ATLANTA – Georgia State wide receiver and graduate student Jonathan Ifedi has been named a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, college football's premier scholar-athlete award, announced Thursday by National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF).
 
Celebrating its 31st year, the Campbell Trophy® recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
 
Ifedi is a Dean's List student who is pursuing his master's degree in information systems, with a concentration in cybersecurity. The Charlotte, N.C., native (Vance High School) earned his bachelor's degree in 2019 in computer information systems.
 
"My parents always stressed the importance of education," Ifedi said. "They always taught me that football would not last forever, so you have to get your education."
 
On the field, "Steady Fedi," as head coach Shawn Elliott called him, is a key contributor at wide receiver with 45 career receptions for 454 yards. In 2019, he was fifth on the team in receptions while starting eight games and helping the GSU offense to a record-setting season. He has played in two bowl games for the Panthers.
 
Ifedi and the Panthers host East Carolina Saturday at noon at Center Parc Stadium in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU.
 
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for Campbell Trophy® must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
 
The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
 
The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Later this year, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 31st Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, having his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000 and receiving his own 25-pound-bronze version of the iconic statue.
 
Ifedi joins former GSU standouts Chandon Sullivan, Terry Thomas, Bobby Baker, Nick Arbuckle and Kalan Jenkins as Campbell Trophy® semifinalists. Sullivan, now playing for the Green Bay Packers, went on the become Georgia State's first finalist for the award.