Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States, has been named the 2006 Dick Enberg Award winner by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The former President will not be able to attend the award presentation, which will take place Wednesday evening (July 5) at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. as part of the 19th annual CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Established in 1997, the Dick Enberg Award is given annually to a person whose actions and commitment have furthered the meaning and reach of the Academic All-America Teams Program and/or the student-athlete while promoting the values of education and academics.
The award was created in part to recognize Enberg's passion and support of the CoSIDA Academic All-America program for more than 20 years, as well as his dedication to education for more than four decades.
President Ford was a gifted football player at the University of Michigan in the early thirties, and was the Wolverines Most Valuable Player in 1934. He played in the annual East-West College All-Star Game following his senior season. Later, he served as an assistant football coach at Yale while pursuing his law degree,
A 25-year member of the U.S. Congress, Mr. Ford was selected as Vice President in 1973, and served as President of the United States from 1974-77. During his presidency, two principles underlied his support of federal funds for higher education: no student should be denied access to a post-secondary education, and they should be provided to individuals rather than institutions.
My continued passion for academics and athletics is fortified by President Gerald Ford's kind acceptance of the 2006 Enberg Award, said Enberg. As fellow Michigan natives, it's all the more special. It boggles my pride to think of the high quality individuals who have joined the COSIDA Academic All-America Program as past Enberg Award recipients: Dean Smith, Bill Russell, Donna Shalala, Alan Page, Congressman Tom Osborne, Ted Leland, and Father Hesburgh. And now, President Ford adds his name to such elite company. To have such an award named after me continues to be the most significant honor I've ever received in my 50 years as an educator and broadcaster.
Five outstanding individuals will be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame on Wednesday, boosting the total number of members to 93. The class of 2006 includes:
Dr. Robert Burger (University of Notre Dame, class of 1981), a member of Notre Dames 1977 national championship team who is now an orthopedic surgeon in Cincinnati, Ohio;
Dr. Hilarie Cranmer (Hofstra University, class of 1988), a former standout basketball player for the Pride who is now involved in emergency medicine in Boston, as well as volunteering around the world.
Mike Gminski (Duke University, class of 1980), a 14-year NBA veteran who has chaired the National Board of Advisors for Duke Childrens Hospital.
Timothy Green (Syracuse University, class of 1986), a two-time first-team All-America football player who has gone on to distinguish himself in numerous fields, including as a lawyer, author and TV commentator.
Dr. Joseph Taylor (Haverford College, class of 1963), a former soccer player for the Fords who earned the 1993 Nobel Prize for Physics.
CoSIDA established the Hall of Fame to honor former college student-athletes who have excelled in their professions and made substantial contributions to their communities. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a candidate either had to be an Academic All-America team member who graduated at least 10 years ago, or fall into the honorary category, as was the case with Dr. Taylor.