CoSIDA E-Digest April 2013 • 1

BOB KENWORTHY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Jamie baldwin, Michigan State
by Scottie Rodgers
Ivy League Associate Executive
Director, Communications
“We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give.”
These simple words by
Winston Churchill speak volumes
when describing the simple, often
overlooked act of lending a hand to
someone in need or helping contribute
to a worthy cause.
That willingness to make a
difference is something that comes
naturally for Jamie Baldwin, now in
her eighth year as Director of Athletic
Communications at Michigan State
University and the 2013 recipient
of the CoSIDA Bob Kenworthy
Community Service Award.
The honor is annually bestowed
upon a CoSIDA member for civic
involvement and accomplishments
outside of the sports information office.
It is voted on by the Special Awards
Committee. It is named for former
Gettysburg College Sports Information
Director Kenworthy, a COSIDA Hall of
Famer who was the first recipient of
the award.
Baldwin will receive the award
on June 14 during the 2013 CoSIDA
Convention in conjunction with the
NACDA and Affliates Convention
taking place at the Marriott World
Center in Orlando.
The willingness to give back
comes naturally to her because it was
a vital part of the way she was raised
in Schenectady, N.Y., watching her
grandparents and immediate family
help others because taking care of
people, as they would say, is always
the right thing to do.
“When my grandfather passed
away, so many people went out of
their way to remind my family how
much my grandparents had given of
themselves,” said Baldwin. “I did not
grow up in a family of great means,
but I was raised to believe that taking
care of people is something you can
do, even in small ways.”
Baldwin’s enthusiasm to care of
others extends throughout all areas of
her life -- at work, at home and in her
profession.
Since the day she arrived on the
East Lansing campus, she has been
a stalwart in encouraging Michigan
State student-athletes to be engaged
and stay engaged with the local
community.
Activities such as Teams for Toys
and Relay for Life are just two of the
many examples of community service
endeavors Baldwin has volunteered
her time to work in concert with the
MSU’s Student-Athlete Development
department.
The consummate media relations
professional, Jamie encourages
current Spartans to understand the
power of making positive impacts on
the lives of others. But Baldwin not
only talks the talk, she walks the walk
if the need arises. When a family in
need did not have a Spartan team
to adopt them through the Teams
for Toys program, she selflessly
volunteered to adopt the family herself
rather than ask another group to
double up. As MSU’s involvement in
the program has grown over the year,
her dedication to the program has
not waned. Each year, she seeks out
deals on children’s clothing or games
and brings those items to the event to
spread a little cheer during the holiday
CoSIDA E-Digest April 2013 • 59
season.
“Jamie has been incredibly
committed to community engagement
with our student-athlete population
and it has been noted and valued,”
said Shelley Appelbaum, Michigan
State Senior Associate Director
of Athletics. “MSU Athletics is
appreciative of Jamie’s leadership,
organizational skills and compassion
as she has worked diligently to
connect our student-athletes and staff
with meaningful community outreach
activities.”
One program that has become
near and dear to Baldwin is the
Spartan Buddies Program, which in
turn helped create the Shoot for the
Cure charity with the MSU men’s ice
hockey team.
To understand the impact of this
program is to know the story of 16year
old Brandon Gordon. A hockey
player himself, Brandon was a big
MSU hockey fan and was very excited
to get a visit from the team at Sparrow
Hospital where he was waging his fight
against cancer. After just one visit,
Brandon and his family soon became
a part of the MSU hockey family.
Over the better part of two seasons,
including the Spartan’s national
championship run in 2007, Brandon
and his family became entwined with
the team, and a fixture around the
program. Baldwin was involved every
step of the way, providing the family
with countless opportunities to come
and see everything involving MSU
hockey.
Jeff Lerg, a senior captain on
that national championship team
who became particularly close with
Brandon, recalled one moment that
truly captures the essence of the
Spartan Buddies Program.
After serving as an honorary
captain and dropping a ceremonial
puck for a game against archival
Michigan, Brandon turned to Lerg and
said, “I am happy I got cancer because
my life was never this cool before.”