Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. - Four outstanding student-athletes received the East Coast Conference Excellence in Community and Character Award at the ECC Awards Dinner on May 13.
The most prestigious award presented of the night, Excellence in Community and Character Award recipients are student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through positive actions and behaviors that are consistent with the NCAA Division II attributes of learning, service, passion, sportsmanship, balance, and resourcefulness.
“This award is not just for the best student, best athlete, the best sportsman or woman,” said ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff. “This is an award for all-around excellence.”
Shaneika Bowra
Shaneika has demonstrated excellence in the classroom, on the track, and in service to others.
Shaneika is a senior majoring in Accounting and has accumulated a 3.904 overall GPA while participating for UDC in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field.
She has excelled athletically, earning points for her squad including finishing second in the 60 and 200 at the ECC Indoor Championships this past year. She is team captain, well respected by her teammates, coaches, and administrators.
Her contributions away from the classroom and track are exemplary. She serves as Vice President of the UDC SAAC and was instrumental in leading the SAAC’s effort to collect non-perishable food items for the university’s food bank. This past March, Shaneika was announced as the 2019 UDC recipient of the Newman Civic Fellowship Awards which recognizes students who are changemakers and public problem solvers.
In addition, she volunteers as the Public Relations officer for Women of Worth, a University organization dedicated to empowering women on and off campus, is membership chair for the National Association of Black Accountants and works with the DC Tutoring and Mentorship Initiative. It is clear that Shanieka believes in the importance of giving back to others and to her community
Jack Nicholson
As the starting goalkeeper for the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans, Jack Nicholson closed out his stellar four-year career, registering a 10-5-1 record with a 1.44 goals against average and .672 save percentage, while posting five shutouts in his senior season.
His ability to also provide offense for the team certainly did not go unnoticed either, as the Totton Southampton, England native picked up a highlight reel game-tying goal vs. UDC and an assist on another tally against Holy Family University this year. He was named to ECC All-Conference Third Team and was a Google Could/CoSIDA Academic All-District Selection, boasting a 3.48 GPA in Business management.
But is not only what Jack has done on the field or in the classroom that makes him exceptional. It is what he has done for the student-athletes at St. Thomas Aquinas, the East Coast Conference, and Division II.
Jack had been an active member of the Spartans SAAC, but took it to the next level, organizing meetings and creating a buzz around the organization. Jack elevated the level of involvement in the SAAC and helped to create events for the student-athletes and the community. He worked hard to recruit new participants and build interest with his fellow students. That wasn't enough. In 2016 he was selected to represent the East Coast Conference on the NCAA DII National SAAC, an important role as now he would represent all ten ECC institutions.
On the conference level, serving as the Chair of the ECC SAAC as well, Jack has been instrumental in creating conference-wide initiatives such as ECC Mental Health Awareness week and helping to strengthen partnerships with organizations such as Team Impact. He has attended ECC meetings and leadership forums, helping schools to strategize on how best to improve their own SAACs and to serve as a sounding board for his fellow student-athletes.
Through his involvement in National SAAC, Jack has been able to strengthen the DII student-athlete voice. He has served on panels at Leadership Forums and Regional SAAC Summits and was selected as one of two National SAAC student-athletes as a representative on the Management Council. As the ECC rep to Management Council, Jack is well respected by students and administrators alike, anxious to contribute to the discussion and provide his well-considered thoughts on important topics. He represents St Thomas Aquinas, the ECC, and the NCAA well.
Jack’s goal is to pursue a career in college athletic administration. His first step will be when he begins work on his master’s degree as a Grad Assistant at Mercy College this fall.
Jenna Turato
Jenna enjoyed a successful softball career at Molloy College, earning All-Conference honors career and being named the 2018 Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. As a pitcher, Jenna was a key member of the 2017 East Region championship team and has consistently served as a leader for her team, on the field and off. Known for her positive attitude and demeanor, Jenna treats her teammates, coaches, and opponents with respect and kindness every day. She picks up her teammates when they are struggling and helps to motivate her fellow student-athletes.
An accounting major, she currently boasts a 3.87 GPA and is a member of several honor societies. She has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA three times during her career at Molloy and is an NFCA scholar-athlete. Even while maintaining her high academic performance and strenuous softball schedule, Jenna completed challenging internships at "Big 4" Accounting Firm KPMG and Sperry Federal Credit Union while staying on top of her grades and balancing her strenuous softball schedule. She has already been offered a job by accounting firm KPMG when she finishes her MBA in accounting in 2020.
Jenna has served as the Molloy SAAC president for three years and has consistently developed community service and engagement opportunities for fellow student-athletes and has been a catalyst for the organization in getting more involved in the Molloy community, personally registering over 50 hours of community service during 2018-19. She has helped to arrange mental health sessions, paint nights, and motivational talks for her team and others all aimed at assuring a positive experience for her fellow student-athletes.
Tiffany Verni
Tiffany has been a member of the NYIT Volleyball team and this past year she became a dual athlete when she also participated in indoor and outdoor track and field. A psychology major, she has earned a 3.4 GPA and was named to the NYIT Athletic Director’s honor roll three years in a row.
During her career, Tiffany was a standout on the volleyball court, being named ECC Player of the Year, earning All-Region and All-Conference honors, and being named Second-Team All-Conference in indoor track and field. She was also named NYIT sophomore and junior female athlete of the year.
Outside of athletics, Tiffany was very active on campus. She is a nationally certified Peer Health Educator and has interned in the NYIT Counseling and Wellness Center – assisting her fellow NYIT students, has been a board member for the NYIT Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, participating in several service and fundraising activities and on the Student Government Association. A very visible student-athlete leader and presence on the NYIT campus, She has been asked to serve on multiple committees and boards as a student-athlete representative at NYIT and has also participated in several ECC leadership programs during her years as a student-athlete in the conference.
