By Aubrey Tarbox
In the spring, Clemson University’s Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI) selected 10 undergraduate students from different disciplines to receive a $2,000 scholarship in honor of Markvan Bellamy Brooks ‘91, Robert H. Brooks’ late son.
Students are selected by Institute faculty fellows in their department based on criteria such as their accomplishments and career aspirations related to sports science.
The following students have been awarded the Markvan Bellamy Brooks Endowed Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Charles Sariti: School of Accountancy
Sariti is a junior Economics and Legal Studies major, who holds an executive role in the Clemson Business Pre-Law Society and is currently the team lead for the Tiger Paw Classic charity golf tournament, which supports Ripple of One. Since he was 10 years-old, he has worked for the New York Boulders minor league team, beginning as a batboy to taking on roles such as clubhouse intern and full clubhouse manager in 2020-2024, managing two 40-men clubhouses.
“This scholarship has given me the flexibility to pursue educational opportunities outside of the classroom by helping cover a portion of my tuition,” Sariti said. “Without this scholarship, I would have to dedicate more of my time to working to cover the cost of enrollment and be unable to take advantage of many invaluable learning and leadership experiences available at Clemson. This scholarship program has also helped to connect me with a phenomenal cohort of students with similar career interests and a professional passion for sport.”
Currently, he is in the pre-tournament planning phase for the upcoming Tiger Paw Classic, working with the Sales Innovation Program to support Ripple of One, a local charitable organization helping close the welfare gap. Over the summer, Sariti plans to intern in the financial planning and analysis field, eventually earning his J.D. and pursuing a career in sports agency and talent representation, enrolling in law school in 2028.
Savannah Reese: Department of Animal and Vet Sciences
Reese is a junior Animal and Veterinary Science major with a concentration in pre-vet. She is also a member of the Clemson Pre-Vet Club and the Clemson Equestrian Team. Reese has been an equestrian athlete since she was seven, competing in various events such as ranch, hunter, jumping, cow horse, western dressage, barrel racing and more.
“This sports industry has shaped, challenged, and grown me in many ways,” Reese said. “Competing in equestrian shows has grown me as a person, sharpened my focus, and given me a passion for horses and sports medicine. My participation in equine sports has also shaped my passion for veterinary medicine and largely influenced my decision to become an equine vet.”
When she’s not competing, Reese trains horses to help their rider, in addition to teaching horse riding lessons. She hopes to receive an internship at an equine veterinary hospital that regularly treats high-level sport horses.
Hadley Smith: Department of Automotive Engineering
Smith is a junior Automotive Engineering major and the operations lead for Clemson Tiger Racing (CTR). With CTR, she and her colleagues are a fully functional racing team, complete with a pit crew, race engineers, mechanics, operations, and more. Smith works behind the scenes with logistics and the race engineering team.
“School is expensive, so being awarded this scholarship has really helped me focus on what I love rather than finances,” Smith said. “Additionally, this scholarship has given me the opportunity to connect with so many amazing individuals and develop a relationship between Clemson Tiger Racing and the Brooks Institute. I could not be more grateful to represent the Automotive Engineering Department with this scholarship, and I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to continue pursuing what I love!”
Smith is currently helping build CTR’s 1991 Miata for their race in December and is also planning to enter the Lucky Dog race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama with CTR. Over the summer, she plans to continue her internship with Scout Motors, where she was a production intern last year.
Sara Cooper: Department of Bioengineering
Cooper is a senior Biomedical Engineering major, currently serving as a lead bioengineering ambassador and national conference chair for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She’s currently part of a research team at Clemson on the Sub-concussive Trauma Research in Impact of Dynamic Equestrian Gaits (STRIDE) project. Their research focuses on the physical forces equestrian athletes may experience.
“Beyond the financial support, [the Brooks Scholarship] has given me the freedom to pursue opportunities that genuinely excite me, including undergraduate research and exploring the intersection of engineering, healthcare, and sports science,” Cooper said. “It’s also incredibly encouraging to know that there are people who believe in my potential and are willing to invest in my future. As someone who is still discovering all the ways my interests can come together, that support means so much. This scholarship has encouraged me to keep asking questions, chasing new opportunities, and making the most of my time at Clemson. I’m so grateful to be part of a community that believes in what students can accomplish!”
Cooper will continue her undergraduate research for the 2026-2027 academic year and looks forward to completing her senior design project. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in the medical device industry as a clinical specialist in cardiac rhythm management.
Adam Paganelli: Department of Chemistry
Paganelli is a senior Chemistry major from Woodbury, CT. Under RHBSSI faculty fellow Christopher Chouinard, Ph.D., Paganelli has been conducting research on anti-doping studies, focusing on how to better detect prohibited drugs during testing. Specifically, they are using mass spectrometry, an analytical technique measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of ions, to look at multiple kinds of selective estrogen receptor modular (SERM) drugs.
“This generous scholarship has allowed me to put all my focus on my research and academics without worrying about a possible financial burden,” Paganelli said.
The next step of Paganelli’s research is to look at diuretics and masking agents, which are also prohibited, using mass spectrometry. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in flavor chemistry in the food industry, beginning the process of becoming a flavor chemist.
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Jordan York: Department of Communication
York is a senior Sports Communication major with a minor in Athletic Leadership. At Clemson, he is the assistant general manager of TigerVision and helps produce various shows for the club. He also works with Anderson University and Southern Wesleyan University to announce and broadcast athletic events, where he has called over 150 games in total.
“I’ve been involved in sports my whole life, and specifically sports broadcasting,” York said. “This scholarship helped me by proving that all of my hard work was being noticed by somebody, and it was nice to receive the scholarship as validation that what I’m doing is worth it.”
York will continue to host and produce shows with TigerVision for the 2026-2027 academic year, as well as announce games at Anderson and SWU. Post-graduation, he plans to expand to more schools in the area and eventually work with major networks like ESPN.
Eloise Trimble: Department of Graphic Communications
Trimble is a senior Graphic Communications major, serving on the Graphic Communications Student Advisory Boad leading its communications team, is a College of Business Recruitment Ambassador, a creative on a team with Boll and Branch through Cadency and is a member of the Snowboard and Ski Club. She has been involved in sports before even stepping foot in Clemson, helping create designs and video graphics for her hometown summer league baseball team as well as managing her high school volleyball team’s social media and game-day graphics.
“I’m continuing to develop my skills in Graphic Communications and through Cadency, Clemson’s student-led brand agency,” Trimble said. “There, I’m gaining real-world experience in design and brand work while thinking about how those skills could apply to sports. I’d love to explore areas like team brand, sports campaigns or visual storytelling. This scholarship has encouraged me to keep that possibility open as I grow as a designer.”
She has also helped develop a campaign strategy for the proposed Carolina Cycling Classic in Greenville, working to create graphics, public relations tactics and other materials to support the event. Ahead of graduation, Trimble looks to pursue a career working at a creative agency, wanting to help brands tell their stories and form collaborations in the sports industry.
Matthew Smith: Department of Marketing
Smith is a senior Marketing major from New Providence, NJ, currently a Clemson Football Student Equipment Manager. He’s been an equipment manager since his sophomore year, where he assists in preparation, inventory and distribution of all apparel, equipment and materials for over 200 players and staff.
“I plan to work post-grad in sports marketing or work for a professional or college team in corporate partnerships, team operations or marketing,” Smith said. “This scholarship has helped me pursue more opportunities to advance my career and motivated me to continue making the most of the opportunities I have.”
Over the summer, Smith completed a sports marketing internship with the running and track and field team at Nike. For the rest of the 2026 football season, he will continue working with the quarterbacks and as a ball boy on game days as an equipment manager.
Mason Ellis: Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
Ellis is a Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management major with an emphasis in Sport and Recreation Management. Ellis is a member of Clemson Club Tennis and Clemson Wesley. He also works in the recruiting department as a coach’s recruiting assistant for Clemson Football, as well as the lead data analytics intern for Clemson Women’s Lacrosse.
“The Brooks Scholarship has helped me be able to attend the school and focus on getting hands-on experience with the football team and lacrosse team, that is unpaid, that gives me experience for my career rather than worrying about funding tuition,” Ellis said.
Last spring, Ellis was a Clemson Olympic Sports Science intern focusing on data analytics and began working for Clemson Football in July. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in Sports Business and Analytics while continuing his work with Clemson Football.
Maddie Lincoln: Department of Physics and Astronomy
Lincoln is a senior Physics major from Lake Worth, FL, currently researching the physics behind uneven bars in gymnastics, focusing on a gymnast’s dismount. She grew up playing sports and is also a member of Clemson University’s Tiger Band.
“I had known nothing about sports science, let alone the topic of physics in sports,” Lincoln said. “This scholarship honestly helped my morale, especially being so close to graduation.”
After graduation, Lincoln hopes to work full-time while pursuing her Master’s Degree in Computational Physics or Data Science.
