INDIANAPOLIS — Shippensburg University was chosen by the NCAA as its selection for the PSAC's top community engagement activity during the 2010-11 academic calendar. SU's MentorSHIP program and Kid's Night Out event was among 17 initiatives considered for national recognition. The university received a $500 grant from the NCAA as a result of its selection.

Shippensburg's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) developed the MentorSHIP Program to create a positive relationship with the youth of the Shippensburg community. MentorSHIP involved an elementary school student being paired with an SU student-athlete who made weekly contact by phone, letter, or e-mail. Student-athlete mentors represented all athletic teams at Shippensburg while the mentees were third graders from either James Burd or Nancy Grayson Elementary School.

Kid's Night Out occurred in December 2010. The children were invited to attend along with siblings and friends to partake in a free night of games and activities from Heiges Field House. Each mentee was assigned to a team and activities were setup throughout the gym. Among the activities were face painting, musical entertainment, soccer, volleyball, obstacle courses and relay races. Over 60 children, ranging from ages four to 10, were in attendance alongside parents, guardians, friends and siblings.

The NCAA's Community Engagement Award of Excellence recognizes Division II institutions that successfully “build bridges” with the communities in which they are located. The commitment to help member institutions build stronger civic relationships is a central part of the Division II philosophy.

It is the third straight year that Shippensburg has been rewarded for its community engagement. SU was previously honored in 2010 for its Special Olympics “Fun Meet” – an event that served as a fund-raiser for the local Special Olympics swim team – and in 2009 for its “Jam the Gym” promotion in which more than 2,200 fans attended a nationally-televised basketball doubleheader against East Stroudsburg.