Bailey, Goldman Named MSU Nominees For McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship
March 30, 2009 | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ? Softball player Sammie Jo Bailey and golfer Noah Goldman have been nominated by Mississippi State University for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship.
The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the Southeastern Conference since 1986 to the league's top male and female scholar-athletes.Â
The Southeastern Conference will name the 2009 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 6 in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.
Bailey, a senior from Lithonia, Ga., has a 3.97 grade point average, majoring in Business Information Systems. She is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (spring 2009 honor roll released later this spring) and is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete.
She has been the recipient of MSU's Halbrook Award three times, awarded to the highest GPA of all female student-athletes, and has earned the Newsom Award at State for the highest GPA on the softball team, three times.
A three time member of the National Dean's List, Bailey is also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Societies and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Bailey is a four-year starter for the Bulldogs, she has been the SEC Player of the Week once in 2007, the SEC Freshman of the Week and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2005.Â
She is president of MSU's student-athlete advisory council and is the treasurer of the M-Club community service organization. She has participated in various community service activities including Operation Christmas Child, Bully's Book Blitz (reading to local elementary school children), campus trash pickups and the SEC "Together We Can" canned food drive.Â
Goldman, a graduate student from Longwood, Fla., has a 3.68 grade point average, working to earn his Masters of Business Administration. He is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (spring 2009 honor roll released later this spring) and has been a member of the MSU Academic Honor Roll for the past six semesters. He has been a two-time recipient of the MSU Newsom Award as the top scholar-athlete on the golf squad.
He has been a Dean's List student four times and a President's Scholar once at State and is currently working on his MBA. He earned his Bachelor's degree in General Business in the summer of 2008.
On the golf course, he won SEC Golfer of the Week honors in 2006 and 2008 and made the 2008 Cleveland Golf All-America Team. He has also bee named to the Golf Coaches Association of America PING All-Region Team twice. He has been the individual medalist for three tournaments, including two Magnolia Cups and the Roadrunner Intercollegiate.
Goldman has served as a volunteer in the community, working with students in primary grades on special projects and assisting teachers with student writing. He has done Meals on Wheels (delivering meals to senior citizens) and volunteered in schools in his native Seminole County. He has also assisted Hurricane Katrina victims following the storm.
           The SEC Office will be releasing each of its institution's nominees periodically until the April 6 winners are announced. The schedule is as follows:
           Alabama ? Michael Jung, Tennis (Male) / Brittany Rogers, Softball (Female)
           Arkansas ? Blake Strode, Tennis (Male) / Aurelija Miseviciute, Tennis (Female)
           Auburn ? Glenn Northcutt, Golf (Male) / Allison Whitworth, Soccer (Female)
           Florida ? Eugene Martin, Track & Field (Male) / Kelsey Bowers, Volleyball (Female)
           Georgia ? Kit French, Swimming (Male) / Courtney Kupets, Gymnastics (Female)
           Kentucky ? Tim Masthay, Football (Male) / Jessica Ortman, Track & Field/Cross Country (Female)
           LSU ? Rabun Fox, Track & Field (Male) / Lauren Klein, Gymnastics (Female)
           Ole Miss ? Bram ten Berge, Tennis (Male) / Rachel Kieckhaefer, Volleyball (Female)
           Miss. State ? Noah Goldman, Golf (Male) / Sammie Jo Bailey, Softball (Female)
           South Carolina ? March 31
           Tennessee ? April 1
           Vanderbilt ? April 2
           Brad Davis Community Service Award ? April 3
National Student-Athlete Day was created in 1987 by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, and presented by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
National Student-Athlete Day is held each April 6 to celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community. It is also a time to recognize those parents, teachers, coaches and school systems which make it possible for young people to find the balance between academics and athletics.
Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC Corporate Champion sponsor, and the Allstate Sugar Bowl, provides the league's male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 22 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship. The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 12 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla. on May 28.
Last year's recipients were Alabama golfer Joseph Sykora and Auburn swimmer Kristen Hastrup.Â
Student-Athlete Q&A
1 - What does being nominated for the McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Award mean to you?
It is a tremendous honor to be nominated for the McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Award since it is a conference-wide award. I was excited when I found out that I was going to be nominated, and I am very appreciative to the Southeastern Conference and Mississippi State University for being recognized for my accomplishments in the classroom and on the field.Â
2 - What are your favorite classes and why?
My favorite classes at Mississippi State are my Business Information Systems programming classes. I am really enjoying Visual Basic and an IPhone programming class that I am currently taking. It is a lot of fun solving problems and trying to make tasks easier using a computer program.Â
3 - What does it mean to compete as a student-athlete of your institution?
It's a privilege to compete for Mississippi State. Getting to put on that Maroon and White uniform and compete for the University in the Southeastern Conference is an honor.Â
4 - What would you tell an incoming student at your institution on how to succeed in college?
I would tell them to go to class, pay attention and manage their time wisely as far as studying and extra-curricular activities are concerned. I would also tell them to enjoy their time at Mississippi State because it is a wonderful school.Â
5 - What's the best part of the day?
The best part of the day for me is at the end of the day when I get done with practice and studying and have a chance to sit down and relax.
6 - Plans for post-graduate education?
Following graduation, I plan on staying at Mississippi State to pursue my Master's degree in Business Administration.
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Noah GoldmanÂ
1 - What does being nominated for the McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Award mean to you?
Being nominated for this award is certainly a high honor. It is always nice to be recognized for all the hard work and extra time you put in as a student-athlete. Many people think it is very glamorous to be a student-athlete, but those people usually don't realize the hard work that goes into being successful in both areas. It seems like it makes that hard work all worth it when you are recognized such as this.Â
2 - What are your favorite classes and why?
My favorite classes involve any type of education that I can relate to real life situations. The most recent class I had with this type of implication was business law. I feel like I can get more out of a class when I can use the knowledge I have learned and apply it to activities that occur in everyday life.
3. What does it mean to compete as a student-athlete of your institution?
Mississippi State has provided me with numerous opportunities to not only work with the best professors in the area, but also compete against some of the best athletes in the world. The knowledge I have acquired from Mississippi State will certainly help me in the future in any type of activity I participate in. The SEC is widely considered as the best golf conference in the nation, and that allows me to compete weekly against some of the best players in the world. I feel that this is the best way to improve, so in this manner my golf game has already been tested against the best.Â
4 - What would you tell an incoming student at your institution on how to succeed in college?
Time management is definitely the most important aspect to success at Mississippi State. There is enough time in the day for everything, but planning each activity is an absolute necessity. Even if that student does not participate in athletics, other activities will certainly garner their attention. In order to achieve everything they will want to achieve in college, and still find time to enjoy the college life, it will require them to excel in time management.
5. What's the best part of the day?
The best part of the day is the first 10 minute span after I wake up. The day still holds endless potential and I feel like I am in control of the rest of my day. It will be up to me to improve every aspect of my life, and this is the best time to get mentally prepared to take on the day.Â
6. Plans for post-graduate education?
I plan to continue my post-graduate education until I achieve my MBA. I would like to play golf professionally after school, but I would also like to use my MBA to help in worthwhile charity events and other business ventures. I have always been very interested in starting my own business and creating a company that others can rely on to produce worthwhile products.
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