Photo by M.O.I. Photography
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Saturday Surprise For NCCU’s Kyle Serba: Endowed Scholarship IN HIS NAME IS UNVEILED
The Saturday, Sept. 18th North Carolina Central-Winston Salem State football game will not be a gridiron clash that long-time CoSIDA member
Kyle Serba will soon forget.
Yes, his NCCU Eagles posted a 20-13 victory in their home O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium, but it will be a different type on on-field moment that will stay with Serba, the Executive Senior Associate A.D. for Strategic Communications. He has served at NCCU since August 1994.
During the game, Serba was surprised with an on-field presentation led by three former Eagle football student athletes — All-Conference offensive lineman Clevonne “Bear” Davis and Carl Jones Jr. along with former All-MEAC quarterback Malcolm Bell — who had collaborated to establish the Kyle Serba Endowed Scholarship. The shocked Serba joined them for a check presentation for $25,000 to jumpstart the scholarship.
The fund will allow a NCCU student or students majoring in mass communications with a 2.5 GPA or higher and a demonstrated financial need to intern with Serba for a minimum of 10 hours a week to assist and learn from Serba in the strategic communications office. Funds can be used for room and board, tuition, books and related expenses.
“If you know Kyle then you know there aren’t many people more deserving of being honored in this way. For 27 years, Kyle has been able to provide top notch coverage of our athletic department — doing a job that (other schools) would have multiple assistants and interns helping to fulfill day-to-day tasks,” wrote Bell, a three-time All-MEAC quarterback standout for NCCU from 2012-16, in a Facebook post. “I was always taught to find creative ways to show appreciation and I’m so glad were able to put our heads together and make this happen. Congrats, Kyle - thanks so much for making my experience a great one.”
Davis posted this about the scholarship honor.
“This was the definition of giving someone their roses while they can still smell them. Carl, Malcom, and I was able to do some research on Kyle before choosing to put the scholarship in his name. Every person we talked to about Kyle had nothing but top tier compliments to say about Kyle which wasn’t surprising at all. Kyle, you are appreciated!!! And it’s an honor to be able to do a scholarship in your name. It was a joy watching a grown man cry.”
Serba, who has earned Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) SID of the Year honors four times, also is a member of the NCCU Alex M. Rivera Athletics Hall of Fame. He is a member of the CoSIDA Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Here are the words Serba posted on Facebook with photos from the football scholarship presentation: “I’m deeply humbled, truly blessed, and sincerely grateful for the kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity shown to me by three NC Central University football alumni – Malcolm Bell, Carl Jones and Clevonne “Bear” Davis. I was overwhelmed with appreciation and flooded with emotion. Such an incredible gesture made by three outstanding young men, whom I have admired and respected since our days together at NCCU, and who I now consider dear friends.
Saturday was a night I will never forget, and the endowed scholarship is a gift I will cherish forever.”