The award is named after a Bellarmine physical therapy professor who died in 2013 and recognizes faculty members at Division II schools for their dedication to supporting and mentoring student-athletes, as well as their commitment to Division II student-athletes' lifelong learning, competition, and well-being.
Bowser, an assistant professor of exercise science and nutrition at Catawba, will be honored at the 2025 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bowser works with Catawba's athletics teams as a sports performance dietitian. She also is a co-advisor for the Tri-Alpha organization, which promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for first-generation college students. She is a part of the EDJI Task Force, working to promote equity, diversity, justice, and inclusion in the Catawba community. She also collaborates with entities in the community to help address the food insecurity problem in Rowan County, North Carolina.
Bowser's research included a study regarding the effects of healthy meals on residents who struggled to afford food for their families. Throughout this process, she noticed that both physical and mental aspects of health improved, so she then went to speak about these findings and helped raise money to keep this food program going.
"It is my honor to support student-athletes at Catawba," she said. "This award is a testament to them and their selfless recognition of the small efforts I make to encourage and offer support as they achieve their best in their collegiate experiences — and, most importantly, lifelong achievements. I am humbled and honored that they would take the time to recognize me in this way."
- Reposted from ncaa.org.
