WASHINGTON - Gallaudet University Associate Athletic Director for Communications Sam Atkinson was named Wednesday as the 2020 recipient of CoSIDA's Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award.
The Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award is presented annually to an individual who is a pioneer in the field of sports information, who has mentored and helped improve the level of ethnic and gender diversity within CoSIDA. The award is voted on by CoSIDA's Special Awards Committee. Haverbeck, who passed away Jan. 6, 2014, was the former associate sports information director at Penn State University from 1974-99 and a long-time advocate for women sports and women in the profession.
"I am so honored to receive CoSIDA's 2020 Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award and to join a remarkable list of groundbreaking sports information directors," said Atkinson. "It is amazing when you step back and read the stories about previous Haverbeck Trailblazer Award honorees and see how these individuals were pioneers, advocates and champions of change."
The official presentation of the award will take place at the 2020 CoSIDA Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 7-10.
Atkinson is in his 11th year at Gallaudet University, the world's only university with programs and services specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students, where he manages the sports information office and the media and public relations for Bison athletics.
Atkinson is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Board of Directors and is currently the First Vice President of the 3,000+ member national organization comprised of the sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada.
Atkinson will become only the fifth College Division representative (Division II, III, NAIA, CIS) to become president of CoSIDA in the 60-plus year history of the organization. In 2020-21, Atkinson will join Union (N.Y.) College's Eric McDowell (2014-15) and Luther College's Warren Berg (1963-64) as the lone CoSIDA Presidents to hail from a Division III program.
Atkinson is part of CoSIDA's most diverse officer group in the 60+ year history of the organization.
He is also an active member of CoSIDA's Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is the CoSIDA Board liaison to the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame Committee during the 2019-20 school year.
Atkinson spent eight years as the CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair (2007-15) where he organized efforts to improve Sports Information Directors' (SIDs) health and lifestyles along with fostering community service activity. During his tenure as Goodwill and Wellness chair he planned and executed six community service projects and five 5K fun run/walks during CoSIDA's annual convention. The last two 5Ks were held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Affiliates. His efforts led to $6,330 being raised, 1,700 items collected and donated to local charities and over 425 hours of community service performed. For his efforts Atkinson received the 2014 Bob Kenworthy Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA member for civic involvement and accomplishments outside of the sports information office.
His lasting impression on the committee and organization was the launch of the CoSIDA Volunteer 15 program in 2014-15. The program is designed to help promote the great efforts and success CoSIDA members have in volunteering in their communities. To qualify, CoSIDA members had to volunteer at least 15 hours during the school year. The program is in its sixth year as a record 8,092 volunteer hours were logged by SIDs nationwide during the 2018-19 school year.
In addition to his CoSIDA duties, Atkinson is in his fourth year on the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Committee, where he is serving as the chair and spokesperson for the committee for second year in a row.
The Phoenix, Md., native received his bachelor's degree in Communication Arts from Salisbury University in 2000 and his master's degree in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University in 2013.
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