HANCEVILLE – MaKenzie Bearden spent two seasons shining on the volleyball court for Wallace State Community College.
Bearden has also excelled in the classroom. She is one of two Wallace State students to earn the UAB Presidential Transfer Scholarship, which covers tuition and academic-related fees for four semesters at UAB, beginning in the fall.
“This scholarship was something I was very interested in. I know it was a competitive process, so I’m super excited to have this opportunity. I’m honored to receive the scholarship,” Bearden said.
Bearden, 20, is a Geraldine High graduate and came to Wallace State on an athletic scholarship to play volleyball. Bearden was a member of two Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) championship teams with the Lions and was a 1st-team All- ACCC/Region 22 selection in 2016 after leading the conference in hitting percentage and kills.
Off the court, Bearden was named a NJCAA Exemplary Academic Achievement recipient last summer for earning a GPA between 3.60-3.79 as the volleyball team finished with a cumulative 3.48 GPA — the top mark among the athletic programs at Wallace State.
Bearden, also a member of Wallace State’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, plans to major in secondary education at UAB with a concentration in biology.
Bearden is grateful for the two years she’s spent at Wallace State. She’ll graduate with a general studies degree on May 12.
“Wallace State has helped me grow so much as a person. It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve had great professors and learned so much as a student and athlete. I’m going to miss it, for sure. I’ve made some of my best friends at Wallace State,” Bearden said.
Jasmine Zavala is the other UAB scholarship recipient from Wallace State. You can read her story here: http://news.wallacestate.edu/2017/03/17/wallace-state-sophomore-jasmine-zavala-named-recipient-of-uab-presidential-scholarship/
