College Sports Information Directors of America

The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced the winners of their 2008 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships on Tuesday, June 17.

The organization selected a pair of winners to receive $5,000 each toward pursuit of their postgraduate degrees, while adding two more undergraduate scholarship winners of $2,500 each.

The scholarships will be formally announced and presented during CoSIDA’s annual workshop in Tampa. The Undergraduate Scholarships and Graduate Internship Grants have been awarded since 1999, when CoSIDA expanded its scholarship program in order to foster interest in the sports information field. Since presenting the first Graduate Scholarship in 1981, CoSIDA has provided more than $300,000 in grants to students working in sports information offices at member institutions and conferences.

To be eligible for either the Postgraduate or Undergraduate Scholarships, candidates must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and express an interest in pursuing a career in sports information.

Jared Verner, a graduate student pursuing a master of education degree in health and physical education at Northwest Missouri State University, earned the Wylie Smith Postgraduate Scholarship ($5,000). Verner, who has worked in the Northwest Missouri State Media Relations Office since May of 2005, including a stint as interim director in June of 2007, earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwest Missouri State in May of 2008. Verner carried a 3.6 grade-point average as an undergraduate, while playing an extensive role in the media relations office. The Wylie Smith Postgraduate Scholarship is named in honor of the former CoSIDA Scholarships Committee chairman and long-time Sports Information Director at Northern Arizona University.

Kendra Lee, a graduate assistant in The Ohio State University Athletic Communications Office, claimed the CoSIDA Postgraduate Scholarship ($5,000). Lee is pursuing a master’s degree in sports management from Ohio State and carries a 3.92 graduate GPA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Concordia (Minn.) College in May of 2006. Lee joined the Ohio State staff in August of 2007, after spending one year as a sports information intern at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Lee serves as a secondary contact for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving team at Ohio State, but was the primary media contact for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships in 2008. Lee worked as a sports information assistant from September of 2002 until May of 2006 during her undergraduate years at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

CoSIDA’s Undergraduate Scholarship awards ($2,500 each) were presented to Andrew Middleman of Baldwin-Wallace College and Kevin Flora of the University of the Cumberlands. Middleman, who will be a senior broadcasting/mass communications major at Baldwin-Wallace, owns a 3.7 grade-point average and is on track to graduate in May of 2009. Middleman has worked in the Baldwin-Wallace Sports Information Department for Director Kevin Ruple since August of 2006. Middleman also spent two seasons on the Baldwin-Wallace baseball team, and four years working on the sports staff at WBWC Radio.

“We are pleased and honored to have Andrew Middleman receive a CoSIDA undergraduate scholarship,” Ruple said. “He has done outstanding work for the college and is a leader among his peers. Andrew has outstanding work habits and is a valuable member of our office. He is always willing to go above and beyond what is asked, and always wants to do and learn more about our profession. Andrew is one of the best I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.”

Flora carries a 3.5 GPA in psychology at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky. Flora has also worked as a student assistant in the University of the Cumberlands Sports Information Office since 2006. Flora, who is on track to earn his undergraduate degree in May of 2009, serves under Sports Information Director Jennifer Wake-Floyd at the University of the Cumberlands.

“Being chosen for this scholarship is a true blessing,” Flora said. “I have been given the opportunity to make many relationships, build my resume, and learn many career skills along with being a full-time student through working in sports information. I am honored to receive the scholarship, knowing that it will motivate me to continue giving my all in every aspect of my time at the University of the Cumberlands and beyond.”

In addition to the four scholarships, CoSIDA awarded the 2008 Graduate Internship Grant ($10,000) to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Sports Information Director Jim McCurdy is the only full-time employee in the Grand Canyon Sports Information Department. Grand Canyon offered 16 NCAA Division II sports in 2007-08, and plans are in place to add men’s tennis, men’s volleyball, women’s bowling, and men’s and women’s water polo within the next year. Grand Canyon is also adding football in the upcoming seasons.

“Grand Canyon University is grateful and honored to be selected for this internship grant,” McCurdy said. “CoSIDA has provided Grand Canyon with a wonderful opportunity to assist our sports information department. Hopefully it will become a permanent position for the university as the athletic department and school continues to grow.”

The Graduate Internship Grant provides funds for a sports information office to hire a graduate intern on a one-year basis, hoping the success of the program can help the schools demonstrate the need for additional assistance in the future.

All-Time CoSIDA Honorees

Postgraduate Scholarship

• 2008 Jared Verner, Northwest Missouri State
• 2008 Kendra Lee, Ohio State
• 2007 Caroline Domecq, Georgia
• 2007 Kyle Chilton, Southern Virginia
• 2006 Chris Yandle, Marshall
• 2006 Jessica Calderone, Southeast Louisiana
• 2005 Michael Potter, Ball State
• 2005 Erin Whiteside, Penn State
• 2004 Eric Braley, Northern Iowa
• 2004 Kristopher Sears, Indiana
• 2003 Brad Fischer, Wisconsin-La Crosse
• 2003 Lainie Guiddy, West Virginia
• 2002 Michelle Kelley, Colgate
• 2002 Sean Wright, Westminster (Mo.)
• 2001 Brad Caudill, Eastern Michigan
• 2001 Susan Seabrook, Alabama-Birmingham
• 2000 Mark Fratto, Maryland
• 2000 Andy Knappick, Illinois State
• 1999 Brian Gunning, Marshall
• 1999 Heidi Roth, Syracuse
• 1998 Chris Ambrose, Purdue
• 1998 Brian Gunning, Marshall
• 1997 Chris Ambrose, Purdue
• 1997 Jeff Griesch, Nebraska
• 1996 Jeff Griesch, Nebraska
• 1995 Stuart McFarland, Missouri
• 1995 Sally Krauss, Western Kentucky
• 1994 Randy Hayson, Illinois State
• 1993 Will Roleson, Miami (Ohio)
• 1992 Amy Stabley, Central Michigan
• 1992 Robert Hester, Northern Illinois
• 1991 Lana Bandy, Purdue
• 1990 Stephanie Grimes, Boise State
• 1989 Beth Haag, Iowa State
• 1988 Angela Hultman, Mankato State
• 1987 Chris McMurry, Northern Arizona
• 1986 Mark Berger, Ohio University
• 1985 Brian Teter, Illinois State
• 1984 Jonathan Dukes, Georgia Southern
• 1983 Jay Hill, Michigan
• 1982 John Lashway, Oregon
• 1981 Craig Bohnert, Evansville

Undergraduate Scholarship

• 2008 Andrew Middleman, Baldwin-Wallace
• 2008 Kevin Flora, University of the Cumberlands
• 2007 Caleb Hawley, Oregon State
• 2007 Christina Marshall, James Madison
• 2006 Todd Zeidler, Bemidji,
• 2006 Amy Robertson, Mississippi State
• 2005 John Vogel, Youngstown State
• 2005 Monique Bowman, Capital University
• 2004 Cassie Chance, Mississippi State
• 2004 Nick Kiger, Colorado State
• 2003 Kimberly Gray Folkes, Virginia Tech
• 2003 Adam Holtz, Bethany Lutheran
• 2003 Laura Schoenberger, Pittsburg State
• 2002 Branie Davidson, Northwest Missouri State
• 2002 Shante Gree, Fayetteville State
• 2002 Teri LaJeunesse, Michigan Tech
• 2001 Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State
• 2001 Shayla Reiff, Mt. Vernon Nazarene
• Dustin Roberts, Oklahoma
• 2000 Daniel Dykstra, Wheaton (Ill.)
• 2000 Kimberly Frederick, Manhattan
• 2000 Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State
• 1999 Kate Adams, Iowa State
• 1999 Michelle La Scola, Northern Illinois
• 1999 Casey Taylor, Christopher Newport

Graduate Internship Grant

• 2008 Grand Canyon University
• 2007 Central College of Iowa
• 2006 Bellarmine
• 2005 Wesleyan University
• 2004 Carroll College
• 2003 St. Francis (N.Y.), Tennessee Tech
• 2002 Eckerd College, Hardin-Simmons
• 2001 Central State (Ohio), Cheyney
• 2000 Central Oklahoma, Urbana (Ohio)
• 1999 Alabama A&M, Wright State

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