University of North Carolina Athletics
GoHeels Exclusive: Sweet Receives Inaugural McKissick Sr. Award
April 12, 2018 | Football, Featured Writers, Student-Athlete Development
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Eight years ago, Dr. Shonda Goward and other members of the Washington D.C. Black Alumni Carolina Club started working toward creating a scholarship that recognized one of UNC's Black pioneers.
Specifically, the group intended to honor Floyd B. McKissick Sr., the first African-American to receive a law degree from UNC. But the scholarship never came to fruition.
Still, Goward, a 1999 Carolina graduate, hoped to one day recognize McKissick. So after returning to UNC last May as an academic director in the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, she approached Dr. Marcus Collins, the associate dean and director of the Center for Student Success and Academic Counseling, about establishing an award named after McKissick.
"And they said, 'Absolutely, we will do this,'" recalled Goward.
Thus, the Floyd B. McKissick Sr. Award was created.
The award will be given annually to an African-American male student who's advocated on behalf of other students and the Carolina community. And at the 2018 Hayden B. Renwick Academic Achievement Awards Ceremony, held Saturday inside the Student Union Great Hall, William Sweet became the inaugural recipient.
"First and foremost, I want to thank God for allowing me, for allowing all of us, to be here today," Sweet said. "Today was a great day to celebrate not only community service awards but also academic programs, people being awarded both on and off the field.
"I was fortunate enough to represent the student-athlete community today, which is something I'm really proud of."
A redshirt sophomore on the football team, Sweet has led the marketing and communications committee for UNC's Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He's also served as a volunteer for both the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill youth program and the UNC Bridge Builders minority male mentorship program.
Last fall, Sweet sustained an ACL injury in the Tar Heels' third game. But he made the most of a bad situation.
Sweet developed the concept for a cold compression sleeve that can be used on the entire leg from the ankle up. That idea won the fourth annual Carolina Challenge Pitch Party, UNC's business venture competition designed to promote entrepreneurship. He said Saturday he's in the process of obtaining a patent.
All of these things, Goward said, impressed the Floyd B. McKissick Sr. Award committee.
"The committee that reviewed the nominations noticed he's dedicated to improving the lives of other student-athletes," Goward said. "We know how challenging it is for an athlete in the first place to also be a student. But to go even further and excel in that way and then to compete in an entrepreneurship competition is amazing. And then finally, on top of all of that, the volunteering.
"The committee just thought that was absolutely amazing, and we just look forward to seeing all of the wonderful things he's going to continue to do."
Before receiving the award, Sweet said he didn't know much about McKissick. But he was familiar with the last name. Sweet said his pastor in Jacksonville, Fla., is also a McKissick. And after speaking with his father, Sweet learned his pastor is related to Floyd B. McKissick Sr.
On Saturday, Sweet was introduced to someone else related to McKissick – his youngest daughter, Charmaine McKissick-Melton.
McKissick-Melton, an associate professor in the department of mass communication at North Carolina Central University, attended the ceremony. After Sweet received the award, McKissick-Melton introduced herself to Sweet and presented him a copy of McKissick's 1969 book, "Three-fifths of a man."
"She gave me her business contact," Sweet said, "and said it won't be the last time that I see her, just to stay in contact."
With Sweet, the student-athlete who Chris Kapilovic once said sought out the contact information of people such as Bubba Cunningham and Corey Holliday after his official visit, you'd expect nothing less.
"Wearing that Carolina Blue, whether it's on or off the field, I take it very seriously," Sweet said. "I think just having that Carolina Blue either on me or on my mind helps me elevate my game."
