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Day two of #CSCUNITE23 was highlighted by a variety of Divisional Day programming and closed with the recognition of top 2022-23 award winners at the All-Star Night of Honors presented by ESPN.
To kick off the morning, a total of $7,500 was raised with the annual CSC/NACDA 5K fun run/two-mile walk. These funds will go toward assisting Frontline Outreach, an organization providing a safe haven where community youth and their families participate in programs and activities that promote leadership, entrepreneurship, academics and the discipline essential to success. This partnership with Frontline, and the annual 5K, are coordinated through the tremendous efforts of the CSC Goodwill and Wellness Committee.
Sessions on Tuesday were division-specific, with NCAA Division I school members discussing the essence of being strategic; Name, Image and Likeness; and a back to basics session on working with the media and national awards enhancements following an extensive survey of media relations topics done by the FWAA. In Division II, a wellness session with mental health empowerment speaker Ivy Watts; a championship hosting panel; basics for providing video replays; and table topic discussions around athletic communications 101 items.
The NCAA Division III SIDs focused on small group interactive sessions with topics such as preparing for the big moments and building a collaborative culture. In the NAIA, those members learned more on video, social and digital strategies, training and promoting student workers, retention and survival, and moving up, while the two-year colleges spoke about making the transition from a two-year to a four-year school, land viewing college athletics from the female athletic communicators’ perspective. And, the conference office communications pros from all levels met to discuss storytelling strategies, annual and weekly awards and structures, and promoting/staffing/running marquee events like conference championships.
Turning to the awards ceremonies, the NAIA held their annual Ike Pearson Award reception (for distinguished athletic communications achievements), and CSC feted nearly 50 Special Awards winners. These including a six-member CSC Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the Warren Berg, Arch Ward, Jake Wade (media), Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer and Keith Jackson awards. The six-member CSC Hall of Fame class includes
Marc Dellins (UCLA),
Gregory Goings (Bowie State),
Phil Haddy (Iowa),
Oliver Pierce (Gonzaga),
Bill Powers (Hawai'i Pacific) and
Judy Willson (Geneva).