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Kenji Scales fell in love with the USF campus his senior year in high school during a recruiting tour for USF basketball. The sophomore from Richfield, Minnesota, was recruited by the Cougars in his junior year and visited campus in October. 

“I immediately knew this was the place for me,” he says. “It’s the right size, they have a great basketball program and it’s a faith-based community. I signed the day I got back home.”

While Kenji excels as a student and an athlete, he credits USF for giving him something even more valuable—a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. He says faith was always part of his life, but before USF he didn’t treat it like a priority. 

“Faith is a huge piece of this school. It’s everywhere you go. Denny T. (Dennis Thum) has been such an important part of my journey. Through my growth as a Christian, I realized service is something I want to be more intentional about. I am really working on putting others before myself,” he says. 

While looking for ways to give back, Kenji was recruited by a friend to be an orientation leader on campus. The leadership role allows him to help freshmen and new transfers navigate an unfamiliar campus by attending events with them and getting them familiar with life at USF. 

“Being an orientation leader has taught me a lot about valuing others,” he says. “I also take the opportunity to talk to them about finding balance, especially if they are student-athletes.”

Kenji’s advice to new students is to put school first, don’t procrastinate homework and to just “put your head down and do the work.” 

He is hoping his own hard work pays off on the basketball court as well as in classroom.

“My dream is to play professional basketball overseas, maybe in Europe or Japan,” he says. “If that is not in my picture, I can see myself as a high school teacher. Right now I am seeking a degree in Secondary Education, and I would enjoy teaching history.” 

Kenji experienced a successful freshman season as a guard for the Cougars, playing in 30 games and finishing with 187 points (averaging 6.2 per game). His season highlights included scoring 20 points against Upper Iowa and hitting 10-for-10 from the free throw line against Minnesota State. 

Whether Kenji’s path leads him to a professional basketball career, the front of a classroom or something unexpected, he knows it’s part of God’s plan for him.

“God led me to USF. We will just see where he takes me from here.”