The Oswego State Intercollegiate Athletics department has been named the national winner for the Jostens/National Association Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) Community Service Award in the category of "Array of Projects" completed during the 2011-12 academic year.
In addition to receiving a commemorative trophy, the NADIIIAA and Jostens will make a $1,000 contribution to the SUNY Oswego general scholarship fund.
Oswego State was one of only 15 NCAA Division III institutions to be honored of the more than 450 Division III institutions from around the nation that were eligible for the community service awards in three separate categories. Other category winners included SUNY Oneonta in the "One-Time Project" category and Haverford College in the "On-Going Project" category.
Oswego State student-athletes took part in 37 different projects or events in 2011-2012 helping national charities and organizations such as Special Olympics, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, United Way, Coaches vs. Cancer, and the St. Baldrick's Foundation. They also helped with local groups like Move Along, Inc., the Fulton and Oswego YMCAs, and local school districts. In all, approximately 2,400 service hours were donated by Laker team members.
The single-largest event was the sixth annual St. Baldricks head-shaving fundraiser for childhood cancer research. Twenty-five student-athletes, representing five separate Laker teams, were among the 165 shavees who combined to raise more than $72,000.
Combining all the fundraisers that Oswego State team members supported, our student-athletes are proud to say they helped raise more than $117,000 in 2011-12.
Click for Complete List of 2011-12 Community Service Projects.
Oswego State had previously earned an Award of Merit in the Array of Projects category in 2010-11.
NADIIIAA is an association comprised of athletics administrators from NCAA Division III institutions around the country. A primary purpose of the NADIIIAA is to encourage the continued development of athletics programs focused on the student-athlete and based on sound educational philosophy. The honorees were selected by a committee of athletic administrators chaired by Brian Curtin, Director of Athletics at St. Joseph's College in Maine.
2011-12 NADIIIAA/JOSTENS Community Service Awards Winners
An Array of Projects Category
Winner - Oswego State
Award of Merit - St. Mary's University (Minnesota)
Award of Merit - Wittenberg University
Honorable Mention - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Honorable Mention - University of St. Joseph (Connecticut)
One-Time Project Category
Winner - SUNY Oneonta
Award of Merit - Emory and Henry College
Award of Merit - SUNY Geneseo
Award of Merit -Salem State University
Honorable Mention - Springfield College
On-Going Project Category
Winner - Haverford College
Award of Merit - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Award of Merit - University of Chicago
Honorable Mention - Baldwin Wallace College
Honorable Mention - Alverno College
