Gillum Featured as MVC Scholar-Athlete

Photo courtesy goredbirds.com

ST. LOUIS, MO. – Senior Jake Gillum was recognized and Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete for his success on and off the track.

Gillum is an Exercise Science major Spanish minor at Illinois State, who has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his first three years of college, while excelling in cross country and track & field and being an active member of the Bloomington-Normal community.

The Metamora, Illinois native volunteers through Oakdale Elementary School’s Mentorship Program and Pen Pal Program. Gillum monitors lunch/recess, engages students in physical activity and oversees a classroom by supervising activities, tutoring and reading to the class. The Pen Pal Program allows Gillum to continue to engage with the Oakdale students throughout the entire year.

Gillum was one of 14 Illinois State students to be named a 2020-21 Robert G. Bone Scholar, which is the highest university-wide honor to be given to undergraduate students at ISU.

Gillum competed at all six meets for the Redbird men’s cross country team as a junior, including the MVC Cross Country Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regional. He finished in the top-35 four times with his best performances coming in the 6K at the Hawkeye Invitational (15th/18:46.1) and the 8K (23rd/25:31.6) at the Illinois State Invite.

During the 2020 indoor campaign, Gillum earned All-Valley honors by helping the Redbirds to a second-place finish in the distance medley relay and scored points for ISU, finishing sixth in the mile.

Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 outdoor season was canceled and the 2020 cross country season has been postponed.