Amidst the buzz of competition and great athleticism on display during the March Madness tournament, we are featuring FAITH Scholar Student Athletes who are making their mark in the sports sphere while excelling in academics and extracurriculars. Over 80% of FAITH Scholars balanced team sports in high school and the following recent FAITH Scholars continue to compete on a university level, helping their teams break records while pursuing their educational and career goals.
Continuing in the spirit of sportsmanship, excellence and basketball, we would like to highlight a recent initiative announcing that FAITH Founder John Calamos' firm Calamos Investments partnered with NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. See below to read more about this impactful initiative.
Ioanna Copulos, 2022 FAITH Scholar; Biology, Emory University
Ioanna is a setter for the Emory University volleyball team. Prior, as team captain of varsity volleyball, she helped her team win the 2019 District Title and received accolades such as Team MVP, Coach's Award, Impact Player of the Year and Southeast Champion. Off the court, Ioanna is active in Greek Club, scholar athlete associations and helped lead 11 Greek Orthodox parishes in South Florida to raise close to $30,000 for homeless youth. She is interested in sports medicine specifically focusing on a cure for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) caused by multiple concussions.
Sophia Georgopoulos, 2021 FAITH Scholar; International Business, Marist College
Sophia plays defense for the Marist College lacrosse team. An accomplished scholar athlete, she played in the Women’s National Lacrosse Tournament and coaches younger athletes while remaining active in academic associations. As a One Love Ambassador, she dedicates much of her time off the field to volunteer work. She connected neighbors to accessible healthcare with the Wider Circle organization, collected essential items for kids in the foster care system and serves on the woman’s board of the Montgomery General Hospital. Additionally, she was admitted into the National Academy of American History and Civics and aspires to pursue law with a specialization in international business.
Jonathan Rosenberg, 2021 FAITH Scholar; Biomedical Sciences, California Baptist University
Jonathan plays goalie for California Baptist University's water polo team. He is a four-time All-North Capital Valley Conference and All-League First Teamer. In high school, he was named Section MVP after guiding his team to the section title in 2019. Additionally, he was a three-time team Defensive MVP and all-around MVP in 2021. Outside of the pool, Jonathan is an officer in the pre-med club and active in the biology club and Pre-Soma club. He taught at a STEAM camp for elementary students, interned at a fruit orchard handling irrigation and structural maintenance efforts and works with his parish to fundraise for local charities. Jonathan aspires to attend medical school and interned for a physician over the summer.
FAITH Founders in the News
What happens when you combine the Hellenic ideals of excellence and ethos? With the aim to inspire, drive greatness and contribute to a better world, Calamos Investments, founded by John P. Calamos, Sr., has partnered with NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to launch the new Calamos Antetokounmpo Sustainable Equity Funds, a suite of ESG funds that will be publicly accessible to investors. With shared goals of economic empowerment, financial education, and giving back, the Calamos Antetokounmpo partnership seeks to donate a portion of its revenues to charity.