Below, see the schedule of the 2012 Special Award recipient feature stories which will be written by CoSIDA members throughout the spring. The full slate of 2012 Special Awards was announced March 2. All awards will be presented during the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis (June 23-26).
• Individual feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
• CoSIDA St. Louis Convention awards presentation schedule
John Lewandowski - 2012 25-Year Award recipient
by Jamie Weir-Baldwin, Michigan State Athletic Communications Director
John Lewandowski is in his 16th year as Associate Athletics Director for Communications at Michigan State University. The 50-year-old Lewandowski supervises the public relations efforts for MSU’s 25 varsity sports and serves as the Athletics Department’s spokesman in addition to chairing the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee and holding a position on the Duffy Daugherty Memorial Award committee.
While serving as the football program’s primary contact, Lewandowski also oversees the athletics department’s video services, which for the last two years under his leadership has produced “Michigan State All-Access: Daily Edition” on the department’s official website, MSUSpartans.com. It is a “SportsCenter”-esque daily show during the academic year which provides highlights and features for all 25 varsity sports.
Lewandowski also serves as the executive producer of “Spartan Football All-Access,” which airs weekly on FOX Sports Detroit. The show, which provides the viewer an exclusive, inside look into the weekly preparation and gameday execution of the Spartans’ nationally-prominent football program, has won two ‘Excellence in Broadcasting’ awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
He earned the 2003 “Best of the Best” Award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DSBA), presented annually to the top sports public/media relations person in the Detroit market. In 2001, Lewandowski collaborated with former Lansing State Journal beat writer Jack Ebling to produce Green Glory: Champions of the Hardwood – a behind-the-scenes look at Michigan State’s basketball program and its three straight trips to the NCAA Final Four.
Lewandowski came to Michigan State in October of 1996 after serving in the same capacity at Utah State University for four years. In addition to his sports information duties, he served as the football team’s travel coordinator and executive producer of the Utah State Aggie Network. Prior to his stint at USU, Lewandowski spent nine years on the Auburn University sports information staff (1984-93), the last seven years as the associate director. He also provided color commentary for four basketball seasons on Auburn’s 45-station radio network.
The St. Louis native graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1984 with a degree in business administration. Lewandowski worked for KMOX Radio in St. Louis for four summers where he produced Sports Open Line, hosted by Bob Costas. He also spent six Major League seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, working primarily in the ticket office.
Lewandowski and his wife Teressa have two sons, Brock and Davis, who attend Okemos (Mich.) High School.
Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
General 2012 Special Awards release
March
Mon., 5: Kim Wenger (Centennial Conference): Rising Star Award (College Division) – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed, 7: Malcolm Moran: Jake Wade Award: by Joe Hornstein, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
Fri., 9: Maurice Williams (Hampton University): Rising Star Award (University Division) – by Ed Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
Mon. 12: Bernie Cafarelli (Notre Dame): 25-Year Award - by Debbie White (Old Dominion)
Wed. 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Fri. 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Mon. 19: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed. 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award - by Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID
Fri. 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award - by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto SID
Mon. 26: John Lewandowki (Michigan State): 25-Year Award
Wed. 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
April
Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award
Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award
Mon., 9: Lawrence Fan (San Jose State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame and Arch Ward Award
Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 13: Mark Bankert (Malone University): 25-Year Award
Mon., 16: Joe Dier (Mississippi State): 25-Year Award
Wed., 18: Rich Herman (Clarion): Bob Kenworthy Award
Fri., 20: Shirley Jones Hill (Southern Mississippi): 25-Year Award
Mon., 23: Shelly Poe (Ohio State): Trailblazer Award
Wed., 25: Michael MacEachern (Young Harris College): 25-Year Award
Fri. 27: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award
Mon., 30: Bob Noss (Wright State): 25-Year Award
May
Wed., 2: Wallace Dooley (formerly of Tennessee State): Lifetime Achievement Award
Fri., 4: Jeff Nelson (Penn State): Bill Esposito Award
Mon., 7: Bill Turnage (Florida Southern): Lifetime Achievement Award
Wed., 9: Herb Vincent (LSU): 25-Year Award
Fri., 11: Mike Mahon (formerly of Drake & South Dakota): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 14: Bill Wagner (DePauw): 25-Year Award
Wed., 16: Fred Huff (formerly of Southern Illinois-Carbondale): CoSIDA Hall of Fame [Veteran Award Committee recipient]
Fri., 18: Phil Haddy (University of Iowa): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 21: Dave Geringer (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth): 25-Year Award
Wed., 23: Charles "Chuck" Prophet (deceased; formerly of Mississippi Valley State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 25: Robert Wilson (Florida State): 25-Year Award
Awards to be presented during CoSIDA St. Louis Convention, St. Louis, Missouri
Sunday, June 24: Kickoff Luncheon
Awards presented: 25-Year Awards; Trailblazer, Kenworthy Community Service, Rising Star (University and College Divisions), Keith Jackson honors
Monday, June 25: (two award presentations)
CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Esposito, Lifetime Achievement, CoSIDA Hall of Fame awards
Capital One Special Awards Gala (dinner/ceremony)
Awards presented: Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Jake Wade, Lester Jordan, Enberg awards; Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame induction