ECU athletics places second in the nation for the NACDA/Fiesta Bowl Community Service Award
In June, ECU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) was selected as a finalist for the inaugural Community Service Award at the 52nd Annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention. The Fiesta Bowl and NACDA selected three finalists: ECU, Florida Gulf Coast University and University of Maryland.
The Community Service Award recognizes NACDA member institutions at the Division I level, commending standout athletics departments for their excellent volunteerism and devotion to aiding and impacting their community. A five-person committee, consisting of athletics directors from across the country and representatives from the Fiesta Bowl and NACDA, were tasked with choosing the institution to receive a trophy and $10,000 for its chosen charity.
For its commitment to community, ECU was named second out of all Division I schools across the nation, falling only behind the University of Maryland. ECU's SAAC was awarded $5,000 to donate to a worthy, charitable organization in the community.
During the 2016-17 academic year, the athletics department at East Carolina had completed 7,788 hours of community service. The student-athletes stepped up to help the community in a dire time of need. Hurricane Matthew had greatly affected many of the homes in the community during fall 2016, forcing citizens to evacuate and students to leave campus. Throughout the year, the student-athletes worked with over 26 different non-profit organizations including a variety of different populations of underprivileged children, special-needs populations and aging members of the community.
Every sports team at East Carolina University devotes an incredible amount of time both in season and during the off-season to serve the community. Children's hospital visits, holiday celebrations for the community, and relationships with nonprofit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and Aces for Autism are only a few of the countless interactions athletes have with the surrounding area.
At the ECU football season opener, SAAC's president Austin Allen and vice president Karlie Smith awarded Third Street Academy a $5,000 check from NACDA and the Fiesta Bowl. Third Street Academy is a Christian school for boys located in Greenville that runs solely on donations. Its vision is to see generations transformed based on religious beliefs; its mission is to educate and equip the students in ways that bring dignity and hope; and its culture is to hold high academic standards, develop character and foster spiritual formation. The school allows inner-city boys to learn and participate in extracurricular activates, while growing in their faith.
Local Greenville native, SAAC officer and ECU swimmer Kelly Barnhill says the money will make an amazing impact. "When I think about the academy's relationship with the community, people view it with such positivity. It gives them hope on improving Greenville as a city," said Barnhill.
SAAC president Allen added, "Receiving second place in the NACDA/Fiesta Bowl Community Service award for our volunteer efforts last year was a huge honor, but being able to use that honor to accomplish even more good in our community is incredible."
As 2018 approaches, SAAC remains undaunted in its pursuit to better the Greenville community and beyond. With the recent hurricanes affecting both Texas and Florida, ECU is looking outside North Carolina's state lines to support its American Athletic Conference family in damaged areas. SAAC's goal is to continually increase its impact in the community and to never to rest on the laurels of past accomplishments. Serving others while building selfless student-athletes on and off the field is the main objective.
On a personal note, as an ECU softball player and vice president of SAAC, I believe that being a part of an athletics department that cares so much for the community is an extraordinary experience. Student-athletes do not volunteer for the recognition. We do it to serve a community that supports us on and off the field, win or lose. Because of our community, we are enabled with opportunities that will last a lifetime, far past graduation. We must share our gratitude by reciprocating the support and giving back to a city that bleeds purple and gold. Our goal is to remain at the top of the Division I schools in community service and performance rankings. Empowering others is what Pirate Nation is all about.
