McCormack Honors Students and Alumni at Annual Awards Banquet

Family, friends, faculty, and donors gathered in the Mullins Center to celebrate a group of extraordinary scholarship and award recipients. Honorees included stand out students and alumni with notable professional and academic careers. “Year after year, our students and alumni continue to exceed our expectations” said Janet Fink, Department Chair. “The [recipient’s] collective list of accomplishments is astounding.”

Recipients of the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumni (est. 1993), and Alumni on the Rise (est. 2013) awards are chosen based on continued involvement with the Department of Sport Management, and professional success within the industry. On top of their successful careers, this year’s recipients, listed below, have supported the department by serving as guest speakers and mentors, contributing resources, and offering insight into program development. 

During the fall semester, students are given the opportunity to apply for one of the Department of Sport Management scholarships. Scholarships are sponsored by alumni, former students, friends and family of the department, and organizations with strong ties to the school. This year’s winners include students who have been accepted into multiple law schools, interned professional sport teams, worked or interned internationally, completed community service and more.

Recipients of the Top Senior Award must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and a recommendation letter from a faculty member in order to apply. Those who pass these criterion are evaluated on how well they epitomize the ideal McCormack student. In particular, their contributions to the department and participation in internships, extra-curricular activities, study abroad, and volunteerism are all considered. This year, 13 graduating seniors received this recognition.

The evening provided an opportunity to reflect on the past, and look toward the future. Students were able to share their experiences, network, meet with those who established their awards, and hear from people who were in their shoes not too long ago. “Don’t spend so much time thinking about the next opportunity that you forget about doing good work today” advised alumna Jennifer Masi. Advice on work ethic, networking, attitude, and respect was given in earnest from all alumni award recipients. 

Alumni Awards
Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumni Award: Chris Antonetti MS ’97, Jennifer Masi MS ’99, Russ Spielman BS ‘92
Alumni on the Rise Award: Eric Ginsberg BS ’09, Karina Herold MBA/MS ’08, Evan Olesh MS/MBA ‘10

Student Scholarships & Awards
Joan and Ed Barr Memorial Scholarship: Connor Fulton BS ’18 (Westford, VT), Kathleen Roffo BS ’18 (Longmeadow, MA)
Eastern League Internship Scholarship: Jacob Barnes BS ’20 (Dunstable, MA)
Erik K.M. Kjeldsen Scholarship: Allen Shin BS ’17 (Seoul), Brianna Stewart BS ’18 (Kennesaw, GA)
Kristian J. Rose, Jr. Memorial Scholarship: Cassandra Healy BS ’18 (Bellingham, MA)
47 Brand Scholarship: Claudia Sam BS ’19 (Santo Domingo)
Marilyn and Richie Tannenbaum Scholarship: Jonathan Becker BS ’18 (North Kingstown, RI)
Harold J. VanderZwaag Scholarship: Jonathan Oustaev BS ’18 (Rego Park, NY)
Glenn Wong Sport Law Scholarship: Samantha Cote BS ’17 (Worcester, MA)
McCormack Center Scholarship: Kate Avard BS ’19 (Easthampton, MA), Matthew Gordon BS ’18 (Needham, MA)
Alumni Scholarship: Marissa Pati BS ’19 (Inglewood, CA), Kyle Schrafft BS ’18 (Rockport, MA)
Senior Leadership Award: Brett Estrella BS ’17 (Pepperell, MA), Abby Rice BS ’17 (Newton, MA)
Top Seniors Awards: Michael Benson (Hoffman Estates, IL), Brett Estrella (Pepperell, MA), Kelsea Fithian-Giantonio (Plainville, CT), Mackenzie Gillis (Abington, MA), Brittany Green (Iselin, NJ), Archit Khanderparkar (Pune, Mahar), Max Mason (Mount Desert, ME), William Melley (Reading, MA), Leonard Paoletta (Abington, MA), Abby Rice (Newton, MA), Emma Szczesny (Attleboro, MA), David Tews (Glenn Ellyn, IL), Scott Vannerson (Olympia, WA)