In the spirit of the commencing March Madness athletic competition, this month we are celebrating FAITH Scholars who are leaders in their classrooms and also on the court, field, rink and track. In 2021, nearly 90% of FAITH Scholars were high school athletes with 38% serving as captains of their sports teams. Throughout the years, many continue as Student Athletes in college, maintaining excellence in their academics while beating personal bests, earning titles and breaking records for their university athletic departments.
Please join us in celebrating these extraordinary FAITH Scholar Student Athletes! We extend our sincere gratitude to our Founders for their generous support of all of FAITH Scholars.
Christina Bourantas
FAITH-STEM Scholar '18
Depauw University
Christina is a three-year letter winner for the DePauw Tigers field hockey team and was named the 2021 NFHCA Division III Scholar of Distinction. Along with hosting youth field hockey workshops, she is president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and secretary for the North Coast Athletic Conference. Christina is majoring in physics, interns for her university's kinesiology department and the children’s hospital and is chief-of-staff for the student government. In addition to her undergraduate studies, she is in a PhD program specializing in biomechanics with the goal to develop devices for individuals with physical challenges.
Loukas Carayannopoulos
FAITH STEM Scholar '17
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Loukas was the captain of the MIT men’s soccer team, where he led his team in goals, assists and points. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2017 and since made Academic All-Conference, All-Conference Second Team and All-Conference First Team. Loukas is pursuing a PhD in Nuclear Engineering, interned at General Atomics in San Diego and the chemical engineering research lab and has volunteered regularly at his parish.
Nick Karayianis
FAITH STEM Scholar '20
University of Virginia
Nick is a sophomore member of the Cavalier's track team. He ran a personal best in in the 2021 Cross Country XC23 Invitational and was appointed to the 2021 ACC Conference Academic Honor Roll. Nick is an architecture major who works with Housing the Homeless to affordable modular housing for the displaced population in his community.
Ashley Spirrison
FAITH STEM Scholar '18
Trine University
Ashley is the second student-athlete in program history to earn first-team honors from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s All-MIAA First Team. She quickly became the top tennis player in her school’s NCAA history with 43 singles victories. She received the All-Academic Award, Student Athlete and is active on the Student Athletic Council. Ashley majors in biomedical engineering, interned for St. Vincent Hospital and is active in the Engineering Honor Society and the Society of Biomedical Engineers.