INDIANAPOLIS – Cal Poly Pomona track and field alum Camden Patterson has been selected as a recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year, earning one of 42 scholarships awarded to spring sport student-athletes from across all three NCAA divisions. Each recipient receives a one-time $10,000 scholarship to support graduate study.
 
Patterson, who recently concluded an outstanding career with the Broncos from 2022-25, will attend the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine this fall, where he plans to pursue a career in medicine.
 
"I honestly do not think any of this would have been possible without CPP Athletics," Patterson said. "Coming out of high school, I was not someone who seemed destined for medical school, and I was still figuring out who I wanted to become. CPP Track and Field gave me structure, accountability, and a community that pushed me to expect more from myself."
 
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through academic achievement, athletics success, leadership, campus involvement, and community service. Established in 1964, the program annually awards 126 scholarships across the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons.
 
On the track, Patterson developed into one of the Broncos' top sprinters during his career. He was a member of the school record-setting 4x400-meter relay team, earned CCAA Athlete of the Week honors, garnered USTFCCCA All-Academic recognition, was named to the CCAA Spring Academic Honor Roll, and received CCAA All-Academic honors. Patterson also helped author one of the most successful relay eras in program history, running on four of the five fastest 4x400-meter relay teams ever at Cal Poly Pomona.
 
"I am so excited for Camden to receive this honor," said CPP Head Coach Chris Bradford. "He has been a great person, wonderful student, and amazing athlete his entire time at CPP. I am so proud to see him pursue his dreams at medical school this fall."
 
Patterson's interest in medicine began during high school while working as a lifeguard and continued to grow through his experiences as an emergency medical technician during college. His work as an emergency department technician further solidified his passion for patient care.
 
"Working as an EMT and now as an emergency department technician has given me a real appreciation for emergency care," Patterson said. "I like the pace, the teamwork, and the fact that you have to be ready to take care of anyone who comes through the door."
 
Although he is currently most interested in emergency medicine, Patterson plans to explore a variety of specialties during medical school.
 
"Long term, I'm interested in pursuing a field that allows me to use a broad skill set and be useful in a lot of different situations," Patterson said. "Emergency medicine is what I'm drawn to most right now, but I'm also excited to rotate through different specialties in medical school and see what else interests me."
 
Patterson also credited his undergraduate research experiences at Cal Poly Pomona with shaping his career goals.
 
"Working in a research lab at CPP gave me a different perspective on medicine," Patterson said. "It helped me realize that as a physician, I could both care for the patient in front of me and contribute to research that may help far more patients than I could ever treat individually."
 
As he reflected on his journey, Patterson pointed to the lasting impact of the Broncos' program and coaching staff.
 
"Coaches Bradford and Smith helped me grow as a person, a student, and an athlete, while emphasizing that those priorities should always stay in that order," Patterson concluded. "They made it clear that we were students first, but still challenged us to work hard, compete, and represent the program the right way. That environment helped me build the discipline, confidence, and perspective I needed to pursue medical school and keep working toward my goals."