Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

UM-Dearborn's Kelly Dankert

UM-Dearborn's Dankert Earns American Red Cross/State Farm Insurance Scholarship

Posted by Matt Fancett - Tue, Jan 22, 2008 - [ Volleyball ] - Viewed 282 times

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Concordia University (Ore.) senior Rachel Cotter and University of Michigan-Dearborn junior Kelly Dankert will receive $2000 scholarship checks from State Farm as part of its support of American Red Cross (ARC) diversity initiatives and the ARC-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Youth Leadership Program. Cotter and Dankert and nine other NAIA student-athletes completed a two week internship at the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C. this past summer and currently serve as Red Cross ambassadors on their campuses and in their local communities connecting a new generation of volunteers and leaders. A first-team all-conference and all-region selection as a libero, Cotter finished her two-year Cavalier career ranked second all-time with 1,152 digs. She set the school's single-season mark with 626 digs, a 43-count improvement from the previous mark of 583 set by current Concordia assistant coach Erin Blyth during the 2005 season. Cotter was named the Cascade Collegiate Conference Co-Defensive Specialist/Libero of the Year after helping Concordia to a 14-16 overall record and a 9-11 mark in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Cotter expects to graduate in 2008 with a degree in social work.

A scholarship check presentation for Cotter will take place on Friday, January 18, 2008, during halftime of the Cavaliers women's basketball game. Joan Manning, Concordia Athletics Director Dr. Joel Schuldheisz and President of the Western Frontier Division for the American Red Cross, will be at the event to present the scholarship award.

Dankert ia a competitor for the University of Michigan-Dearborn volleyball team and plans to graduate in 2009 with a degree in history and dreams of working at the Henry Ford Museum as a historian. She was thrilled to participate in the ARC-NAIA Youth Leadership Program and have the opportunity to represent her university and team.

A scholarship check presentation for Dankert will take place on Friday, January 18, 2008, at a dinner event at the University Center on campus at Kochoff Hall beginning at 8:15 p.m. University of Michigan-Dearborn Athletics Director Steve Rotta, CEO of the South Eastern Region for the American Red Cross Diane Ward and American Red Cross representative Dr. Brad Eisenbrey will be at the event to present the scholarship award.

"This program highlights the importance of bringing youth representation to our advisory boards and allowing them to have an influence. Diversity is not important if you can't leverage it," said Brian Hamil, National Chair for Biomedical Services at the American Red Cross. "The opportunity for these students to sit on advisory boards is a "best practices" model demonstrating that we are leveraging, valuing and integrating diversity. This is a true model of inclusion."

Cotter and Dankert join other NAIA student-athletes from across the country for the inaugural year of the ARC-NAIA Youth Leadership Program. As part of their responsibilities as elite members of the class, Cotter and Dankert will organize successful blood drive campaigns, sit of the American Red Cross leadership board and complete diversity and cultural competency training throughout the year.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize student-athlete's hard work and community activism and how it translates into success both in and out of competition," said Mike Campbell, NAIA Vice President for Marketing and Corporate Partnerships. "The NAIA values the relationship with the American Red Cross and State Farm and the opportunity it provides to help develop student-athletes."

The relationship between State Farm, the American Red Cross and the NAIA provides a tremendous opportunity for an impressive and promising group of NAIA student-athletes to serve as volunteer leaders for the American Red Cross and increase awareness about the importance of blood donation on their campuses and in their communities. This program demonstrates the value of successful and meaningful partnerships and celebrates the impact these young adults will have in future leadership roles beyond their college careers.

Cotter and Dankert are part of an initiative for a new generation of Red Cross leaders and part of a strategy to move the American Red Cross from awareness to action. ARC-NAIA Youth Leadership Program participants are an example of today's youth embracing volunteerism and community service. These two young ladies will have an enormous impact on the Concordia and Michigan-Dearborn campuses and communities serviced by the Pacific Northwest and Southeastern Michigan Blood Regions. NAIA student-athlete's contribution to the program increases the age diversity in the American Red Cross, celebrates the shared vision of servant leadership between the ARC and NAIA and provides an opportunity to develop leaders of tomorrow.

To learn more about the ARC-NAIA Youth Leadership Program contact Staci Schottman, NAIA Director of Public Relations and Communications, at 816-595-8116 or sschottman@naia.org.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. To learn more visit www.redcross.org.

About the NAIA
A leader in the development of student-athletes, the NAIA is committed to changing the culture of sport through Champions of Character. Founded in 1937, the NAIA continues to be a pioneer in implementing exceptional standards for academics, diversity, and character. Today, the NAIA sponsors 23 collegiate championships in 13 sports for its nearly 300 member institutions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more about the NAIA visit www.naia.org.