Note: This is the 27th article in the CoSIDA Special Awards feature series which is highlighting all 2013 Special Award recipients. All recipients will be honored at the
CoSIDA Convention (June 12-15) in conjunction with the NACDA and Affiliates Convention at Orlando's Marriott World Center.
See the full list of recipients and features schedule.
by Dick Lipe
Bentley University Sports Information Director
More than 60 years ago, Lester Jordan, the then-sports information director at SMU, had the foresight to create what we now know as the Capital One Academic All-America® program. Nearly 20 years later, CoSIDA leaders voted to name an award in Mr. Jordan’s honor to keep alive the memory of the Academic All-America® program’s founder. The annual CoSIDA Lester Jordan Award recognizes those who have made a major commitment to the program with their time, energy and passion and who promote the ideals of being a student-athlete.
The latest to join that distinguished list is Mark Fleming of Moravian College.
“I am very honored to be receiving the Lester Jordan Award,” said Fleming, who is in his 16th year as Sports Information Director at Moravian which is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. “The Academic All-America® program is one of the most active in CoSIDA and honors hundreds of student-athletes every year for the work that they accomplish both in competition and in the classroom, and that is why I wanted to become a member of the Academic All-America® committee at some point.”
It didn’t take Mark long to get involved in CoSIDA’s flagship program. In fact, it was just weeks after he joined this author’s staff at Bentley College as an intern back in 1996.
“I first learned of the Academic All-America® program as a high school intern in the sports information office at Edinboro University when SID Todd Jay showed me a district ballot and asked if I felt we had anyone that should be nominated in the future,” remembered Fleming. “ Reading through the ballots over the years and seeing the teams announced, I became intrigued with the program and wanted to be involved.
“When finishing up my graduate assistantship with CoSIDA Hall of Famer Pete Nevins at East Stroudsburg University, I had the opportunity for an internship with Dick Lipe at Bentley, who was then the chair of the Academic All-America® committee. I relished the chance to work with Dick and learn more about the program. Shortly after I started at Bentley, Dick came across the hall and asked if I was interested in becoming a district coordinator since the soccer programs were broken out from the at-large program, and he needed more district coordinators. I jumped at the chance to be part of the committee and have been since.
The following year saw Mark become the sports information director at Moravian, a position he continues to excel at to this day. And after his move back to his native Pennsylvania, Mark continued his involvement with the Academic All-America® program, fulfilling whatever role the committee leadership has requested.
“Five years ago, I was approached by Dick and several other committee members to become the coordinator of the Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame component of the program and help transition the voting part of the program from paper to online,” said Fleming. “Again, I jumped at the chance to do something new within the program. It has been a rewarding experience to work with the last five Academic All-America® Hall of Fame classes as you really get to see what these former student-athletes have done with their careers after college and truly what being named an Academic All-American® while a student meant to them. Our Academic All-America®Hall of Fame is an amazing group and each new class is excited to join the Hall of Fame and tell their stories of being outstanding student-athletes.”
The Capital One Academic All-America® program isn’t the only national involvement that Mark has been involved with during his tenure at Moravian, where he is responsible for handling the athletic communications for 18 varsity sports. Making it more impressive is that he spent most of that time without an assistant to help carry the load.
Mark’s involvement with CoSIDA has included coordinating a national email list for Division III and currently is serving a three-year term on the CoSIDA Board of Directors as a college division representative.
Mark’s efforts have drawn considerable praise, both from the Academic All-America® Committee leadership and from his superiors at Moravian.
“Mark has done an outstanding job, not only directing sports information at Moravian, but also bringing visibility to our athletics program and student athletes through his participation in CoSIDA,” noted Michael Wilson, director of public relations at Moravian College. “We certainly are proud of Mark’s achievement and his work at the highest levels of national collegiate athletics organizations.”
“For the past 16 years as Moravian SID, Mark has been exemplary at focusing the spot light on the scholar athletes that excel both in the classroom and in NCAA completion,” Wilson continued. “We are pleased he is being recognized for his seventeen years of service with the Academic All-America® Committee, including twelve as a district coordinator, and five as coordinator of the Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame.”
Bernie Cafarelli, Notre Dame Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations and co-chair of the AAA Committee, noted "I am thrilled we are honoring Mark with this year's Lester Jordan Award for his longtime service to the Academic All-America® Committee. Mark has a shown a passion, dedication and loyalty to the program for nearly 17 years and has been a friend to so many of us on the committee. He is a tremendous advocate for the mission of the program and for the student-athletes we recognize each year for their success both in the classroom and on the field. Mark plays a vital role in coordinating the nomination and voting process for the Hall of Fame program. We're fortunate to have his leadership on our committee."
Fleming is a 1994 graduate of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. He went on to receive a master's degree in health and physical education with a concentration in sport management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania in May of 1997. Fleming resides in Bethlehem, Pa. with his wife, Sandy, and their sons, Justin (9) and Ryan (7).