Dr. Joseph J. McGowan Visionary Award

2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017
*no award presented in 2020-22 due to COVID-19.

24219Named after Dr. Joseph J. McGowan, President at Bellarmine University for 26 years who passed away on March 1, 2016, this award will be presented annually to the GLVC institution that displays vision and exemplary programming to promote and advance the student-athlete experience.









 
2025 Recipient - Upper Iowa's "Student Athlete Development Series"

48825Upper Iowa was selected for its "Student Athlete Development Series", which is a four-year plan for all student athletes to learn from working women and men all the things they need to know as they head off into the real world. Within this series, a student-athlete would attend a different workshop each
year in preparation for their life after athletics. These workshops, designed specifically for where they’re at in their collegiate career, will focus on personal growth, career development, social networking, financial literacy, and more! In order to make this series as harmless as possible, it was created with the student-athlete schedule in mind.
 
Upper Iowa has implemented two series’ a year and split the teams up to attend the series that fits best within their off-season schedule. Also, each student-athlete is required to attend only one in-person workshop a year, with a ‘Life After Athletics’ panel via Zoom to cap off the series. As a freshman, we utilize the many events across campus to give our first-year student-athletes the best transition to college. They are required to take FYS (First Year Seminar), which focuses on the academic transition to college. SAAC hosts a ‘Mental Health Panel’ each year, which is required for any new student-athletes to UIU. Lastly, our first-year student-athletes are required to attend study hall, mandated by each sport, which allows them designated time to work on their coursework. As part of the SA Development Series, “Market Ready”, created for our sophomore student athletes, touches on the first things you’ll need to know to really grasp who you are in the professional world, including your elevator pitch to good first impressions to your ever-changing core values. We collaborate with Career Development and our communications department to provide the best experience.
 
“Prepared Professional”, created for our junior student-athletes, showcases experts that provide tips for a student’s growth as an individual, focusing on “next steps” after an interview and financial literacy. In collaboration with Career Development and a financial advisor from Northwestern Mutual, student-athletes have the opportunity to work through job interview readiness, W2s, benefits packages, retirement options, and more.
“Peacock Networking Night”, created for our senior and above student-athletes, allows our student-athletes the opportunity to network with employers from all over the Midwest. It’s set up with cocktail tables, appetizers, and beverages, so the student-athletes can get a real feel for a workplace social, while also giving them the opportunity to meet new people, ask life-changing questions, and learn all the things they need to know as they head off into the real world. 
 
Lastly, our “Life After Athletics” panel is available for all student-athletes. This panel is made up of four to five alum who have began their career since graduation and can touch on their experience at UIU as a student-athlete and the transition from collegiate student-athlete to employee, then everything in between. Questions such as “What do you wish you were involved in during college that could’ve prepared you better for life after athletics?” and “What’s the best piece of advice you could leave our student-athletes with?” are asked. Q&A is also open for any attendees to ask questions to the panelists.
 
Spearheaded by Emily Jorgensen, the Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Development/Director of Academic Success at Upper Iowa, this being the second year of this series, the goal is to continue to provide this series for our student-athletes at Upper Iowa University. Our coaches do everything they can to positively impact a student-athlete’s experience as an athlete. UIU allows them to fulfill their academic aspirations as a student. Through the SA Development Series, we can provide them with opportunities that prepare them for their life after their time here and graduate holistic people, prepared for whatever comes next.
2024 Recipient - Rockhurst's "Be The Match" Donor Drive

47647Rockhurst was selected for its "Be The Match" Donor Drive, which was spearheaded by Hawks men’s soccer senior Nick Grewe because of a personal connection to the organization. Spurred to action by a friend who needed a transplant, the Chesterfield, Mo., native got tested and has been raising awareness ever since. Grewe came close to being a match for a potential donor, but donors have to be of the same ethnic background as that of the recipient, which puts certain groups at a disadvantage. This fact made him even more passionate about trying to spread awareness and give more people an equal chance of finding a life-saving donor.
 
Grewe took that passion and approached Director of Athletics, Kristy Bayer, about hosting an event on campus where the men’s soccer team would help spread the word, man tables, take swabs, and pass out educational materials. Once he received approval, Grewe met with athletic administration, his coaching staff, the Director of Greek Life and Student Life, as well as organizers from Be The Match. He also attended a coaches’ meeting and gave a heartfelt presentation on the impact of the organization and his personal journey testimony. Be The Match and the Rockhurst Marketing team also disseminated information to the campus community, encouraging participation.
 
On April 5, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM Grewe’s plan came to fruition where 175 swabs were collected and many members of the Rockhurst community were educated on the importance of donating. Those swabs went into a national registry database for future life-saving matching. The donation of healthy blood stem cells can be a cure for patients with sickle cell disease, blood cancers, and other deadly illnesses, which is why an event of this type is so crucial in order for the organization to recruit potential blood stem cell donors and match them to patients in need.
 
As a Jesuit school, Rockhurst students strive to live out that mission and those values, which include Magis (“more”) and Cura Personalis (“care for the whole person”). In addition, community engagement and being action-oriented are part of the general student-athlete experience, particularly in Division II. D-II athletics programs actively engage with their communities, which helps strengthen the bond among teammates and foster individual and personal growth to develop future leaders. As the Hawks’ motto states, “we are in the city for good.”
 
Since the event, Be The Match and the National Marrow Donor Program has rebranded as NMDP, but the mission remains the same. According to its official website, bethematch.org, “NMDP believes each of us holds the key to curing blood cancers and disorders. As a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, NMDP creates essential connections between researchers and supporters to inspire action and accelerate innovation to find life-saving cures.”
2023 Recipient - Missouri S&T's "Professional Life Skills Development Program"

45076Missouri S&T was selected for its Professional Life Skills Development Program, which is presented annually to its student-athletes.
 
The Academy of Miner Athletics (AMA) purpose is to recognize outstanding alumni who bring honor to the athletic department with their accomplishments on the field, in their careers, and as leaders in their communities; and, to provide support to the department through coordinated gifts of time, experience, and financial contributions.
 
The Professional Life Skills Development Program was envisioned as a way for AMA members to mentor S&T student-athletes by giving their time, sharing professional experiences, and encouraging them as they graduate and transition into their future endeavors.
 
Chaired by Diane Butrus, a 1985 computer science graduate and softball student-athlete, the initiative began in 2013. Each spring, a select group of AMA members return to campus to meet with 40-50 student-athletes. The meeting begins with each member sharing a unique experience or providing expertise on a particular topic. Topics include job interviews; evaluating and negotiating employment offers; preparing for the first day on the job, enrolling in employer sponsored benefits and retirement plans; personal financial planning; the importance of maintaining health and well-being; identifying mentors, networking, and building key relationships for professional growth and career advancement; and strategies for starting a business, and earning advanced degrees and certifications.
 
After sharing their information, the panelists and student-athletes divide into small groups and have interactive and informal discussions centered around the topics previously shared. Panelists will rotate regularly throughout the room to engage with all attendees. Following the small group discussions, participants enjoy a catered meal and continue to fellowship with the AMA members. As a final activity, AMA members provide hot tips or words of wisdom, regarding current or relevant issues common in the workforce today.
 
Overall, the event is highly regarded among the student-athletes. To maintain the informal and intimate format, only a selective group of student-athletes can attend each year. Administrators regularly see relationships develop between the student-athletes and the AMA members, and it is common for student-athletes to engage in one-on-one conversations with alumni after the event. Said S&T Athletics Director, Melissa Ringhausen, “The transformation that visually occurs with the S&T student-athletes through their interactions with alumni brings a euphoric feeling to the room. Student-athletes leave the event with a new perspective, increased enthusiasm, and ‘wanting more.’”
 
Jack Krisanic, a spring 2023 mechanical engineering graduate and football student-athlete, said this of his involvement: “It was a great experience to meet former athletes that have found success. I learned a lot about how to approach the job search process. I am prepared for my first day on the job with Burns & McDonnell and am better equipped for how to manage and grow my professional career.”
 
The student-athletes selected to attend are high-achieving individuals with the intellect and determination to perform in an academically rigorous curriculum. Not only do the AMA members reinforce the lessons they learned from being a student, but they stress the unique adeptness gained from being an athlete. Athletes have the unique opportunity for individual growth that is not always provided in the classroom. These include, but are not limited to, being a member and working on a team; striving to achieve individual and team goals; understanding one’s role in the impact it has on a group; learning time management; and being accountable to others. These are transformational skills that can be leveraged as an asset when interviewing for a job or advancing in one’s career.
 
This year’s event took place on April 5, 2023, and incorporated five alumni, including Butrus, Bryan Hogan (track & field, 2012), Joshua Sales (cross country/track & field, 2000), Scott Stephens (football, 1989), and David Vonarx (cross country/track & field, 1989).
 
2019 Recipient - Southern Indiana's "Networking Night at Victoria National" program

28765Southern Indiana was selected for its “Networking Night at Victoria National,” which is an annual senior etiquette dinner that is the culmination of a yearly series of programming events hosted in collaboration with USI’s Career Services and Internship Office and a local car dealership in Expressway Dodge. The programming usually consists of two to three events each year, per academic class, for student-athletes to attend where Career Services helps facilitate and Expressway Dodge helps sponsor and underwrite the costs. In addition, USI’s charter bus company, New Image, transports the students from campus to the course for free.

The etiquette dinner itself is hosted in the clubhouse at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana. Upon arrival, the students are treated to hors d’oeuvre and are simultaneously able to mingle with local professionals from the Evansville and Newburgh areas. These professionals also stay through dinner with the student-athletes, as the Victoria National staff conducts a short etiquette lesson between the salad course and main entrée, during which time their staff is able to make suggestions after observing initial behaviors through the hors d’oeuvre and salad portion of the night. The student-athletes and professionals are then able to ask related questions about the various etiquette settings and scenarios presented.

Tables are assigned for both the student-athletes and the professionals to help with mingling the two groups, while efforts are made specifically to pair students of certain majors with those already working in a similar field. Those in attendance have spanned industries such as business, healthcare, sports, and travel, with plans to broaden the pool of careers at future events.

Below are comments from recent participants:

Jacob Fleming, baseball senior student-athlete ‘18
“I had a lot of fun at the etiquette dinner at Victoria National this year. Not only did I get to learn the proper etiquette to eating, but I also got to network with some amazing people. Sitting at my table, I had a teammate who got to talk with someone in his career path, and he now has a better chance to get his internship with that company.”

Haley Limper, volleyball senior student-athlete ‘19
“The senior etiquette event at Victoria National was a great help relating to professionalism and networking. Understanding proper etiquette will help me later on in my career. I also learned a lot through conversations I had with attending professionals from the community.”
 
Amy Carter, Co-owner Solaris Salon & Spa and Founder of Empowering You Consulting 
“I was beyond impressed by the young athletes and how well polished each of them were. What a fabulous thing USI does for them as they get ready to enter the workforce. The athletes were super respectful and fun. I learned a few things myself!”

Eric Marvin, President of the Evansville Sports Corporation 
“As a working professional, the etiquette dinner hosted by the University of Southern Indiana was both fun and helpful. I personally learned from the experience and enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the student-athletes and other professionals at the same time. I can honestly say that I wish my university would have offered a similar opportunity when I was a student; it would have been very valuable to me as I entered the workforce with little to no guidance on this important topic.”
2018 Recipient - Missouri S&T's "Pioneers of Miner Women’s Athletics" program

24230Missouri S&T was selected for its “Pioneers of Miner Women’s Athletics” program, an event that occurred during Homecoming festivities on Oct. 28, 2017, and featured members of the university’s first volleyball and women’s basketball teams, which began play during the 1974-75 academic year. 

It was an event to celebrate not only the passion that fueled the development of greater opportunities for women to compete in sports at the collegiate level, but the 45th anniversary of Title IX as well.  During that afternoon, the 16 individuals of those teams and the team’s head coach, Annette Caruso-Howatt, were provided an opportunity to meet with the university’s current women’s student-athletes at a reception held prior to the S&T football game.

The group was recognized at halftime of the football game and then was in attendance at the S&T volleyball game later that afternoon prior to a banquet to honor the former student-athletes.  As part of the banquet, the honorees were also fitted for letter jackets, which had been provided for the lettermen of the men’s teams during that period of time but not for the women’s letter winners.

The reception and dinner featured Missouri S&T Chancellor Dr. Christopher Maples as well as Miner faculty, staff, and coaches.  Also in attendance was Mayor Louis J. Magdits IV, who read a proclamation declaring it “Pioneers of Miner Women’s Athletics Day” in the city of Rolla.

The reception was capped by a speech from Caruso-Howatt that tied the past to the present and reminded the current student-athletes to “keep carrying the torch” for women’s athletics.

Needless to say, it left an impact.

“I didn’t realize how privileged we were until we met them,” said Carlie Combs, a junior on the Missouri S&T volleyball team.  “They were talking about things like not having their own trainer or their own locker room and compared to what we have, it was amazing in that they paved the way for us and what we have today.

“Coach Caruso-Howatt came in to speak to us and gave this powerful, inspiring speech that made me want to go out and become the next woman president. It was an incredible experience to meet these women that are so driven and accomplished.  When they talked to us, they inspired us to fight for what we have and continue to make strides – not just for ourselves, but for the women who will be in our shoes 10 or 20 years down the road. That’s the drive to keep us motivated to do well – to do it for the next generation.”

This past January, “Pioneers of Miner Women’s Athletics” made Missouri S&T a finalist for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence, an honor that recognizes positive campus and community engagement efforts during the past year.
2017 Recipient - Lewis University's "Spread Your Wings" program

22209Lewis University has been chosen as the first recipient of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Dr. Joseph J. McGowan Visionary Award.

Lewis was selected for its “Spread Your Wings” program, which is a community engagement initiative that incorporates the five commitment areas (academic, athletic, career development, personal development and service) of the NCAA/CHAMPS Life Skills program. The initiative includes a contest among all of the athletics programs where each team is measured based on its participation.

Some of the highlights include awarding points for postseason academic honors, team finish in the league and NCAA postseason as well as for earning All-GLVC accolades. The career development category is broken down by class year with points awarded appropriately. For example, a freshman can get points for submitting a first draft of their resume, a sophomore can attend two career preparation workshops and juniors are able to earn points for setting an appointment with a career counselor to discuss their resubmitted resume. Seniors, on the other hand, can get points for attending workshops, too, but are also able to garner bonus points for scheduling a mock interview.

Personally, student-athletes can accrue points for joining a club or student organization, attending a campus speaker session, an alcohol education class, or a campus play, among other options. And, lastly, opportunity for earning points in the service commitment section include volunteering at a soup kitchen, participating in the SAAC Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser or reading to grade-school children, along with three other options.

“Our student-athletes with assistance from our great staff here at Lewis continue to do an amazing job in the classroom, in competition, with their personal and career development and helping out in the community,” Lewis Associate Director of Athletics and program coordinator Brian Sisson said. "Our student-athletes realize that they are leaders in this community and all of our programs take that to heart. It is truly an honor to be selected for this inaugural award.”

Overall, Flyers student-athletes are able to choose between 25 different possible points options that give each of them a chance to spread their wings beyond the competition surface and classroom.