Fairfax, Va. – Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine named UMBC senior track and field student-athlete Jayo Adegboyo (Columbia, Md./Howard) the 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education sponsors the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor students of color who have excelled in the classroom and on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education and love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.
"Since his arrival to UMBC, Jayo has brought his dynamic approach to his athletic and academic experiences," said UMBC head track and field coach David Bobb. "Jayo's fun-loving personality disguises his relentless pursuit of excellence, and that combination makes him an obvious asset. Mr. Adegboyo's positive attitude extends beyond the athletic department. He is a well-adjusted part of UMBC's community. His balance between academics and athletics has set an effective example for his peers. This leader interacts effectively with upper-level administration, faculty, and students of all ages. His attentive nature accentuates his ability to articulate intelligent thoughts and intuitive questions. These attitudes and abilities demonstrate maturity beyond his years."
Adegboyo will be profiled in the June 5th publication issue which will feature the magazine's annual Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars coverage.
Athletic Honors:
- 2023-2024 Indoor : A bronze-medal winning 4x400m squad member who set a new school record of 3:14.69.
- 2022-23 Indoor: A member of the bronze-medal winning 4 x 400 relay quartet at the America East Championships.
- Earned gold in the 500 meters at the Liberty Open.
- 2023 Outdoor: Also earned gold as part of UMBC's winning 4x400 meter relay squad at UAlbany…Competed in the 4x400m relay at the IC4A Championships where the quartet finished in a time of 3:20.03.
- 2024 Outdoor: Earned Gold in 4x4 Relay
Community Service Activities:
- Volunteering at the University of Maryland Medical Center's Trauma Resuscitation Unit involves restocking shelves, transporting patients to bays, and assisting nurses and doctors with patient management.
- Volunteering at the Howard County Food Bank by helping them monitor the stocks of items, guiding shoppers to items they need for groceries, and being a hospitable helper.
- Serve as a mentor on and off the track for younger peers in the Chemistry, Biology, and Physics departments, mainly for students with interests in pursuing careers related to research.
- Conduct virtual research with the migraine lab at the University of Iowa and in-person research on UMBC's campus with Dr. Minjoung Kyoung's biochemistry lab in the Meyerhoff Building where we investigate how metabolic nutrients arrange inside of cells to discover markers for cancer cells vs normal cells.
Academic Awards:
- President's List (4.0 semester GPA) in fall 2020, fall 2021, spring 2022, fall 2022, spring 2023 and spring 2024
- Dean's List (3.75-3.99 semester GPA) in spring 2021 and fall 2023
- America East Commissioner's Honor Roll (3.5 or higher semester GPA): spring 2021, spring 2022, spring 2023 and spring 2024
