By Kyle T. Mosley
Tristen Edgerson, a former student of Grambling State University and a graduate of McNeese State University, was ready to begin his career in sports journalism before he tragically lost his life due to a sudden brain hemorrhage.
Tristen was 23 when he transitioned and just completed his collegiate studies before interning for me at the Saints News Network on Sports Illustrated. He was a bright, charming, and insightful young man.
Althougth Tristen Edgerson could not fulfill his professional dreams, the HBCU Legacy Bowl and his family want to keep his legacy alive for HBCU students interested in pursuing their own.
Tristen’s Godmother and Aunt is highly respected in the sports broadcasting industry. Shaneika Dabney-Henderson is the HBCU Legacy Bowl’s committee chair and VP of Production for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans.
“We will we hope it will help other students like Tristen who didn’t have access to come up in a privileged environment where doors were just easily opened for him,”
Dabney-Henderson expressed. “We want to give this to a student like him that hopefully, it will help them get that footing they need to take that next step,”
With Dabney-Henderson’s guidance, Neville helped establish the family’s “Tristen Edgerson Memorial Fund” and the HBCU Legacy Bowl’s scholarship award in his name.
“The family’s Tristen Edgerson Memorial Foundation will be a non-profit organization. Our goal is to bring awareness and give away two $2,500 scholarships to high school students in Louisiana who have demonstrated to be the most improved student.” She concluded, “[Tristen] wasn’t an A student. But he became one of the most improved because his Mama wasn’t playing with him!” She laughed. “And, he graduated with honors.”
As a result, the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl will award four HBCU students with a merit-based scholarship of $2,500 based on need.