Eastern Michigan Athletics
Gonzales Named a 2018 CoSIDA Convention Grant Recipient
3/21/2018 3:44:00 PM | General
The 2018 convention will be held June 27-30 at the Gaylord National in Washington D.C.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced last week that Eastern Michigan University Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations Katie Gonzales was selected as one of the recipients of the 2018 CoSIDA Convention grants. She is the first recipient from EMU and one of 22 from around the country selected to receive the grant.
Each grant includes a complimentary convention registration, allowing the grant funds to go toward hotel nights, transportation and per diem. The 2018 convention will be held June 27-30 at the Gaylord National in Washington D.C.
"I'm extremely grateful to the grant committee for the opportunity to attend the CoSIDA Convention this summer," Gonzales said. "I want to thank CoSIDA for selecting me for the grant, our team at Eastern Michigan for their support, and our student-athletes for continuing to push me to be better. The opportunity to attend convention and learn how I can better serve our Eastern Michigan student-athletes, our student worker staff, and our entire team in media relations is something I am very excited about."
Athletics communicators from Division I (eight), Division II (three), Division III (five), NAIA (three), two-year colleges (one) and Canada's USports (one) are represented. Regional, gender and ethnic diversity is represented as well. Of the 22 winners, 12 have been CoSIDA members for five years or less, while five have been CoSIDA members for 10 years or more.
Gonzales, who is in her first year as a full-time employee at EMU, was promoted to the role in August of 2017 after a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at the school. She currently oversees the primary media relations duties for women's basketball, soccer and rowing while aiding with promotion of the EMU football team. Additionally, she helps coordinate the department's social media presence that saw a dramatic increase in followers and interactions during the previous year.
Prior to her arrival in Ypsilanti, Gonzales worked as a student assistant at Loras College from 2012-15. In her role at the Division III school, she helped with the promotion of the school's 23 intercollegiate sports. She also added a six month internship with the WNBA's Chicago Sky during the 2013 season.
"The recognition and grant by CoSIDA is very well deserved for Katie," said EMU Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations Greg Steiner. "She is a rising-star in our industry and I'm extremely lucky to have someone as talented as her on my staff. Her passion and dedication to our student-athletes is unparalleled. She is a large reason why our department continues to be recognized as one of the best not only in the region but nationally."
This year's class of recipients will be the fifth group of members to participate. After this year's convention, approximately $80,000 will have been distributed to 94 CoSIDA members as reimbursement for convention-related costs.
The program began in 2014 when 10 recipients were selected and doubled in size for 2015 and 2016 with grants worth $800 apiece. Beginning last year, the Board of Directors voted to add two more grants specifically designated for ethnic minorities. That brought the total number of grants given by CoSIDA in 2017 and 2018 to 22. This year, the Board also agree to increase the stipend to $1,000.
This year saw a record 103 applicants submit a personal letter indicating their interest in attending and what they hope to learn at the convention. The selection committee is comprised of CoSIDA officers, staff and members of special interest groups within the association.
As part of receiving a grant, each winner will be recognized at one of the convention awards luncheons and will help CoSIDA's Convention Operations Committee with on-site duties. In addition, recipients will provide written reviews of their experience following the convention.
2018 CoSIDA Convention Attendance Grant Recipients
David Ambrose, Post University
Denise Archetto, Stonehill College
Sheila Blackman, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Kirsten Carney, Westminster College
Danny Elizondo, University of Texas Rio Grande
Matthew Fenton, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Jonathan Goldberg, ECAC
Katie Gonzales, Eastern Michigan University
Travis Jarome, Alabama State University
Jennifer Jones, Birmingham-Southern College
Cassie Kelley, Point Loma Nazarene University
Jeri Nagle, Grand View University
Dan Ryan, Bethune-Cookman University
Chandler Simpson, Furman University
Wade Steinlage, William Penn University
Jenny Stephens, Oswego State
Denise Thompson, Big Sky Conference
Michelle Van Dorn, University of Northern Iowa
Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley Community College
Jerek Wolcott, Carroll College
2018 CoSIDA Ethnic Minority Convention Attendance Grant Recipients
Ali Baggott, University of Victoria
Corey Miggins, Chicago State University
Each grant includes a complimentary convention registration, allowing the grant funds to go toward hotel nights, transportation and per diem. The 2018 convention will be held June 27-30 at the Gaylord National in Washington D.C.
"I'm extremely grateful to the grant committee for the opportunity to attend the CoSIDA Convention this summer," Gonzales said. "I want to thank CoSIDA for selecting me for the grant, our team at Eastern Michigan for their support, and our student-athletes for continuing to push me to be better. The opportunity to attend convention and learn how I can better serve our Eastern Michigan student-athletes, our student worker staff, and our entire team in media relations is something I am very excited about."
Athletics communicators from Division I (eight), Division II (three), Division III (five), NAIA (three), two-year colleges (one) and Canada's USports (one) are represented. Regional, gender and ethnic diversity is represented as well. Of the 22 winners, 12 have been CoSIDA members for five years or less, while five have been CoSIDA members for 10 years or more.
Gonzales, who is in her first year as a full-time employee at EMU, was promoted to the role in August of 2017 after a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at the school. She currently oversees the primary media relations duties for women's basketball, soccer and rowing while aiding with promotion of the EMU football team. Additionally, she helps coordinate the department's social media presence that saw a dramatic increase in followers and interactions during the previous year.
Prior to her arrival in Ypsilanti, Gonzales worked as a student assistant at Loras College from 2012-15. In her role at the Division III school, she helped with the promotion of the school's 23 intercollegiate sports. She also added a six month internship with the WNBA's Chicago Sky during the 2013 season.
"The recognition and grant by CoSIDA is very well deserved for Katie," said EMU Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations Greg Steiner. "She is a rising-star in our industry and I'm extremely lucky to have someone as talented as her on my staff. Her passion and dedication to our student-athletes is unparalleled. She is a large reason why our department continues to be recognized as one of the best not only in the region but nationally."
This year's class of recipients will be the fifth group of members to participate. After this year's convention, approximately $80,000 will have been distributed to 94 CoSIDA members as reimbursement for convention-related costs.
The program began in 2014 when 10 recipients were selected and doubled in size for 2015 and 2016 with grants worth $800 apiece. Beginning last year, the Board of Directors voted to add two more grants specifically designated for ethnic minorities. That brought the total number of grants given by CoSIDA in 2017 and 2018 to 22. This year, the Board also agree to increase the stipend to $1,000.
This year saw a record 103 applicants submit a personal letter indicating their interest in attending and what they hope to learn at the convention. The selection committee is comprised of CoSIDA officers, staff and members of special interest groups within the association.
As part of receiving a grant, each winner will be recognized at one of the convention awards luncheons and will help CoSIDA's Convention Operations Committee with on-site duties. In addition, recipients will provide written reviews of their experience following the convention.
2018 CoSIDA Convention Attendance Grant Recipients
David Ambrose, Post University
Denise Archetto, Stonehill College
Sheila Blackman, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Kirsten Carney, Westminster College
Danny Elizondo, University of Texas Rio Grande
Matthew Fenton, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Jonathan Goldberg, ECAC
Katie Gonzales, Eastern Michigan University
Travis Jarome, Alabama State University
Jennifer Jones, Birmingham-Southern College
Cassie Kelley, Point Loma Nazarene University
Jeri Nagle, Grand View University
Dan Ryan, Bethune-Cookman University
Chandler Simpson, Furman University
Wade Steinlage, William Penn University
Jenny Stephens, Oswego State
Denise Thompson, Big Sky Conference
Michelle Van Dorn, University of Northern Iowa
Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley Community College
Jerek Wolcott, Carroll College
2018 CoSIDA Ethnic Minority Convention Attendance Grant Recipients
Ali Baggott, University of Victoria
Corey Miggins, Chicago State University
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