Victor Ojeleye’s devotion to exercising due diligence on the basketball court and in the classroom served him well at Kansas State. But there’s so much more to Ojeleye than baseline jumpers and a stellar grade-point average. He also has the heart of a servant.
Those character traits affirm the choice of Ojeleye as this year’s male recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine.
Ojeleye’s college career ended in March when Kansas State lost to Syracuse in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Yet, he felt compelled to help out when Coach Frank Martin opted to leave K-State for the opening at the University of South Carolina. “Even though Victor’s eligibility had expired, he’s been extremely helpful to our new coach [Bruce Weber] even though he won’t play for him,” said John Currie, Kansas State athletics director. “And quite frankly, he helped me to figure out how to best manage the transition. That’s an example of his selfless character.”
During the past four years, Martin has witnessed Ojeleye’s ability to effectively connect with his teammates. His passion for life and for people, the coach explained, is undeniable.
“With him, everything is about being thankful for the opportunities that we get,” Martin said. “It’s about being thankful for having another chance to get better. He’s uplifting to everyone that he touches. I learned how to become a better basketball coach just by having him there every single day. He taught me how to become a better communicator, a better teacher.”
Academically, Ojeleye (pronounced Oh-jah-LAY) is a bona fide superstar. He sports a near-perfect 3.95 cumulative grade point average and graduated in May with a double major in accounting and finance. After graduation, a position in accounting and finance awaits him at Koch Industries, a multinational conglomerate corporation based in Wichita, Kan.
As a four-year walk-on, Ojeleye earned more than $26,000 in academic scholarships during his time at K-State. Most notably, he’s a three-time first-team selection for the Big 12 All-Academic team. Equally impressive is that he was honored with the inaugural Dr. Gerald Lage Award, given to student-athletes who have earned 100 or more hours of academic credit with a cumulative 3.8 grade point average, from the Big 12 Conference (2010-11).
