BAY CITY, Mich. - Dr. Bonnie Tiell, Associate Professor of Sports Management at Tiffin University, was recognized for her contributions to global sport administration, sport governance, leadership, and gender equity in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) by being named the 2013 "Tom Donahue Service Award" winner.
The Donahue Service Award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the GLIAC and intercollegiate athletics. The Award winners exemplify the high standard of dedication to the league and its student-athletes set by Tom Donahue, former commissioner of the GLIAC.
The NCAA recently acknowledged Tiell for her decade commitment as former co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Symposium along with Alfreeda Goff, Sr. Associate Commissioner of the Horizon League. The NCAA and NACWAA currently operate the WLS by annually funding two nights of hotel accommodations and meals for over 100 young or aspiring administrators attending the symposium which focuses on attracting and retaining women in the industry.
The NCAA recently commissioned Dr. Tiell to conduct a five-year update to research focusing on the Senior Woman Administrator and to explore a program with the Committee on Women’s Athletics to recognize institutions that foster positive work-life integration. She has conducted Gender Equity Workshops for the Ohio Athletic Conference and Commonwealth Coast Conference.
As director of the Olympic Academic Experience, Tiell has collaborated with members of the World Olympian Association and the International Olympic Committee for programming in London, England; Beijing, China; and Athens, Greece. She is currently organizing a session focusing on humanitarian relationships with underprivileged youth in the host Olympic city of Rio de’ Janeiro, Brazil for 2016. Dr. Tiell has traveled to present research or sport programs in Switzerland, Hungary, France, Austria, Slovakia, and Sydney, Australia. She is currently collaborating on projects with colleagues in Poland and Russia and is scheduled to present research next year in Scotland.
Tiell is a former recipient of the Region 4 Excellence in Teaching Award by the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs. With over 25-years of service at Tiffin University, Dr. Tiell's former titles include Dean of Graduate Studies, NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative, MBA Chairperson, Senior Woman Administrator, Assistant Athletic Director, and Head Coach for volleyball, softball and tennis. Two teams (softball and tennis) earned national tournament berths. Dr. Tiell received a Bachelor’s of Education from Troy University, a Masters in Sport Administration from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and Doctorate in Sport Management from the United Sports Academy.
Tiell resides with her husband (Greg) and daughters (Kimberly & Katie) in Tiffin, Ohio where she writes a monthly sport column for the Advertiser Tribune newspaper.
Tiell becomes the 25th recipient of the Donahue Award and the first from Tiffin to earn the accolades. The 24 previous award winners are: George MacDonald, Grand Valley State (1988); Bob Hensee, Hillsdale College (1989); Ted Kearly, Michigan Technological University (1990); Barb Patrick, Northern Michigan University (1991); Bud Cooper, Lake Superior State University (1992); Vern Norris, GLIAC Commissioner (1993), Dorothy Dreyer, Wayne State University (1994); Dr. Thomas Hendrix, Grand Valley State (1995); Jack McAvoy, Hillsdale (1996); Jack Finn, Northwood University (1997); Bob Becker, Saginaw Valley State University (1999); Chris Petrouleas, Wayne State (2000); Joan Boand, Grand Valley State (2001); Dr. Charles Jones, Lake Superior State (2002); Dr. Mark Kosciuszko, Ferris State University (2003); Michael Corbett, Gannon University (2004); Bob Wendling, Ashland University (2005); Rick Yeo, Michigan Tech (2006); Bill Crawford, Lake Superior State (2007); Bob Brennan, Wayne State (2008); Tom Brown GLIAC Commissioner (2009); George Eastland, Saginaw Valley State (2010); Tom Kirinovic, Ferris State (2011); and Arend D. Lubbers, Grand Valley State (2012).
