UL Athletes Nevels & Taylor are among UL's Outstanding Graduates

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  Phillip Nevels of the football team and Brittany Taylor of the track and field program have been named the Outstanding Graduate of their respective college at the University of Louisiana for Fall 2009 commencement exercises.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns Athletics Department is proud to announce that two student-athletes have been named the Outstanding Graduate of their respective college at the University of Louisiana for Fall 2009 commencement exercises.

Phillip Nevels of the football team and Brittany Taylor of the track and field program received the prestigious honor.

Below is a summarization of their accomplishments as student-athletes at UL.

UL SI

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  Phillip Nevels is the Outstanding Graduate in the College of Liberal Arts. The son of Lester and Cynthia Nevels of Dallas, Texas, Nevels is an anthropology major and co-captain of Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun® football team.

His success as a student is evident in his 3.82 GPA and in being selected for the Ronald McNair Scholar Research Program and the Black Student Caucus Academic Award. He is a member of several honors societies: Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Delta, and he is president of Chi Alpha Sigma.

As an athlete, Nevels has been chosen for the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List and the 2009 NCAA Leadership Conference. He has been involved in many student-athlete support and service programs.

Nevels' college career highlights his dedication to excellence and service within the university and community. He has participated in the Success Bound Mentoring Program, Student Athletic Advising Committee, the Student Government and Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship.

As a volunteer, he has organized student-athlete visits to a children's shelter and Women's and Children's Hospital. Nevels has taught at the Gold Gloves Baseball camp, and he has organized student-athlete reading programs at several elementary schools. He has received the Community Leaders of America Award for his service.

Nevels has participated in the University of Louisiana's Study Abroad Program in Florence, Italy. He was a Rhodes scholarship applicant. His future plans include pursuing his master's degree in public administration and comparative social policy.

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  Brittany Michelle Taylor, daughter of Wendell and Kayla Taylor of Arnaudville, is a pole vaulter with the University of Louisiana Track and Field team. She is a marketing major and is the Outstanding Graduate in the B. I. Moody III College of Business Administration.

Taylor has upheld a 3.82 GPA, has been on the Dean's list since 2006 and is a member of Pi Kappa Pi.

She's received the Academic Excellence Honors Award, the University of Lousiana Centennial Scholarship, TOPS Performance Award, Kenneth W. Hall Memorial Scholarship, Willis and Mildred Pellerin Foundation Scholarship, Wilson Rawls Scholarship and the Section 705 Federal Credit Union Scholarship.

Taylor has volunteered as a coach for softball and pole vaulting. She has worked with the United Way's READ UNITED, St. Francis Regis Church and has participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Tour LaFitte supporting the Special Olympics, Opelousas Rotary and A Ride to Remember supporting the Alzheimer's Association.

Taylor has worked at Red Lerille's Health and Raquet Club in Lafayette, gaining public relations and managerial experience. She has also worked with baseball Coach Tony Robichaux and other marketing students to organize "Jimmy Buffet Night at The Tigue" during the 2008 baseball season.

Taylor plans to enroll in the University of Louisiana's MBA program. Her future plans include gaining experience in the national and global aspects of marketing. Taylor plans to return to Acadiana to start her own business and raise a family.

[cajun67]

Met Taylor and Nevels at Outstanding Graduate reception sponsored by alumni at alumni center. Met some of the parents, too. Two outstanding young people. True scholar athletes. And personalble. Have no idea how they combine school with practice load. Nevels had interesting take on balancing time. Whew. Amazing.