MARC AWARDS

MARC-ACSM Matthew Kerner Undergraduate Student Investigator Award

Eligible individuals are any current or recently graduated UG student. Recently graduated students regardless of current employment status (i.e. professionally employed or enrolled in a Master’s level program) are eligible provided the work was completed as an undergraduate student and they are not more than one semester removed from UG graduation. The purpose of this award is to recognize and support undergraduate student investigative research. The winner receives a plaque and $250. All undergraduate students who submit an abstract for a Free Communications/Slide presentation at the MARC Regional Chapter Meeting will be eligible for this award. The award is based on the quality of the submitted abstract and the presentation at the meeting. All abstracts will be evaluated, but only the top abstracts will have their presentations evaluated.

MARC-ACSM Master’s Student Investigator Award

Eligible individuals are any current or recently graduated Master’s level student. Recently graduated students regardless of current employment status (i.e. professionally employed or enrolled in a PhD level program) are eligible provided the work was completed as a Master’s student and they are not more than one semester removed from graduation with their Master’s degree. The purpose of this award is to recognize and support Master’s level student investigative research. The winner receives a plaque and $400. All undergraduate students who submit an abstract for a Free Communications/Slide presentation at the MARC Regional Chapter Meeting will be eligible for this award. The award is based on the quality of the submitted abstract and the presentation at the meeting. All abstracts will be evaluated, but only the top abstracts will have their presentations evaluated.

MARC-ACSM Doctoral Student Investigator Award

Eligible individuals are any current or recently graduated student in a doctoral or medical program. Students that recently completed their doctoral or medical program are eligible provided they are currently employed as a post-doctoral fellow or equivalent (those employed in faculty positions are NOT eligible) and they are not more than one semester removed from their doctoral or medical program completion. The purpose of this award is to recognize and support graduate student investigative research. The winner receives a plaque and $500 to be used to defray either travel costs to the National ACSM meeting or her/his research expenses. All graduate students who submit an abstract for a Free Communications/Slide presentation at the MARC Regional Chapter Meeting will be eligible for this award. The award is based on the quality of the submitted abstract and the presentation at the meeting. All abstracts will be evaluated, but only the top abstracts will have their presentations evaluated.

Determination of Finalists and Award Recipients for the Student Investigator Awards

The MARC Research Committee screens all student abstracts that are submitted for an oral presentation using a rubric. You may download the evaluation rubric here. The top five ranked abstracts for each academic category identified above present their research during an oral session with the other class finalists (i.e. there is an Undergraduate session, a Master’s level session and a Doctoral level session) during the MARC Annual Conference. These finalists are ranked by a sub-committee of the MARC Research Committee to determine the award recipients.

Past Award Recipients & Student Competition Winners

MARC Doctoral Student Investigator Award Recipients-

2020- William Conkright (University of Pittsburgh)
2014- Paul Whitehead (University of Pittsburgh)
2013- James Kuzmarski (University of Delaware)
2012- Anna Stanhewicz (The Pennsylvania State University)
2011- Andrew Kelleher (Penn State Hershey College of Medicine)
2010- Christopher Martens (University of Delaware)

MARC Master's Student Investigator Award Recipients
(Note: Prior to 2010, the Award was named the MARC Graduate Student Investigator Award)

2020- Nathan Stewart (Rutgers University)
2014- Wesley Lefferts (Syracuse University)
2013- Candace Raceno (Syracuse University)
2012- Charles Brighbill (Bloomsburg University)
2011- Jessica Knurick (East Stroudsburg University)
2011- Mark Yankowski (Bloomsburg University)
2011- Jody Greaney (University of Delaware)
2010- J. Luke Pryor (Ithaca College)
2009- Kenneth P. Clark (West Chester University)
2008- Styliani Goulopoulou (Syracuse University)
2007- Francesca Amati (University of Pittsburgh)
2006- Sara Fleet (University of Pittsburgh)
2005- Kimberly Weary (University of Pittsburgh)
2004- Brian Clark (Syracuse University)
2002- Ifignia Giannopoulou (Syracuse University)
2001- Devin Dobrosielski (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

MARC Matthew Kerner Undergraduate Student Investigator Award Recipients

2020- Isabel Reedy (Syracuse University)
2014- Noah Smith (Messiah College)
2013- Hope Sloanhoffer (West Virginia University)
2012- Brendan Tarzia (Syracuse University)
2011- Ryan Spiardi (Slippery Rock University)
2010- Wesley Lefferts (Skidmore College)
2009- Dawnette M. Urcuyo (Gettysburg College)
2008- Kristy Rubino (Gettysburg College)
2007- Mark Sausen (University of Delaware)
2006- Jennifer Basich (Slippery Rock University)
2005- Luke Haile (Bloomsburg University)
2004- Valerie Williams (Slippery Rock University)
2003- John Cuddy (Messiah College)
2002- Faith Augrom (Gettysburg College)
2001- Anita Christie (Brock University)

MARC President's Award Past Recipients

2009- Michael Holmstrup (Syracuse University)
2008- Ruth Franklin (Syracuse University)
2007- Francesca Amati (University of Pittsburgh)
2006- Stella Goulopoulou (Syracuse University)
2005- Summery Cook (Syracuse University)
2004- Tracy Baynard (Syracuse University)
2003- Todd Manini (Syracuse University)
2002- Joseph Andreacci (University of Pittsburg)
2001- Todd Cade (University of Maryland School of Medicine)

MARC Student Investigator Award Winners
Note: Before 2001, MARC did not differentiate between graduate and undergraduate students for this award.

2000- Kelly Doerzbacher (The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine)
1999- Shawn C. Franckowiak (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
1998- B. Nindl (The Pennsylvania State University)
1997- J. Marx (The Pennsylvania State University)
1996- B. Nindl (The Pennsylvania State University)
1995- C. Choma (Ithaca College)
1994- H. Martin (The Pennsylvania State University)
1993- C.W. Ho (The Pennsylvania State University)
1992- J. Petrides (Uniformed Services University)
1991- D. Statt (SUNY)
1990- D. Zappe (The Pennsylvania State University)
1989- K. O. Hagen (Rutgers University)

College Bowl Winners

2012- St. Francis University
2011- Slippery Rock University
2010- Ithaca College
2009- Messiah College
2008- Salisbury University

Fitness Challenge Winners

2016- Slippery Rock University
2015- Slippery Rock University
2014- Slippery Rock University
2013- Ithaca College
2012- Slippery Rock University
2011- East Stroudsburg University
2010- Slippery Rock University

H. Scott Kieffer MARC ACSM Service Award (Formerly known as Service / Honor Award)
Given in recognition of a history of outstanding service and dedication to the MARC-ACSM. Name changed to Honor Award in 2013.

2020- Scott Kieffer
2019- Scott Kieffer
2016- No Award Given
2015- Gene Hong & Bill Farquhar
2014- No Award Given
2013- Bradley Hatfield
2012- No Award Given
2011- Jim Roberts
2010- Craig Stevens
2009- Mark Sloniger
2008- Shala Davis
2007- Jill Kanaley
2006- Matthew Kerner
2005- Janet Wigglesworth
2004- No Award Given
2003- Allan Goldfarb
2002- Gary Sforzo
2001- Betsy Keller
2000- Sam Case
1999- Michael Cox
1998- No Annual Report on File - Unknown
1997- No Award Given
1996- Nancy Zambraski
1995- Timothy McConnell
1994- Jan Houtman
1993- Bob Otto
1992- Al Paolone
1991- No Record
1990- Ed Zambraski