Super Bowl LVII is three days away and one Southern Miss doctoral candidate will be on display in the moments leading up to the most viewed annual sporting event in the U.S.
Fabersha Flynt, who is pursuing a doctorate in higher education administration at USM, will be joining three fellow Pat Tillman scholars as honorary coin-toss captains to determine whether the Philadelphia Eagles or the Kansas City Chiefs will have the first offensive possession of the game.
The Tillman Scholarship was created in 2004 by friends and family of former Arizona Cardinals safety turned U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman in the aftermath of his tragic death in Afghanistan. The program is a network of over 700 leaders united by their military service, academic passions, and desires to make an impact through service.
Flynt discovered that she would be front and center of the largest stage in American sports during a conference call with NFL All-Pro J.J. Watt.
“I had no idea this was going to happen,” Flynt said. “I was originally told that I would be speaking with an investor. I was completely shocked when I saw J.J. Watt pop up on the screen.”
The USM doctoral candidate became eligible for the scholarship after her husband, Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Lewis, was killed in March 2006 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The couple had been married for only a year.
Out of thousands of applicants, the foundation selected Flynt as one of the 60 U.S. service members, veterans, and military spouses for the 2021 Tillman Scholars cohort. She is the first and only Tillman Scholar to represent USM, as well as one of the few surviving spouses who have participated in the scholarship program to date.
Through her loss, Flynt found her purpose in helping others in higher education. She has created a scholarship in memory of her late husband and founded an educational consulting firm geared towards helping institutes of higher education foster learning environments that value diversity and inclusion for marginalized students.
Flynt currently serves as the executive director of adult education at Athens Technical College, Walton County Campus. She hopes to complete her doctorate at USM in May 2024.
“This degree is helping me learn how to serve students in my current position even better and preparing me to be a transformative leader as my career progresses,” Flynt said. “The coursework at USM has challenged me to continue growing and learning. I am so thankful to be a Golden Eagle.”
Accompanying Flynt to Sunday’s big game will be her son, Kaden. Flynt says a dream of hers to take Kaden to a Super Bowl is finally coming to fruition.
Kickoff for Super Bowl LVII is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT and can be watched on Fox.
SUPER BOWL SURPRISE: Four Pat Tillman Foundation scholars are going to #SuperBowlLVII!@NFL star @JJWatt surprised all four on a Zoom call with the news that they’ll get to see the coin toss in person as they serve as honorary captains for the game. pic.twitter.com/4fTjecuefo
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 27, 2023
