Even though she was just an infant when ESPN’s Stump the Schwab last aired, first-year student Justine Shaw is familiar with the iconic Howie Schwab ’82SVC, star of the popular game show. Nearly a year after his death, Justine is the first beneficiary of the newly established Howie Schwab ’82SVC Scholarship Fund.
“I’m thrilled to be the first recipient of this scholarship named in Mr. Schwab’s memory and I want to express my gratitude to everyone involved,” said Justine, a Sport Management major from Mill Basin, NY. In addition to her studies, she works with the Women’s Basketball team as a Student Manager.
“There are so many deserving students who work in Athletics, and many student managers, so it is a real honor to be selected,” she said.
As a student manager, Justine fills a crucial, behind-the-scenes role in supporting the coaching staff and players. On any given day, she is managing team gear, helping with practices and shootarounds, or arranging pregame meals.
“It’s a demanding job, but it’s a great opportunity to be involved with the team,” she said.
The scholarship was created in memory of Howie Schwab ’82SVC, at the suggestion of Howie’s mentor, friend, and former colleague, legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale. “Dick called me out of the blue and said, ‘I think we should start a scholarship in Howie’s name, so I’m sending a check to St. John’s,’” explained Howie’s mother, Dona Schwab.
At St. John’s, Howie worked at the University’s radio station WSJU Radio. He wrote for the student newspaper The Torch, famously breaking the news that Chris Mullin had committed to play for the Men’s Basketball team. He joined ESPN in 1987 and became the first statistician in the network’s history.
His savant-like knowledge of sports led to the creation of Stump the Schwab. Hosted by the late Stuart Scott, the show aired from 2004 to 2006 and pitted three contestants against Mr. Schwab in a contest of sports trivia. He earned three Sports Emmy® Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at ESPN—two for SportsCenter and one for Outside the Lines.
After leaving ESPN, he began working behind the scenes with Mr. Vitale, and the two formed a lasting friendship. “He and Howie were really like father and son,” Mrs. Schwab said.
For Mr. Vitale, the scholarship seemed like a fitting way to honor the legacy of the St. John’s alumnus and Red Storm fanatic. “Howie had a great passion for St. John’s,” Mr. Vitale explained. “He followed everything that went on with the Red Storm, so he would be in ‘hoops hysteria’ over what Head Coach Rick Pitino is doing. Yes, he would be in the first row cheering on the Red Storm.”
The scholarship also has the support of James Pitaro ’94L, Chairman of ESPN, who will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws and address graduates at St. John’s School of Law’s Commencement in May.
“Howie Schwab, aka ‘The Schwab,’ had made it possible and cool to be into the statistics and numbers behind sports,” offered David P. Hedlund, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson of the Division of Sport Management, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies. “He left an amazing legacy here at St. John’s, so it is only fitting that we can recognize and award a student who brings together exceptional academic success with supporting athletic teams. Justine absolutely fits that mold.”
Mrs. Schwab echoed this sentiment, reflecting on Howie’s deep passion for sports and his desire to be involved beyond the field of play. “While he wasn’t athletic himself, he was passionate about athletics and always looking for ways to be a part of the different sports programs,” she reflected. “We spent a long time considering what Howie would have wanted, and we realized that so many dedicated individuals work behind the scenes in Athletics, just as he did. I believe those are the kinds of students Howie would have loved to see recognized and rewarded.”
Mike Repole ’91SVC, ’11HON, a successful serial entrepreneur and a leading supporter of St. John’s University Red Storm Athletics, shared professional insights and life lessons with students in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business on February 24 in a two-hour discussion that drew upon his background as a St. John’s undergraduate and, later, as a beverage entrepreneur.
The opportunity to learn from the experiences of an Olympic medalist and fencing Hall of Famer turned entrepreneur drew a roomful of St. John’s University students, faculty, and administrators to the Venture & Innovation Center (VIC) at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business on February 20.
Each year, St. John’s invites alumni couples whose love stories began while they were students to return to alma mater for the Blessing of the Couples Mass to celebrate their enduring love for each other and the University.
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