DEARBORN, Mich. – Former University of Michigan-Dearborn men's soccer student-athlete Grant Baker received a distinguished honor from UM-Dearborn, it was announced Wednesday.
Baker, from Brownstown, Mich., was named a Fall 2020 UM-Dearborn Chancellor's Medallion honoree for his exceptional performance in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Baker is the first UM-Dearborn student-athlete to earn the award since former UM-Dearborn men's ice hockey forward Tyler Dalton in the Winter 2018 semester.
Each semester, UM-Dearborn honors a very select group of students with the Chancellor's Medallion. Chosen by faculty from their respective colleges, the Fall 2020 graduates are being recognized for their outstanding quality of character, vitality, intellect, integrity, and academic record.
Baker is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Bioengineering with the honor of high distinction.
Upon admission to UM-Dearborn in Fall 2016, Baker was a recipient of the Chancellor's Scholarship. In recognition of his high academic achievement, Baker was named a James B. Angell Scholar in 2018. He has been awarded University Honors six times and was named a UM-Dearborn Honor Scholar in 2019 for Bioengineering. Baker has been named to the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean's List for eight semesters throughout his collegiate career.
Faculty in the Mechanical Engineering department as an exceptionally bright and hardworking student describes Baker. Grant is pursuing the 4+1 master's program in Bioengineering, a program in which highly qualified students can earn BSE and MSE degrees in a five-year accelerated format. He works as a research assistant studying injury and sports biomechanics and was the recipient of the James and Jeraldine Poe undergraduate research assistantship in 2020.
In addition to his rigorous academic studies, Grant is on the UM-Dearborn men's soccer team and was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District and All-American teams in 2019. He was the first student-athlete in the program's history to receive this national honor. He has also been recognized as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and has been named to the Athletic Director Honor Roll throughout his academic career.
As a member of the Wolverine men's soccer team, along with his twin brother Luke Baker, Grant played in 58 games over four years, recording two goals and an assist, while anchoring the team's defense as a senior.
After graduation, Grant plans to finish his master's degree in Bioengineering at UM-Dearborn, pursue future doctoral studies, and continue his research in injury and sports biomechanics.
