Brandon Washington is a graduate student at Indiana University working in the Office of Admissions. Washington helps recruit students to IU, where he has flourished, thanks in part to Peyton Manning.

Brandon Washington is a graduate student at Indiana University working in the Office of Admissions. Washington helps recruit students to IU, where he has flourished, thanks in part to former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Back in 2010, Washington became the first recipient of the Peyback Foundation Scholarship.

"Peyton actually wrote me this past summer," said Washington. "He sent me a postcard with his appreciation for me trail blazing the scholarship and really honoring what it stood for. I stay in contact with his foundation. I write them every semester just to update them on what I'm doing. I've done that every semester since I won the scholarship."

Washington won the scholarship as a three-sport athlete, senior class president and salutatorian at Indianapolis Arlington High School. Washington still remembers the day he went to the Colts complex to meet Manning and receive the award.

"Just a very genuine, Southern guy," said Washington. "I felt the warmth of his character and personality just with the few minutes we talked. It seemed like I knew him longer than I did."

The scholarship paid $10,000 dollars a year toward Washington’s bachelor's degree in public health, which Washington earned from IU in 2014. Washington has studied abroad in Ghana and England. This summer, he will work on his masters project in China. He will complete his master’s degree in African American studies and then plans to enter law school next year.

"I think one of the most important things I can take away from winning this scholarship was the ability and the concept to know I can do all things if I truly believe in it," said Washington. "It's a long term beneficial component that I've gained from it, because now I don't have to worry about loans, refinancing, and all these different things that come with being a college student. So that scholarship definitely helped me in all those areas. It just shows the type of humanitarian efforts he puts out into the community. An upstanding human being and he means the world to me and the city of Indianapolis."

Washington was thrilled to see Manning win Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos before retiring.

"I think he went out on top as the greatest quarterback of all time," said Washington. "I love the symbolism between him retiring after 18 years and his jersey number being 18. I think that was really cool."

Washington grew up in Indianapolis as the Colts' success with Manning at quarterback for 14 seasons transformed the city into a football town.

"Many Sundays, it brought my family together," said Washington. "It brought many friends together. It brought many households together just to watch number 18 run onto the field and dominate football games. He showed what hard work, consistency and being a student of your craft-- he showed you how important that can be and how beneficial that can be if you stick to it."

Washington serves as a living legacy of Peyton's payback to Indy.