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
Kendra Lee, Ohio State

2007
Caroline Domecq, Georgia
Kyle Chilton, Southern Virginia

2006
Chris Yandle, Marshall
Jessica Calderone, Southeast Louisiana

2005
Michael Potter, Ball State
Erin Whiteside, Penn State

2004
Eric Braley, Northern Iowa
Kristopher Sears, Indiana

2003
Brad Fischer, Wisconsin-La Crosse
Lainie Guiddy, West Virginia

2002
Michelle Kelley, Colgate
Sean Wright, Westminster (Mo.)

2001
Brad Caudill, Eastern Michigan
Susan Seabrook, Alabama-Birmingham

2000
Mark Fratto, Maryland
Andy Knappick, Illinois State

1999
Brian Gunning, Marshall
Heidi Roth, Syracuse

1998
Chris Ambrose, Purdue
Brian Gunning, Marshall

1997
Chris Ambrose, Purdue
Jeff Griesch, Nebraska

1996
Jeff Griesch, Nebraska

1995
Stuart McFarland, Missouri
Sally Krauss, Western Kentucky

1994
Randy Hayson, Illinois State

1993
Will Roleson, Miami (Ohio)

1992
Amy Stabley, Central Michigan
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
Kevin Flora, University of the Cumberlands

2007
Caleb Hawley, Oregon State
Christina Marshall, James Madison

2006
Todd Zeidler, Bemidji,
Amy Robertson, Mississippi State

2005
John Vogel, Youngstown State
Monique Bowman, Capital University

2004
Cassie Chance, Mississippi State
Nick Kiger, Colorado State

2003
Kimberly Gray Folkes, Virginia Tech
Adam Holtz, Bethany Lutheran
Laura Schoenberger, Pittsburg State

2002
Branie Davidson, Northwest Missouri State
Shante Gree, Fayetteville State
Teri LaJeunesse, Michigan Tech

2001
Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State
Shayla Reiff, Mt. Vernon Nazarene
Dustin Roberts, Oklahoma

2000
Daniel Dykstra, Wheaton (Ill.)
Kimberly Frederick, Manhattan
Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State

1999
Kate Adams, Iowa State
Michelle La Scola, Northern Illinois
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