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2024 AFH University End of Year Recognition

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2024 AFH University End of Year Recognition

Posted: Updated: by kReeves

For AFH University, the culmination of the academic year isn’t just marked by final exams and graduation ceremonies. It’s a time to honor the dedication, skill, and spirit of our student-athletes, coaches, and valued community partners who have consistently come together to make their communities stronger over the last year.

In April, we were proud to host two events to recognize these groups in the Baton Rouge and the Greater Washington, D.C. Area communities! Check out the recaps below and join us in congratulating each campus in all of their amazing work this year.

Keep an eye out for our AFH University National Student-Athlete & Team of the Year Awards voting campaign in early June!

Teams of the Year

  • LSU Men’s Tennis
  • Southern Bowling
  • Georgetown Women’s Rowing
  • Howard Women’s Lacrosse
  • Bowie State Track & Field

Student Athlete of the Year

  • Madison Martin, LSU Volleyball
  • Cailan Gatlin, Southern Soccer

Coach of the Year

  • Kerry Mulligan, Georgetown Women’s Rowing
  • Alexis Joseph, Howard Women’s Lacrosse
  • Amandji Goito, Bowie St. Track & Field

Community Partners of the Year

AFH University Baton Rouge | LSU & Southern University

On Thursday, April 11th the Athletes for Hope University team in Baton Rouge gathered to celebrate the remarkable achievements in service of student athletes from Southern University and LSU. We used the evening to shine a light on those who not only excelled on the field or court but have also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving the Baton Rouge community. The celebratory event was a testament to the power of sport to unite us, inspire us, and drive positive change. According to AFH Southern intern, Ashante Gatlin “Our role and impact in the community are beacons of light for fans and young aspiring athletes.”

Our Student-Athlete of the Year awardees have engaged in several initiatives throughout the 2023-2024 academic year. Cailan played a pivotal role in our inclusive 9/11 Arc events, assisting with ensuring emergency preparedness activities were informative yet fun for youth.

She dedicated numerous hours volunteering at institutions like OLOL Children’s Hospital, BR Food Bank, St. Vincent De Paul, and The Walls Project.

“Doing service in the community is super important because we should take every chance, we can to better the environment that we all live in. Receiving this reward today means a lot to me because it tells me that all of the work, I’ve put into volunteering has not gone unnoticed.”

– Cailan Gatlin, Southern Soccer

Madison Martin, LSU Volleyball team, has also been at the forefront of community service initiatives in Baton Rouge. She participated in on-campus service socials, MLK Day of Service, and A Night to Shine, among others.

“Receiving Athletes for Hope Student Athlete of the Year is such an incredible honor, as service means so much to me. Baton Rouge has become my second home, and being able to serve this wonderful community has made my time at LSU so much more meaningful. Being recognized by Athletes for Hope for what I love to do off the court is an amazing honor.”

-Madison Martin, LSU Volleyball

Our partnership with this year’s recipient of the Partner of the Year award, The Walls Project has been our most enduring collaboration to date, spanning several years of engagement with student athletes actively participating in local initiatives such as MLK Day since 2015. In 2021, we dedicated a mural in remembrance of September 11th, a tribute now displayed at Fire Station 11 on Highland Road.

AFH University Washington, D.C.-Area | Bowie State, Howard & Georgetown

On Thursday, April 25 the Athletes for Hope University team in Washington DC gathered to celebrate all the wonderful work that was done during the 2023-2024 school year.  Not only were the student-athletes of our DC schools actively involved, but the coaches also played a large role in getting involved as well.  This event was meant to celebrate the passion and commitment of the student-athletes and coaches in the DC community.

Our Teams and Coaches of the Year at each of the schools consistently engaged in service within the community.  Georgetown Women’s Rowing focused on park clean-ups in Washington DC and the surrounding area.  Their coach, Kerry Mulligan, was integral in leading the team and encouraging them to get out and volunteer.  Howard Women’s Lacrosse spent the entire spring semester putting on CHAMPS sessions at DCPCS Brightwood Campus.  The team and their coach, Alexis Joseph, went twice a week for the entire semester to spend time with the kids and team them our CHAMPS curriculum.  Bowie State Track & Field was the school’s most active team, participating in panels, workshops, and volunteer opportunities throughout the Bowie community.  They actively worked on projects supporting food insecurity by attending an MLK Day event with the Bowie State Nutrition Lounge where they packed over 1,300 meals for families in the community. 

This year’s Washington DC Community Partners of the Year showed why the work we do matters.  Grassroots Health, Bowie St. Nutrition Lounge, and DCPCS Brightwood were all steadfast partners to AFH U.  Each organization welcomed our student-athletes and encouraged them to continue coming into their programs.  We look forward to our continued work with all of them.

AFH University Service Recognition

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

February 2024 | Student-Athlete & Team of the Month

Each month we ask our AFH University campus liaisons for nominations of student-athletes and teams who excelled in service. Through our monthly nominations, we can acknowledge all of the good our student-athletes and teams are doing in their communities.

During February, our Student-Athlete and Team of the Month award winners demonstrated consistency in volunteering with various causes in their communities.

February Student-Athlete of the Month

Ckelby Givens

Our February Student-Athlete of the Month is Ckelby Givens from Southern University football. Ckelby was nominated by his peers because of his desire to change the stigma of mental health across his campus.

“Ckelby was eager to join the mental health panel focused on Black history to discuss his upbringing, experiences and the absence of discussions aimed at dismantling stigma within his community. His goal is to alter that narrative on the Southern University campus.“

In episode 1 of the AFH University Mental Health U panel series, Ckelby joined other student-athletes from Southern University and Davidson College to discuss the mental health resources the student-athletes use on & off of campus, the importance of having people you can talk to, how the stigma of mental health is changing, and more. Watch episode 1 here.

Ckelby is honored to be named February’s Student-Athlete of the Month and is excited to continue spreading mental health awareness across his campus and beyond!

February Team of the Month

Howard Women’s Lacrosse

The February Team of the Month is the Howard women’s lacrosse team. The team was nominated by their peers for their consistent time spent volunteering at a local elemntary school where they are helping bring leadership skills, physical fitness and mental health lessons to children through the CHAMPS program.

“Howard women’s lacrosse has been visiting DCPCS – Brightwood Campus to conduct CHAMPS sessions. They have done four sessions with 2nd and 4th graders to discuss courage and honesty. The consistent visits have been invaluable to the children at the school and the women on the team have attended with such excitement and commitment.“

The Howard women’s lacrosse team has historically been involved in service throughout the Washington, D.C. community. The team has participated in MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunities, packaging meals at local food banks, distributing food and clothing to those less fortunate, creating cancer awareness dedication games, and more!.

Aside from community service, the women’s lacrosse team are passionate about using their voices to make a difference. Several team member have participated in AFH University mental health panel series to bring awareness to athlete mental health, the stigma of mental health in the Black community and the mental health of women both in and out of sport.

The team is happy to receive this award and recognition from their peers as they get ready for more community service opportunities in March!

Athletes in Action

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

AFH University February 2024 Roundup

Developed in 2013, our AFH University program helps college athletes explore leadership, life skill development, advocacy, their role in the community, and how to discover their philanthropic passions. 

While February came and went in a flash, our student-athletes dedicated as much time as possible to giving back to their communities in meaningful ways.

Athletes from Davidson College, Southern University, Bowie State, Georgetown, and LSU engaged in Valentine’s Day card making, various panel discussions, celebrating Black History Month and more!

Davidson College

Continuing The Mission

The women of the Davidson field hockey team spent time at Continuing the Mission, a comprehensive assistance for veterans that provides assistance dogs and support. 

Since 2023, the team has been volunteering at Continuing the Mission where they take the dogs out, play with them, and help them socialize before they get adopted out to the veterans.

Mental Health U

During Black History Month, AFH University student-athletes from Davidson College and Southern University took part in the launch of AFH’s brand new AFH University panel series titled Mental Health U.

In Episode 1: Black History Month, the student-athletes discussed the importance of speaking out about mental health and breaking the stigma of mental health in the black community.

Hear about the mental health resources the student-athletes use on and off campus, the importance of having people you can talk to, how the stigma of mental health is changing, and more here.

Southern University

Valentine’s Day Project

This year for Valentine’s Day, student-athletes at Southern University helped spread the love as they hosted a card-making station where others could come and create cards for patients at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.

Once completed, the cards were hand-delivered to the hospital in time for Valentine’s Day where they were given to patients.

Black History Month Essay Contest

This year AFH partnered with the athletic departments at Southern University and Bowie State for our Black History Month Essay Contest. The contest asked high schoolers in their communities to share a story of an African American who has been an inspiration to them.

The winners from each community captured the power of perseverance and dedication in their essays. You can read both of the winning essays and learn more about this year’s winners here.

Bowie State

CHAMPS Program

In September 2023 Athletes for Hope revamped its AFH Fit and H.E.A.R.T. Curriculum to create the CHAMPS Program. CHAMPS brings athletes to underserved elementary school classrooms to teach them invaluable mental health and leadership skills alongside physical activity exercises. 

This February student-athletes from Bowie State SAAC visited Perrywood Elementary School to put on a CHAMPS session with the children at the school. CHAMPS participants were taken through workouts, a mental health Mindfulness activity and more!

CIAA Panel Series

Members of Bowie State SAAC had the pleasure of visiting the Under Armour Headquarters where they participated in a series of panel discussions with Deloitte CEO of Consulting Dan Helfrich where they discussed a day in the life of a student-athlete with high school students.

Photos Courtesy of Deloitte

The panelists kept the conversation light while providing insight on barriers to access of sport, adjusting to collegiate athletic life, how sports prepare you for professional work life, and more!

Georgetown

Night to Shine

Over 40 Georgetown student-athletes attended a Night to Shine in Washington DC. Night to Shine is a prom night experience for individuals 14 and older who have special needs and is sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation.

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Black History Month Movie

February is a time when AFH University student-athletes come together to celebrate, honor, and preserve Back history.

This year during Black History Month, student-athletes at LSU hosted a movie night for their campus that honored black movie directors. Eventgoers enjoyed a myriad of movies and sparked up conversations about the contributions of the Black community to film and television.

Spring is just around the corner for our student-athletes and we cannot wait to see how they will positively impact their communities!

Black History Month Essay Contest

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Inspiring the Next Generation

As Athletes for Hope (AFH) spent February celebrating the contributions and positive impacts of African American trailblazers, we partnered with our AFH University Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) athletic departments at Bowie State and Southern University for our 2nd Annual Black History Month Essay Contest.

The contest asked high schoolers in their communities to share a story of an African American who has been an inspiration to them.

The outpouring of submissions from students was incredible. We are honored to share with you the stories of the winners of our AFH Black History Month Essay Contest from Bowie High School and Scotlandville Magnet High School.

Meet The Winner: Bowie State

As we celebrate the contributions and positive impact of African American trailblazers, the Bowie St. University Athletic Department and Athletes for Hope encouraged 9th-12th grade students in the Bowie area to share the story of a local African American that has been an inspiration in their life.

The standout winner from the Bowie State community was soon-to-be 2026 graduate, Jalil.

Although Jalil was not able to attend the Bowie State Basketball game to be recognized and celebrated by his peers, he was sent an official AFH Black History Month Essay Contest certificate along with an AFH swag bag.

Read His Essay

Jalil

Black History Month Essay Topic: Omar Karim

Jalil’s essay focuses on the grit and determination of his Uncle Omar. He described his unwavering perseverance in creating a successful construction company during a time when most people told him his dreams were out of reach. Jalil’s essay perfectly encapsulates the meaning of hard work and the value of never giving up.

In him, I see the courage to chase my own dreams, the resillence to overcome hurdles, and the resourcefulness to navigate challenging landscapes.

Jalil

To read Jalil’s Black History Month Essay, click here.

Meet The Winner: Southern University

As we celebrate the contributions and positive impact of African American trailblazers, the Southern University Athletic Department, and Athletes for Hope encouraged 9th-12th grade students in the Baton Rouge area to share the story of a local African American who has been an inspiration in their life.

This year’s essay contest winner from the Baton Rouge community was senior football player, Lonnie.

Lonnie was recognized and celebrated by his peers at Southern’s basketball game on Saturday, February 24th where he was presented with an official AFH Black History Month Essay Contest certificate and an AFH swag bag.

Read His Essay

Lonnie

Black History Month Essay Topic: John Kermit Haynes

Lonnie wrote vividly about the inspiration and impact John Kermit Haynes has made on the city of Baton Rouge. Haynes is an esteemed biologist and academic administrator who is most famous for discovering methods for the detection and treatment of sickle cell anemia.

His (Haynes) story underscores the transformative power of education, mentorship, and perseverance, instilling hope and ambition in future generations as they navigate their own paths to success. 

Lonnie

To read Lonnie’s essay, click here.

AFH University Service Recognition

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

November & December 2023 | Student-Athlete & Team of the Month

Each month we ask our AFH University campus liaisons for nominations of student-athletes and teams who excelled in service. Through our monthly nominations, we can acknowledge all of the good our student-athletes and teams are doing in their communities.

During November and December, our Student-Athlete and Team of the Month award winners challenged the status quo on what it means to serve as they created service projects and opportunities in their community.

November Award Winners

November Student-Athlete of the Month

Our November Student-Athlete of the Month is Eliza Buerk from Davidson women’s basketball. Eliza personally reached out to the AFH University team to plan an event with Dream on 3 and the Davidson women’s basketball team.

“Eliza has spearheaded the planning and preparation for this experience which took place on December 8 at their game against High Point. The team hosted families, showed them around the arena, and honored them at halftime. Eliza was at the center of the planning and this could not have been put together without her hard work and passion.”

November Team of the Month

The November Team of the Month is the Southern bowling team. Together, Southern bowling has been a force, not only on the lanes but in the community.

“Southern bowling kicked off their season prioritizing service, playing a huge role in the 2023 AFH Baton Rouge Serves initiative and 9/11 Day of Service events. The team participated in food sorting at the BR Food Bank, enjoyed a school visit with Louisiana Key Academy, and an Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Visit.”

December Award Winners

December Student-Athlete of the Month

Our December Student-Athlete of the Month is Zion Walters from Clark Atlanta women’s basketball. Zion has participated in service opportunities every month throughout the entire fall 2023 semester, even asking to be connected to service opportunities while she was at home during the holiday season.

“For the entire first semester of the school year Zion has been attending the Harland Boys and Girls Club weekly to hang out with the kids. In December, Zion worked tirelessly to help the kids choreograph a dance to perform at their Holiday Party. She worked with the kids for over a month to get the dance perfect to perform in front of all of the staff, kids, and families at the club.”

December Team of the Month

The December Team of the Month is the Davidson women’s basketball team. During December, the Davidson women’s basketball team hosted Dream on 3 for a fun “Dreamers Day” during their game against High Point.

“The women on the Davidson women’s basketball team spent the day hosting children and their families who are living with life-altering conditions. Not only did the kids get to spend time with the team, but they received swag from Davidson College along with being honored at half-time in front of all of the fans and players at the arena. After the game, the kids and their families were able to get autographs and pictures with all of the players.”

As we look forward to another semester of AFH University, we couldn’t be more proud of all of our student-athletes and teams for the work they are doing in their communities each day!

Athletes in Action

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

AFH University January 2024 Roundup

Developed in 2013, our AFH University program helps college athletes explore leadership, life skill development, advocacy, their role in the community, and how to discover their philanthropic passions. 

As 2024 began, our student-athletes wasted no time getting back into service projects throughout their communities.

Athletes from Georgetown, Southern University and LSU engaged in community beautification projects, served on MLK Day, and more!

Georgetown

Keep Austin Beautiful

The Georgetown women’s rowing team visited Austin the first week of January and jumped right in to help with a beautification project.

They supported a Keep Austin Beautiful project and took kayaks out with the Austin Rowing Club, as well as engaged in picking up trash and other items along the waterfront. Despite visiting another state for training, they continued their dedication to service and community.

Martha’s Table

On January 15, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, student-athletes at Georgetown University were one of the many AFH University campuses who volunteered to honor the life and legacy of Dr.King.

Student-athletes collected pantry items for their on-campus food pantry and participated in a pop-up market on MLK Jr. Avenue hosted by Martha’s Table in collaboration with the Annual MLK Day of Service Parade in Downtown, D.C.

Southern University

The Walls Project

As a part of MLK Day 2024, Southern baseball and Southern soccer participated in a three-part community service project. This year’s project was focused on beautifying the Eden Park neighborhood. Service zones consisted of revitalizing a basketball court, painting houses and murals to cleaning up blight along the streets. 

Southern baseball facilitated clean-up along the streets of the Gus Young Neighborhood while Southern soccer assisted with a beautification project at Eden Park by painting a mural on a vacant building.

On MLK Day, I got a chance to give back to the community. It is my duty as a Southern Jag and a student athlete to take opportunities to serve on such a monumental day. My teammates and I walked the streets of Baton Rouge by the MLK Center picking up trash. It always feels good giving back and I plan to continue helping every chance I get.

Qunicy Smith, Southern Baseball

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Girls On The Run

During MLK Day 2024, a group of LSU student-athletes and athletic administration members were able to build program bags designed to help young girls who are participating with Girls On The Run, a nonprofit organization that is designed to be a mentoring program and a running club that is training for a 5k.

I had the chance of facilitating our volunteers to pack running kits for elementary aged girls that are a part of the Girls On The Run program. As a female athlete, I believe that it is important to build the future generation so that they to can feel the same sense of achievement that I feel. Through this volunteer opportunity, I hope that the girls feel the care and love that their community has for them.

Shani’a Bellamy, LSU Track & Field

Empower 225: Dream Center

During MLK Day 2024, LSU student-athletes were also able to give back to the Baton Rouge area through a field day.

Volunteers facilitated a field day with Empower225: Dream Center, a program in the Baton Rouge area that aims to empower the youth in the area who are at risk of homelessness and dependency. 

It was great being able to hang out with the kids and see them having fun and smiling. I enjoyed being able to speak with some of them and give some words of encouragement.

Morgan Smalls, LSU Track & Field

As we enter into another year of AFH University, we are excited to watch all of our campuses engage their communities through various service projects throughout the year. We are so proud of all of our student-athletes whose continued dedication to positively impacting their communities is changing the world!