TU Named NACDA/Fiesta Bowl Community Service Award Finalist
Towson University student-athletes have done over 10,000 hours of community service for the sixth-straight year
By Towson University Athletics on June 29, 2018
After hitting the 10,000 hour mark for community service for a sixth-straight year,
the Towson University athletic department has been recognized as a finalist for the NACDA/Fiesta Bowl Community Service Award.
The announcement was made at the 53rd Annual National Association of Collegiate Directors
of of Athletics (NACDA) Convention in Washington, D.C.
The winning institution will be announced at a later date. The winning institution
will be awarded a trophy for permanent display, as well as a $10,000 donation to the
charity of its choice. The two runners-up will also receive a trophy and receive a
$5,000 donation to the charity of their choosing.
"Community Service is at the core of what Towson Athletics is all about," said Tricia Turley Brandenburg, deputy director of athletics/SWA. "Our student-athletes, coaches and staff embrace
and thrive within our community focused mission. Antwaine Smith, assistant athletic director for the Total Tiger Program, does a tremendous job ensuring our
student-athletes embody this mission in a meaningful way that creates a life-long
commitment to giving back. Being acknowledged as a finalist for the Fiesta Bowl Community
Service Award is further affirmation of the great work our student-athletes are doing
in the community."
The Community Service Award will be presented in the fall, at an on-campus event hosted
by the winning institution. The award recognizes NACDA member institutions in Division
I, and honors exceptional athletic departments that make volunteerism and community
service a way of life. A five-person committee consisting of athletic directors across
the country and representatives from the Fiesta Bowl and NACDA will help choose this year's award winner.
Towson Athletics has completed 12,975 hours of community service for the 2017-18 school
year. This is the sixth consecutive year of achieving 10,000 or more hours of community
service. The economic impact of the six consecutive years of community service has
an estimated value of $1,339,000.
One of the primary causes supported this year was Autism Awareness. Towson Athletics co-sponsored a "Focus on Autism" workshop with the College of Liberal Arts, Pathfinders Autism and Disability Support Services, where three head coaches who have children with autism of varying degrees shared their experience and journey in a panel discussion format. The workshop was held during the same week as a lead-up to the Men's Basketball Autism Awareness Game, which also featured a number of Autism Awareness organizations. The men's basketball team also hosted a free basketball clinic for members of the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism[BROKEN LINK], which serves autistic adults in the Greater Baltimore community.
This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.