College partnering with TV station to highlight achievements of high school student-athletes

Posted October 03, 2017 Print

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwestern Pennsylvania, and a Youngstown television station have partnered on a program that recognizes area scholastic student-athletes with an athlete of the week program.

High school students in WYTV Channel 33’s viewing area will be recognized for athletic, academic, co-curricular and civic achievement.

“We are thrilled to join these organizations in spreading the good news about local students who are excelling in academic and competitive endeavors and in the community,” Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Mike McKinney ’02 said. “It is a central part of our mission to promote the lifelong value of education and academic achievement. We are excited about this opportunity to be a community partner.”

The athlete of the week program is one of the longest-running series in Youngstown television. The program covers four counties—Mercer County in Pennsylvania and the Ohio counties of Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull— and more than 50 schools.

Annually, 40 students are chosen on four criteria:

Student performance: usually students with a grade point average of 4.0 or valid valedictorians
Athletics: either top performing athletes or athletes involved in multiple sports
Activities: co-curricular participation – student government, clubs, etc.
Community impact: volunteer work, community service, etc.

At the end of each year, each student-athlete of the week is invited to a Student-Athlete of the Year banquet where one male and one female are selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship. Joining Thiel College as a sponsor are the San Francisco 49ers, Lafarge Lordstown Construction Recovery, and Belleria Pizza & Italian Restaurant.