Pitt Earns NCAA Community Service Award
4/22/2021 4:00:00 PM | General
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh student-athletes earned the NCAA Team Works Community Service Competition Award as announced on NCAA.org Thursday afternoon.
"Our coaches, student-athletes and staff continue to make servant leadership a top priority each year, and particularly during challenging times," said Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. "It is truly an honor to be recognized by the NCAA for outstanding commitment to helping others."
NCAA Team Works, which coordinates community service efforts at NCAA championships, and Helper Helper, a volunteer management and tracking platform, launched the community service competition to recognize student-athletes who give back to their communities. The competition, which ran from January through March, is based on the number of service hours completed and the number of participating student-athletes. Helper Helper tracks the school participation data throughout the competition.
"Community service means so much more than just serving those in our community," said Olivia Miller, a Pitt junior gymnast and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Community Service Subcommittee chair. "Community service is a beautiful blend of building relationships, spreading positivity and staying connected to those around us. I feel that community service is an essential part of everyone's experience as a student-athlete, and being able to touch the lives of those around us is so powerful."
Pitt earned first place in the Division I category. During the challenge, all Panther student-athletes participated in at least one community outreach project. Outreach efforts included a virtual program with youth, COVID-19 vaccine registration programs, Children's Hospital Blood drive, and food, clothing and toy drives. Student-athletes stayed connected with local elementary students through live videoconferencing and prerecorded segments that promoted literacy and the importance of reading.
"It's quite remarkable what these student-athletes have been able to accomplish during the pandemic conditions we've been faced with," said Victor Hill, NCAA associate director, NCAA Championships Team Works. "It's quite a testament to their character and dedication to their respective communities and the needs of others. The impact and examples they set are truly immeasurable."
Taking first-place honors in Division II was Emporia State, where student-athletes participated in nearly 800 events, completing more than 2,000 hours of community engagement. Efforts included trash cleanups, food distribution, letter writing and tutoring. The Division III award went to student-athletes at New Jersey City. This is the school's first Team Works challenge victory. Through logged hours in Helper Helper, student-athletes made a $19,000 economic impact on their community. The school was able to enlist more than half of its student-athletes in at least one event.
The student-athletes at Pitt, Emporia State and New Jersey City each receive a "Community Service Champion" award from the NCAA and Helper Helper. This is the eighth NCAA Team Works Community Service Competition powered by Helper Helper.
"Our coaches, student-athletes and staff continue to make servant leadership a top priority each year, and particularly during challenging times," said Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. "It is truly an honor to be recognized by the NCAA for outstanding commitment to helping others."
NCAA Team Works, which coordinates community service efforts at NCAA championships, and Helper Helper, a volunteer management and tracking platform, launched the community service competition to recognize student-athletes who give back to their communities. The competition, which ran from January through March, is based on the number of service hours completed and the number of participating student-athletes. Helper Helper tracks the school participation data throughout the competition.
"Community service means so much more than just serving those in our community," said Olivia Miller, a Pitt junior gymnast and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Community Service Subcommittee chair. "Community service is a beautiful blend of building relationships, spreading positivity and staying connected to those around us. I feel that community service is an essential part of everyone's experience as a student-athlete, and being able to touch the lives of those around us is so powerful."
Pitt earned first place in the Division I category. During the challenge, all Panther student-athletes participated in at least one community outreach project. Outreach efforts included a virtual program with youth, COVID-19 vaccine registration programs, Children's Hospital Blood drive, and food, clothing and toy drives. Student-athletes stayed connected with local elementary students through live videoconferencing and prerecorded segments that promoted literacy and the importance of reading.
"It's quite remarkable what these student-athletes have been able to accomplish during the pandemic conditions we've been faced with," said Victor Hill, NCAA associate director, NCAA Championships Team Works. "It's quite a testament to their character and dedication to their respective communities and the needs of others. The impact and examples they set are truly immeasurable."
Taking first-place honors in Division II was Emporia State, where student-athletes participated in nearly 800 events, completing more than 2,000 hours of community engagement. Efforts included trash cleanups, food distribution, letter writing and tutoring. The Division III award went to student-athletes at New Jersey City. This is the school's first Team Works challenge victory. Through logged hours in Helper Helper, student-athletes made a $19,000 economic impact on their community. The school was able to enlist more than half of its student-athletes in at least one event.
The student-athletes at Pitt, Emporia State and New Jersey City each receive a "Community Service Champion" award from the NCAA and Helper Helper. This is the eighth NCAA Team Works Community Service Competition powered by Helper Helper.
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