BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Four former Western Kentucky University basketball players are giving back to their alma mater.

Adam Howard ('09), Courtney Lee ('08), Orlando Méndez-Valdez (’09) and Anthony Winchester (’06) created a scholarship for underrepresented groups at WKU and students who may not be able to afford college without financial assistance. 

The Toppers Assist Scholarship Fund will go to a diverse incoming WKU freshman who graduated from a high school in Bowling Green or Warren County. The recipient must have shown a commitment to working with underrepresented or disadvantaged groups and displayed activism in bringing diverse people together.

Now the assistant men's basketball coach at the University of South Alabama, Howard says he and the former teammates owe their success to WKU.

“Success in life is about working with people, not against them,” said Howard. “Those who are in a good position in their own lives, it’s your responsibility to bring others along with you, no matter their need. To say I am honored to give back to the Bowling Green community with my brothers would be an understatement.”

Lee, a professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks, echoed these sentiments. 

“WKU is a special place to me, and I have always considered Bowling Green a second home,” he said. “I knew at some point I wanted to give back, and I really wanted it to be genuine and intentional. In today’s society, we need more unity, equality and leadership. Helping our youth has always been a passion of mine, and I am really excited about creating a scholarship through WKU with my former teammates to create an opportunity for a young man or young woman to get their foot in the door at a place that means so much to me.”
 
Méndez-Valdez, now a professional basketball player for Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League, wants to move forward with a goal of unity.

“We have the ability to use our individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives to make our society a better place,” said Méndez-Valdez. “Working alongside my WKU brothers from all different backgrounds gives us the opportunity to work for the community through teamwork.”
 
Men’s basketball video coordinator at University of Southern Mississippi Winchester feels similarly.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished,” said Winchester. “It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you made better and what you’ve given back. To be fortunate enough to have an opportunity to give back to a community and school I love dearly is an honor.”

“I am counting on all of Bowling Green and all of Hilltopper Nation to contribute and help in any way possible so that we can create even more opportunities through this scholarship fund that benefits diversity on the WKU campus,” he added.