Natalie Halbach, a gymnast at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and McLain "Mac" Schneider, a football student-athlete from the University of North Dakota, are the 2003 recipients of the NCAA's Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarships.

Halbach and Schneider, who were selected from among six finalists (three men, three women), each will receive a $21,500 scholarship from the NCAA.

The Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Program was established in 1988 to recognize the contributions of former NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers and encourage academic excellence in student-athletes. A Byers scholar is recognized as an individual who has combined the best elements of mind and body to achieve national distinction for his or her achievements, and who promises to be a future leader in his or her chosen field.

The student-athletes are chosen in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and potential for success in postgraduate study in his or her planned career.

Award recipients must have a 3.500 grade-point average (4.000 scale), show evidence of superior character and leadership, and demonstrate that participation in athletics has been a positive influence on personal and intellectual development, among other qualifications.

Halbach, a National Merit Scholar, maintained a near-perfect grade-point average as an international studies and French major while attending North Carolina. She is applying to the Fulbright French Teaching Assistantship in France and the Jesuit Volunteer Corps to gain experience and narrow her interests before pursuing a degree in third-world development policy or nonprofit management to help fight world hunger.

A student-athlete advisory committee member and peer mentor helping incoming freshman ease their transition to college, Halbach also worked for three years on the North Carolina Dance Marathon project, raising funds for families at the North Carolina Children's Hospital.

Halbach's sense of service followed her abroad. While studying in France, she volunteered at an after-school youth program as a supervisor.

Halbach excelled academically as well. As the recipient of the Jacques Hardre Award for Undergraduate French Excellence and the Dana B. Drake Medal for excellence in French, she also earned dean's list honors in all but one semester.

Halbach was a team captain as a senior and twice earned the North Carolina Athletics Director's Scholar Athlete Award for gymnastics, while leading her team on the balance beam. She currently holds the second-highest balance beam score in North Carolina history (9.950).

Schneider graduated from North Dakota with summa cum laude honors as a history major and political science minor. He also was named the 2001 Harry S. Truman Scholar, earning a $30,000 scholarship awarded to college juniors who plan on pursuing a career in public service.

With aspirations of being elected to public office in North Dakota, Schneider has narrowed his list of law school choices to Harvard, Yale, Georgetown and North Dakota.

Schneider has interned for Sen. Kent Conrad, D-North Dakota, and as a member of Conrad's North Dakota regional office staff.

On campus, Schneider was a student-athlete advisory committee member and a member of numerous honor societies, including the Alpha Lambda Delta International College Honor Society.

He was also elected student senator and a "Great American Think-Off" national essay winner.

Schneider also co-founded the Holiday Magic from Markus charity, in honor of a North Dakota football fan who died of cancer at age 14. The charity accepts donations and purchases holiday gifts for hospitalized children. In 2002, the charity raised more than $5,000.

As an offensive lineman, Schneider was a key member of the 2001 Division II national championship team. Schneider was named to several academic all-district, all-conference and all-America teams during his football career and was recipient of the Iron Sioux Award.