WAYNE, NJ - Eight (8) student-athletes who have been recognized this year for success beyond sports are finalists for the inaugural
Haier Ultimate Achievement Award which is presented to deserving student-athletes by Haier America and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), will be determined by an online vote through April 3rd at
http://achieve.haieramerica.com.
The student-athlete selected as the Haier Ultimate Achievement Award winner will earn their school an additional $5,000 donation to the general scholarship fund and another Haier 48-inch LED HD television set. All fans who vote at http://achieve.haieramerica.com will be entered into a drawing to win a Haier 48-inch LED HD television.
To vote, visit achieve.haieramerica.com online. Fans can vote once per day through Friday, April 3. One vote per email address per day allowed.
All fans who vote will be entered into a drawing to win a Haier 48-inch LED HD TV. The more times you vote (once per day), the more chances you have to win. In addition, Haier will make a donation to The Marfan Foundation for every vote cast.
"The Haier Achievement Award program brings to light those student-athletes who have achieved success beyond sports," said, John Homlish, senior vice president, Digital Living Business Unit for Haier America, one of the world's leading television and appliance manufacturers. "By asking fans to select the
Haier Ultimate Achievement Award we hope to further shine a spotlight on the off-field accomplishments of these impressive young men and women."
Each of the nominees has already been recognized during an on-campus ceremony and earned a $2,000 donation to their school's general scholarship fund and a Haier 48-inch LED HD television to their athletic department.
"We thank Haier for understanding the challenges facing student-athletes and recognizing them for what they do beyond the playing field," Doug Vance, Executive Director of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Here's a look at the eight
Haier Ultimate Achievement Award finalists (more detailed bios are available at
http://achieve.haieramerica.com):
Alyssa Brandt (senior, DeSales University)
A three-year member of the women's soccer team and four-year track & field athlete has gone on numerous medical missions to
help the less fortunate in Haiti, Hondouras and Ghana since she was 15-years-old ... Additionally, she has been named to the MAC fall, winter, and spring Academic Honor Roll twice.
Averee Fields (senior, West Virginia University)
The captain of the women's basketball team has done extensive w
ork in the
community with numerous local organizations including
Stepping Stones for special needs individuals ... In the classroom she has earned a 3.95 GPA and been named to the Big 12 All-Academic First Team for the past two years and has been recognized as Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Alex Grady (sophomore, Georgia Tech)
A member of the cross country and track & field teams is majoring
in mechanical
engineering ... He was one of six GT student-
athletes to receive the ACC Top Six for Service Award in 2014 for having amassed more than 210 community service hours in less than two years.
Elisha Hande (senior, North Carolina State University)
A member of the women's tennis team who maintains a 4.0 GPA with a major in economics and a minor in German ... She has been honored for her work in the community including local schools, the Special Olympic and homeless
shelters.
Angela Lowak (junior, Texas A&M University)
Ajunior volleyball co-captain is active in numerous campus organizations and has volunteered her time at many local, national and international projects including
Adventures and Missions to help people in AIDS-stricken Swaziland ... She has received numerous honors for her academic achievement and commitment to community service including; the
NCAS PlayMaker of the Month,
SEC Community Service Team, All SEC Academic Honor Roll, and more.
Corey Petros (senior, Oakland University)
Starting center for the men's basketball team and four-time Academic Honor Roll selection currently working towards his MBA ... He is very active in volunteering his time to literacy programs throughout Michigan.
JaCorey Shepherd (senior, University of Kansas)
Football cornerback that is active in the community through Big Brothers, Big Sisters, as a reader at local schools and many other
local community programs .... He is majoring in management and leadership with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honoree and a four-time Athletic Director's Honor Roll member.
Richie Suarez (senior, Rowan University)
As a freshman he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Avascular Necrosis (AVN) and told his colleg
e sports
career would be over before it ever began ... He underwent 40 months of treatment to prove the doctors wrong and eventually take the mound for the Rowan baseball team for his junior and senior seasons ... A stellar student as well, he has earned NJAC All-Academic honorable mention.
ABOUT HAIER:
Haier America (
www.haier.com/us/) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Haier Group, the world's No. 1 major appliance brand as ranked by Euromonitor International 2014, and a global leader in consumer electronics. Haier employs more than 70,000 people around the world and distributes products in more than 100 countries and regions with global revenues reaching $32.1 billion in 2014.
ABOUT CoSIDA:
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America,
www.cosida.com) was founded in 1957 and is a 3,000-plus member national organization comprised of sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the U.S. and Canada. CoSIDA has two primary missions: 1) Assist communications and public relations professionals at all collegiate levels with professional development and continuing education, 2) Play a significant leadership and resource role within the overall collegiate athletics enterprise, thus helping other management groups and their respective memberships deal with the set of communications-based issues that is the most complex and challenging in history.