Bryce Bernard, University of South Florida

University of South Florida long snapper Bryce Bernard, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, has been named a Military Bowl 3M STEM Scholar-Athlete.

Bernard, who is from Neptune Beach, Florida, has a 3.85 grade-point average. He enrolled at USF thinking that his football career was over and worked as a student assistant videotaping practices during the 2020 season. However, injuries to the team’s other long snappers put Bernard in uniform.

“Bryce is a very bright and hard-working student who is dedicated to his developing knowledge and skill set in the world of engineering and applying those skills to the benefit of his community,” said USF Academic Coordinator Rosemary Piedmont.

The Military Bowl 3M STEM Scholar-Athlete Program honors one football player at each university that is a member of the ACC and the American Athletic Conference – the two conferences that are represented in the Military Bowl college football game. These players are studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects and/or aspire to STEM careers.

“What an incredible collection of student-athletes, who demonstrate their leadership on the field and in the classroom while tackling challenging subjects that prepare them for the future,” Military Bowl President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “We are thrilled to honor these student-athletes for their dedication and success.”

For the two teams that participate in the 2021 Military Bowl, 3M will make a donation in the name of each school’s Military Bowl 3M STEM Scholar-Athlete Program representative to their school’s general scholarship fund, designated to be used by a STEM major from an under-represented population.

“3M is excited to recognize these outstanding students pursuing degrees in STEM-related fields,” said Skip Driessen, Director of 3M Government Markets. “We know how hard these scholar-athletes have worked on the field and in the classroom and look forward to their continued success.”