The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) have announced the winners of their 2013-14 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships. The scholarships were formally announced during CoSIDA’s annual convention taking place June 12-15 in Orlando at the World Center Marriott.
The organization will distribute a total of $25,000 to scholarship winners during
the 2013-14 academic year after choosing a pair of $5,000 postgraduate scholarship recipients, two more $2,500 undergraduate scholarship winners, and one school to receive a $10,000 graduate internship grant.
The
Fred Nuesch-Dave Wohlhueter Undergraduate Scholarships and
Phil Langan Graduate Internship Grant 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 Wylie Smith Graduate Scholarship in 1981, CoSIDA has provided more than $425,000 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.
Vanderbilt University's Kim Carper, a graduate student pursuing a master’s de
gree in leadership and organizational performance from Vandy, earned the
Wylie Smith Postgraduate Scholarship ($5,000). Carper, who earned her bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt in May of 2013, spent the 2012-13 academic year as a media intern in the Vanderbilt Communications Office for Associate Director of Athletics Rod Williamson. Carper was also a key contributor on Vanderbilt’s NCAA runner-up women’s bowling team in 2013. She also served as the media liaison and events committee chairperson for Vanderbilt’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
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.
California State University Bakerfield's Joelle Milholm, who is working as a graduate assistant in the CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications Office for Sports Information Director Matt Turk and Director of New Media and Broadcasting Corey Costelloe, claimed the
Langst
on Rogers Postgraduate Scholarship ($5,000) for the second straight year. Milholm, who earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Colorado State in 2005, is pursuing a master’s degree in English from CSUB. In addition to her graduate studies, Milholm serves as the primary contact for nine CSUB sports, including volleyball, softball, men’s and women’s track and field and men’s and women’s golf, women’s cross country and women’s tennis.
Following her graduation from Colorado State in 2005, Milholm spent three years as a sports reporter and editor at the Glenwood Springs (Colo.) Post Independent, before working three years at the Lodi (Calif.) News-Sentinel as a sports reporter from August of 2008 to July of 2011.
The Langston Rogers Postgraduate Scholarship is named in honor of former Mississippi Sports Information Director and CoSIDA Hall of Famer Langston Rogers, who served as the SID at Ole Miss from 1981 until his retirement in 2010. The scholarship is presented annua
lly to a rising minority or female student.
CoSIDA’s Fred Nuesch Undergraduate Scholarship award ($2,500) was presented to C
asey Bonk from the University of Pittsburgh and the Dave Wohlheuter Undergraduate Scholarship ($2,500) was awarded to
Lucy Montgomery from Washington University in St. Louis.
Bonk, a native of New Kensington, Pa., has posted nearly a 3.1 GPA as a communications and rhetoric major with a minor in linguistics at Pittsburgh. She has worked as a student in the Panther Media Relations Office under E.J. Borghetti since January of 2012. She served as the Panthers acting media relations director at the 2013 Big East Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis, after producing the 2012 Big East Swimming and Diving Championships Media Guide for Pittsburgh’s hosting duties at Joe C. Trees Pool. Bonk has also assisted in media relations coverage for football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, baseball and gymnastics for the Panthers.
Montgomery carries nearly a 3.7 GPA as a double major marketing and accounting at Washington University in St. Louis. A basketball standout, Montgomery le
d the UAA conference in three-point field goal percentage in 2012-13, while helping the Bears to three straight NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2011. She also has worked for two years as a student-assistant in the Washington University Sports Information Office for Director Christopher Mitchell. The senior-to-be from Des Moines, Iowa, also secured an internship for one season with the St. Louis Blues. Montgomery is also active in Washington University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Montgomery was in attendance at the CoSIDA Convention in Orlando where she was recognized for her scholarship award.
Photo above: Montgomery (center) is pictured with Washington University's SID Chris Mitchell and assistant SID Kelcey Buck.
In addition to the four scholarships, CoSIDA awarded the
2013-14 Phil Langan Graduate Internship Grant ($10,000) to Chicago State University.
Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Derrick Sloboda covers 14 varsity sports for the Cougars, who are adding men’s and women’s soccer to the near future. Sloboda runs a one-person shop at NCAA Division I Chicago State, with no full-time assistants or interns.
The Phil Langan 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 Scholarship Honorees
Wylie Smith Postgraduate Scholarship Awards
1981 Craig Bohnert, Evansville
1982 John Lashway, Oregon
1983 Jay Hill, Michigan
1984 Jonathan Dukes, Georgia Southern
1985 Brian Teter, Illinois State
1986 Mark Berger, Ohio
1987 Chris McMurry, Northern Arizona
1988 Angela Hultman, Mankato State
1989 Beth Haag, Iowa State
1990 Stephanie Grimes, Boise State
1991 Lana Bandy, Purdue
1992 Amy Stabley, Central Michigan / Robert Hester, Northern Illinois
1993 Will Roleson, Miami (Ohio)
1994 Randy Hayson, Illinois State
1995 Stuart McFarland, Missouri / Sally Krauss, Western Kentucky
1996 Jeff Griesch, Nebraska
1997 Chris Ambrose, Purdue / Jeff Griesch, Nebraska
1998 Chris Ambrose, Purdue / Brian Gunning, Marshall
1999 Brian Gunning, Marshall / Heidi Roth, Syracuse
2000 Mark Fratto, Maryland / Andy Knappick, Illinois State
2001 Brad Caudill, Eastern Michigan / Susan Seabrook, Alabama-Birmingham
2002 Michelle Kelley, Colgate / Sean Wright, Westminster (Mo.)
2003 Brad Fischer, Wisconsin-La Crosse / Lainie Guiddy, West Virginia
2004 Eric Braley, Northern Iowa / Kristopher Sears, Indiana
2005 Michael Potter, Ball State / Erin Whiteside, Penn State
2006 Chris Yandle, Marshall / Jessica Calderone, Southeast Louisiana
2007 Caroline Domecq, Georgia / Kyle Chilton, Southern Virginia
2008 Jared Verner, Northwest Missouri State / Kendra Lee, Ohio State
2009 Laurie Wild, Northern Iowa / Britney Wright, Florida State
2010 Grant Abston, Texas / Mariel Brady, St. John’s
2011 Andrew Lentz, Tennessee / Britney Reddick, Kutztown
2012 Carli Todd, DePaul / Joelle Milholm, Cal State Bakersfield
2013 Kim Carper, Vanderbilt / Joelle Milholm, Cal State Bakersfield
Fred Nuesch-Dave Wohlhueter Undergraduate Scholarship Awards
1999 Kate Adams, Iowa State / Michelle La Scola, Northern Illinois / Casey Taylor, Christopher Newport
2000 Daniel Dykstra, Wheaton (Ill.) / Kimberly Frederick, Manhattan / Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State
2001 Bobbie Horstman, Iowa State / Shayla Reiff, Mt. Vernon Nazarene / Dustin Roberts, Oklahoma
2002 Branie Davidson, Northwest Missouri State / Shante Gree, Fayetteville State / Teri LaJeunesse, Michigan Tech
2003 Kimberly Gray Folkes, Virginia Tech / Adam Holtz, Bethany Lutheran / Laura Schoenberger, Pittsburg State
2004 Cassie Chance, Mississippi State / Nick Kiger, Colorado State
2005 John Vogel, Youngstown State / Monique Bowman, Capital University
2006 Todd Zeidler, Bemidji / Amy Robertson, Mississippi State
2007 Caleb Hawley, Oregon State / Christina Marshall, James Madison
2008 Andrew Middleman, Baldwin-Wallace / Kevin Flora, University of the Cumberlands
2009 Carli Todd, Tampa / David Bodman, La Salle
2010 Michael Benson, Southern Illinois-Carbondale / James Rodriguez, Baldwin-Wallace
2011 Adam K. Moussa, Memphis / Erica LaBranche, Stonehill
2012 Jake Faber, Pittsburg State / Ashley Goettl, Wisconsin-River Falls
2013 Casey Bonk, Pittsburgh / Lucy Montgomery, Washington-St. Louis
Phil Langan Graduate Internship Grant
1999 Alabama A&M, Wright State
2000 Central Oklahoma, Urbana (Ohio)
2001 Central State (Ohio), Cheyney
2002 Eckerd College, Hardin-Simmons
2003 St. Francis (N.Y.), Tennessee Tech
2004 Carroll College
2005 Wesleyan University
2006 Bellarmine
2007 Central College of Iowa
2008 Grand Canyon University
2009 Lake Erie College
2010 Illinois Wesleyan
2011 Ursinus
2012 DePauw
2013 Chicago State