Malcolm Mitchell, a 2015 senior wide receiver for the University of Georgia football team, has been voted as the winner of the 2015-16 Haier Ultimate Achievement Award, which is presented to a student-athlete for their accomplishments beyond sports. 

"The Haier Achievement Award program brings to light those student-athletes who have achieved success beyond sports," said John Homlish, senior vice president, Digital Living Business Unit for Haier America. "Malcolm's personal transformation and commitment to promote reading among young people makes him an outstanding role model."

Mitchell will be recognized on Saturday as representatives from Haier and BrandsMart present him with a trophy, make a $5,000 donation to the UGA scholarship fund and award a Haier 49-inch LED HD TV to the athletic department. 

Malcolm has transformed himself from someone who struggled to read during his days at Valdosta High School into a voracious reader, an active member of a local book club and a regular reader and speaker at local elementary schools. He has even written a children's book - The Magician's Hat - and started the ReadWithMalcolm.com website to encourage the community to get involved with reading.  

"I am blessed and honored to be able to represent one of the best schools in the nation that pushes its students to strive for excellence in and out of the classroom and on and off the playing field," Mitchell said. "Community service is very near and dear to my heart as it has molded me into the person I am today. I just hope that my contributions to the community can encourage everyone to get involved with reading."

Throughout March, fans voted online from eight student-athletes recognized during the year: Kelly Thomson (Kansas State); Megan Fish (Univ. Central Florida); Emily Fogle (Purdue); Brittany Snow (Stony Brook); Jesse Gunter (Baldwin Wallace); Femi Hollinger-Janzen (Univ. Indiana); and Imani Boyette (Univ. Texas).

Additionally, 12 student-athletes were recognized as Honorable Mention: Kacy Swain (UCLA); Laura Hall (Guilford College); Tori Biach (Northern State Univ); Mickey Ludlow (Univ Dayton); Lauren Hancher (College of Wooster); Lea Sobieraski (SUNY Geneseo); Lafayette Rutledge (Southwest Mississippi Community College); Mitch Granger (Univ Illinois-Chicago); Dalton Screws (Jacksonville State); Jason Vander Laan (Ferris State Univ); Dominic Moroglio (Univ of San Francisco); and Michael Lewis (Wayne State Univ).