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Adam Isennock
  • Psychology
  • Class of 2017
  • Darlington, MD

Stevenson University Student Adam Isennock of Darlington, MD Volunteered at The 2015 Carroll County Special Olympics

2015 Jun 3

Adam Isennock is one of the 54 Stevenson University student-athletes to volunteer with the Carroll County Special Olympics Spring Games. Stevenson student-athletes are encouraged to not only excel academically and athletically, but become an involved member of their surrounding community. The annual event was held on April 22, where over 187 athletes from 30 schools filled the field at Westminster High School to compete in a variety of sporting events. The student-athlete volunteers, who represented 12 of the 25 intercollegiate teams at Stevenson, helped plan and execute events throughout the day. They planned events such as the softball throw and track and field events, as well as helped record times, and place ribbons on the winning competitors.

Rob Wingert, a rising senior, and men's volleyball player is the incoming president of Stevenson's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. "That's what the Division III athletic model is all about, and it makes this experience more rewarding." Wingert says of his time volunteering for this year's event. He has volunteered for this event in previous years,and as an avid recruiter for the event. He says "I try to spread the word through the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as much as I can,". He hopes his fellow students also took away positive memories and experiences from their time at Special Olympics.

"The Special Olympics people are always looking for additional volunteers, and they always come to us." says John Plevyak, the men's soccer coach and liaison for community service in the athletic department. Pleyvak also said "When you're a coach, you're also a teacher. The most important thing we can do is to teach our student-athletes how to be good citizens and the value of giving back to the community.". He has been involved with Special Olympics since Stevenson first volunteered for the event in 2012, and continues to receive positive feedback from the students involved. Plevyek states "Those who have volunteered come back to campus and tell their teammates how valuable the experience was. That makes it easier to get the numbers of volunteers that we bring each year."

Plevyak and WIngert are in the process of planning an event for the fall where Special Olympians will match-up with Stevenson athletes as an effort to become more involved and expand Special Olympics on the Stevenson Campus.