Tennessee State University (TSU) student Alexandria Stewart (pictured left with Baptist Senior Vice President/Chief Legal Officer Greg Duckett) recently received the first Southern Heritage Classic scholarship, which Baptist funded.
TSU won the $5,000 scholarship because its team of alumni and supporters won the first “Who has the Most Heart?” challenge, started during the 2013 Southern Heritage Classic. Southern Heritage Classic an annual weekend of events surrounding a football game between TSU and Jackson State University (JSU).
“Who has the Most Heart?” challenges participants to self-monitor their blood pressure, weight and body mass index using the American Heart Association’s Check Change Control software. Baptist promotes the challenge during the Southern Heritage Classic weekend while offering attendees free blood pressure checks, performed by Baptist Health Sciences University students.
The school whose team is most active in monitoring their health will win the scholarship, which Baptist awards every year. The winning school can award the scholarship to an allied health student of its choice who meets the Baptist Scholarship Guidelines.
Participation in the challenge and the retention rate have increased every year, from 559 and a 12 percent retention rate in 2013 to 1,381 and a 24 percent retention rate last year. In addition, participants’ systolic blood pressure dropped by an average of 14.20 mmHg, and their diastolic blood pressure fell by 10.43 mmHg on average.
Anyone can participate in the challenge. Visit www.baptistonline.org/mostheart.