ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) honored Concordia University, St. Paul’s Kirk Ingram as the 2009 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award and CU’s Mary Slinger as the 2009 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award recipient at the NSIC’s ninth annual summer kickoff event Friday, July 31st at the Best Western Kelly Inn.
The Britton Award was created in 1985 in honor of Dr. William Britton, a longtime faculty representative at Bemidji State University. The Kelly Award is named in honor of Willis R. Kelly, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Minnesota, Morris. Kelly, a member of the NSIC Hall of Fame, also coordinated the Physical Education Department at Minnesota-Morris from 1970-87. She became the first women’s intercollegiate athletics director at Minnesota-Morris in 1976 and was later promoted to athletic director for the whole department. Kelly passed away in 1988.
NSIC member institutions nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.2 or better, evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum GPA (scholarships and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual’s primary sport. The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives. Ingram and Slinger will each receive a $2,500 post-graduate scholarship.
Kirk Ingram is a native of Woodbury, Minn. and a graduate of Woodbury High School. He is a senior at Concordia majoring in mathematics and minoring in business. He has a cumulative grade point average of 3.79 and has made the CU Dean’s List every semester. He was an NSIC Scholar-Athlete in 2008, a three-time member of the NSIC All-Academic Team and earned the Warnke Math Award, awarded to the top math student at CU.
On the ball field, Ingram is the career record holder at CU in pitching appearances with 71 and saves with 14. Off the diamond, Ingram participates in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and in the business club.
Ingram has also volunteered his time helping with the Reverse Trick or Treat (donating food to local shelters), the WBCA Think Pink (cancer awareness) and spent time helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Kirk plans on attending graduate school to receive his MBA. Ingram is Concordia’s first Britton Award recipient.
Mary Slinger is a native of Fairbault, Minn. and a graduate of Bethlehem Academy High School. She is a junior with a double major in chemistry and biology and a minor in Spanish. Slinger holds a 3.95 grade point average and has been named to the CU Dean's List every semester. Slinger was the CU Freshman Chemistry Student of the Year in 2006-07, the President’s Scholarship Recipient from the Fall of 2006 to present, and a multiple NSIC All-Academic Team member. In 2008 she was a CoSIDA Academic All-American Third Team member and an AVCA All-American Second Team member.
Slinger has been involved with Tetra Delta (science club) since her freshman year and is currently the Vice President of the club. She has also been involved with Tri-Pi (math club) since her freshman year. She is currently a member of StAC (Student alumni council). Slinger presented three projects at a research symposium in April 2009. One of those projects described her experiences volunteering for a non-profit organization known as Casa de Esperanza.
Slinger was a member of the 2007 and 2008 CU volleyball teams that won back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships. Slinger was named to the 2008 NCAA All-Tournament Team, the AVCA All-Central Regional Team, the Daktronics All-Central Regional Second Team, the NSIC All-Conference First Team and was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year the past two seasons. After three seasons she has moved into second place on the CU all-time digs list with 1,773 career digs.
Besides all of her athletics and academic accomplishments, Slinger has volunteered extensively in the community. She has been a volunteer lab assistant at Family Tree Clinic. She volunteers for Casa de Esperanza where she works with the Latino communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as a resource for the Hispanic population. After graduation, Slinger is interested in attending graduate school in the medical field. Slinger is Concordia’s first ever Kelly Award recipient.
