching sixth-grade math and English language arts special education at the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II while attending the Relay Graduate School of Education.
Click here to read more about Eoin’s selection for the NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award, and click here to learn more about Eoin’s selection for the ACC’s Go Teach Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway.