Ricci, Braaten Earn Waldo-Cummings Award
May 16, 2018 | Men's Soccer, Women's Gymnastics
Pair of student-athletes receive prestigious honor from Oregon State
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State student-athletes Taylor Ricci and Nathan Braaten have both received yet another outstanding honor, as they were recognized by OSU's Faculty Senate Student Recognition and Awards Committee (SRAC) with the Waldo-Cummings Award.
The Waldo-Cummings Outstanding Student Award is among the most prestigious honors bestowed by Oregon State University as recipients are chosen on the basis of academic excellence and superior extracurricular achievements during their college careers. The Faculty SRAC, an all-University committee composed of faculty and students, selects the recipients.
Selection of awardees is based on academic/internship pursuits, diversity of extracurricular activities, contributions/innovations made to the community (OSU and/or local), awards and honors received, and personal accomplishments including overcoming obstacles.
Ricci, who also earned the Waldo-Cummings Award in 2016, competed for the Oregon State gymnastics team from 2014-17 and is currently finishing her degree in exercise and sports science. Braaten will head into his senior season with the men's soccer team this fall, and is majoring in applied science.
Ricci and Braaten combined to launch the #DamWorthIt campaign, a program designed for student-athletes in order to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health through education and awareness. The duo draws from their own personal experiences to create an environment that encourages social change through the platform of sport. Both have spoken to Oregon State University's Greek Life and ROTC groups, and are active at the community level.
#DamWorthIt has received national recognition since its inception in the fall, including winning a Giant Steps Award in the Civic Leaders category in April. The program also received a grant from the Pac-12 on Wednesday, as part of the conference's Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Program.
In addition, both serve on Oregon State's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC); Ricci as the former SAAC President and acting Pac-12 Conference President, and Braaten is the acting Treasurer. Braaten currently leads the Mental Health Focus Group for Males in partnership with Oregon State University's Counseling and Psychological Center. They are advocates for student-athletes of all ages and recognize that their willingness to be vulnerable may encourage other student-athletes to reach out when they need too, and that it is okay, to not be okay.
Ricci and Braaten will be honored as Waldo-Cummings Award winners at the Student Awards Recognition Dinner, which will be held on May 24.
The roots of the Waldo-Cummings Award date back to 1912, when Clara H. Waldo founded the Waldo Award to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of female students at OSU (then Oregon Agricultural College). Waldo was the first woman to serve on the Oregon State System of Higher Education Board of Regents, doing so in 1905. OSU's Waldo hall carries her name.
In 1948, the widow of local businessman E.A. Cummings arranged an endowment to recognize the achievements of OSU's male graduates.
Later, the awards were combined and the gender-specificity was dropped.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
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The Waldo-Cummings Outstanding Student Award is among the most prestigious honors bestowed by Oregon State University as recipients are chosen on the basis of academic excellence and superior extracurricular achievements during their college careers. The Faculty SRAC, an all-University committee composed of faculty and students, selects the recipients.
Selection of awardees is based on academic/internship pursuits, diversity of extracurricular activities, contributions/innovations made to the community (OSU and/or local), awards and honors received, and personal accomplishments including overcoming obstacles.
Ricci, who also earned the Waldo-Cummings Award in 2016, competed for the Oregon State gymnastics team from 2014-17 and is currently finishing her degree in exercise and sports science. Braaten will head into his senior season with the men's soccer team this fall, and is majoring in applied science.
Ricci and Braaten combined to launch the #DamWorthIt campaign, a program designed for student-athletes in order to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health through education and awareness. The duo draws from their own personal experiences to create an environment that encourages social change through the platform of sport. Both have spoken to Oregon State University's Greek Life and ROTC groups, and are active at the community level.
#DamWorthIt has received national recognition since its inception in the fall, including winning a Giant Steps Award in the Civic Leaders category in April. The program also received a grant from the Pac-12 on Wednesday, as part of the conference's Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Program.
In addition, both serve on Oregon State's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC); Ricci as the former SAAC President and acting Pac-12 Conference President, and Braaten is the acting Treasurer. Braaten currently leads the Mental Health Focus Group for Males in partnership with Oregon State University's Counseling and Psychological Center. They are advocates for student-athletes of all ages and recognize that their willingness to be vulnerable may encourage other student-athletes to reach out when they need too, and that it is okay, to not be okay.
Ricci and Braaten will be honored as Waldo-Cummings Award winners at the Student Awards Recognition Dinner, which will be held on May 24.
The roots of the Waldo-Cummings Award date back to 1912, when Clara H. Waldo founded the Waldo Award to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of female students at OSU (then Oregon Agricultural College). Waldo was the first woman to serve on the Oregon State System of Higher Education Board of Regents, doing so in 1905. OSU's Waldo hall carries her name.
In 1948, the widow of local businessman E.A. Cummings arranged an endowment to recognize the achievements of OSU's male graduates.
Later, the awards were combined and the gender-specificity was dropped.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Â
Players Mentioned
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