Skyla Schulte, Jalen Thompson Named Michigan State’s Nominees for Jackie Robinson Award
4/7/2025 5:14:00 PM | Football, General, Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State's Skyla Schulte (gymnastics) and Jalen Thompson (football) have been named MSU's nominees for the inaugural Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award, the conference announced on Monday.
In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the Conference's appreciation, each of the 36 nominees will receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference.
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community.
Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school's first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, however, he is recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
"It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie's name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation," said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.
Schulte, a senior from Bolingbrook, Illinois, is a two-time NCAA Second Team All-American and four-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree. In 2024, she became MSU's first-ever Big Ten all-around champion and helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten regular season titles and the program's first Big Ten Championships crown. She is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2023 WCGA Scholastic All-American.
"As a student-athlete, we're very focused on our sport and school as well," said Schulte. "So I think that getting outside of your sport and the people that you're always around is very important. Trying to see what else I can do outside of gymnastics is a great opportunity to just grow as a person, but also help the community and others around me."
Schulte helped with "Spartan Works" this past summer, which was a first-year program that allowed individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be able to work in MSU Athletics to get more experience in the workplace.
"It is an honor to be nominated for an award named after Jackie Robinson," said Schulte. "I think that he was an inspiration to so many. I'm really big on inclusivity and I think that everybody should always be included in whatever activity or job it is, so (Michigan State Athletics) being able to do this (Spartan Works) program in the summer I feel like is a really great start for MSU just always helping others and trying to see what we can do better for the community."
Thompson, who will be entering his junior season in 2025, is a two-year letterwinner as a defensive end for the Spartans. The Detroit native has started in 16 consecutive games and earned Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2024. Off the field, Thompson organized a youth camp in his hometown of Detroit last summer that supported anti-gun violence initiatives, and he also hosted a "Cleats 4 Kids" camp in Lansing.
"I feel like it's my responsibility – I hope that everything that I try to pour into them, I hope they take that and use it for themselves and use it for others as well, and tell those around them, get them ideas, get them tools and get them resources," said Thompson. "Just knowing that you can give back to those who look up to you, your followers, your family, I feel like as much as you can, while you are here, while you are doing it now, let's give back.
"It's an honor to be nominated for the Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award."
Student-athletes were nominated based on the following criteria:
"Our student-athletes make significant contributions through competition, academics, and community impact," said Big Ten Senior Vice President, Community & Impact, Omar Brown. "This award allows the Big Ten to recognize these efforts in improving communities, just as we do with their other athletic and academic achievements. Jackie Robinson embodies this award and our goal to honor student-athletes who positively affect others."
The Big Ten Conference's commitment to athletics, academics and service goes back to the conference's founding. Coupling the academic goals set forth by leaders of the charter members of the conference with their steadfast commitment to athletics, the conference instituted the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, the first award to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on intercollegiate athletics. It is awarded annually by each member institution to one male and one female student of the graduating class who has attained the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
In June of 2020 the conference launched the Big Ten Equality Coalition. This group, which features student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, chancellors, presidents and other members, has a stated goal of seeking tangible ways to actively and constructively combat racism and hate around the world, while also empowering student-athletes to express their rights to free speech and peaceful protest. An important initiative resulting from conversations initiated by the coalition was the Big Ten Voter Registration Initiative.
In recent years, several delegations of conference student-athletes and administrators have traveled to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, for an immersive civil rights educational experience entitled: "Big Life Series: Selma to Montgomery." The visit to one of the key centers of the civil rights movement was highlighted by marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to learn more about the profound impact that young people had on the civil rights movement.
Additionally, the Big Ten Conference is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the communities where its major events are held, hosting sports clinics, renovating recreation centers, and giving elementary-aged children a behind-the-scenes experience with major Big Ten events. In all cases the conference focuses on creating meaningful improvements aimed at leaving each location better than it was found. Most recently, the Big Ten collaborated with the College Football Playoff Foundation, local sports organizations and local school districts to enhance spaces for teachers and children while providing additional educational and athletic opportunities for children.
In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the Conference's appreciation, each of the 36 nominees will receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference.
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community.
Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school's first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, however, he is recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
"It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie's name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation," said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.
Schulte, a senior from Bolingbrook, Illinois, is a two-time NCAA Second Team All-American and four-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree. In 2024, she became MSU's first-ever Big Ten all-around champion and helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten regular season titles and the program's first Big Ten Championships crown. She is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2023 WCGA Scholastic All-American.
"As a student-athlete, we're very focused on our sport and school as well," said Schulte. "So I think that getting outside of your sport and the people that you're always around is very important. Trying to see what else I can do outside of gymnastics is a great opportunity to just grow as a person, but also help the community and others around me."
Schulte helped with "Spartan Works" this past summer, which was a first-year program that allowed individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be able to work in MSU Athletics to get more experience in the workplace.
"It is an honor to be nominated for an award named after Jackie Robinson," said Schulte. "I think that he was an inspiration to so many. I'm really big on inclusivity and I think that everybody should always be included in whatever activity or job it is, so (Michigan State Athletics) being able to do this (Spartan Works) program in the summer I feel like is a really great start for MSU just always helping others and trying to see what we can do better for the community."
Skyla Schulte is working to make a difference beyond gymnastics.
— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 5, 2025
She is our female nominee for the Jackie Robinson Community and Impact Award, recognizing student-athletes who embody Jackie's values while making a difference through service and leadership. pic.twitter.com/q0l8RSUITd
Thompson, who will be entering his junior season in 2025, is a two-year letterwinner as a defensive end for the Spartans. The Detroit native has started in 16 consecutive games and earned Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2024. Off the field, Thompson organized a youth camp in his hometown of Detroit last summer that supported anti-gun violence initiatives, and he also hosted a "Cleats 4 Kids" camp in Lansing.
"I feel like it's my responsibility – I hope that everything that I try to pour into them, I hope they take that and use it for themselves and use it for others as well, and tell those around them, get them ideas, get them tools and get them resources," said Thompson. "Just knowing that you can give back to those who look up to you, your followers, your family, I feel like as much as you can, while you are here, while you are doing it now, let's give back.
"It's an honor to be nominated for the Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award."
Jalen Thompson is using his platform to make an impact off the field.
— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 6, 2025
He is our male nominee for the Jackie Robinson Community and Impact Award, recognizing student-athletes who embody Jackie's values while making a difference through service and leadership. pic.twitter.com/OvPWn4X2WW
Student-athletes were nominated based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
- Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
- Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.
"Our student-athletes make significant contributions through competition, academics, and community impact," said Big Ten Senior Vice President, Community & Impact, Omar Brown. "This award allows the Big Ten to recognize these efforts in improving communities, just as we do with their other athletic and academic achievements. Jackie Robinson embodies this award and our goal to honor student-athletes who positively affect others."
The Big Ten Conference's commitment to athletics, academics and service goes back to the conference's founding. Coupling the academic goals set forth by leaders of the charter members of the conference with their steadfast commitment to athletics, the conference instituted the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, the first award to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on intercollegiate athletics. It is awarded annually by each member institution to one male and one female student of the graduating class who has attained the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
In June of 2020 the conference launched the Big Ten Equality Coalition. This group, which features student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, chancellors, presidents and other members, has a stated goal of seeking tangible ways to actively and constructively combat racism and hate around the world, while also empowering student-athletes to express their rights to free speech and peaceful protest. An important initiative resulting from conversations initiated by the coalition was the Big Ten Voter Registration Initiative.
In recent years, several delegations of conference student-athletes and administrators have traveled to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, for an immersive civil rights educational experience entitled: "Big Life Series: Selma to Montgomery." The visit to one of the key centers of the civil rights movement was highlighted by marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to learn more about the profound impact that young people had on the civil rights movement.
Additionally, the Big Ten Conference is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the communities where its major events are held, hosting sports clinics, renovating recreation centers, and giving elementary-aged children a behind-the-scenes experience with major Big Ten events. In all cases the conference focuses on creating meaningful improvements aimed at leaving each location better than it was found. Most recently, the Big Ten collaborated with the College Football Playoff Foundation, local sports organizations and local school districts to enhance spaces for teachers and children while providing additional educational and athletic opportunities for children.
Players Mentioned
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
DL
/ FootballMichigan State Images: 2024-25
Friday, June 27
J Batt Introductory Press Conference | June 4, 2025
Wednesday, June 04
Spartans Fuel | Spartans All-Access
Wednesday, March 19
Wrapping Up | Spartans All-Access
Friday, December 20