Human Ecology Partner Award

2011 Recipient: K-State Intercollegiate Athletics, Sports Medicine Department

Under the leadership of Kansas State's Director of Athletics, John Currie, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has made great strides over the last two years. New ticket initiatives have led to the two largest home-opening football crowds in school history. In the 2010–11 athletics season, K-State became just one of two programs in the nation to have its football team in a bowl game, both basketball and its baseball teams in the NCAA tournament, and both track and field teams finish in the Top 20.

Athletic fundraising has been completely overhauled in the past two seasons, with each year's fundraising totals surpassing the previous year, and in May 2011, USA Today recognized K-State as one of just 22 athletic departments in the nation to operate in a surplus in 2009–10.

But before athletics reached any of these milestones, their long-running partnership with the Athletic Training Education Program in the Department of Human Nutrition has allowed K-State to shine as an example of athletics and academics working together for a common goal — education of our students.

Their athletic trainers provide supervision for students during their clinical experiences as well as classroom instruction. By using their excellent facilities and their staff athletic trainers, students gain real world experience at a first-rate athletic program in the U.S., and athletics benefits from additional assistance with injured athletes and to aid in prevention of injuries.

The College of Human Ecology is truly fortunate to have such an outstanding working relationship with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics that has opened many doors for fundraising, internship opportunities and valuable work experience for the undergraduate athletic training degree program.