EUGENE, Ore. – It has been a memorable year for Bushnell University within the greater landscape of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Beacons were honored in the fall as the NAIA School of Character, which has led to opportunities for the Beacons to be showcased nationally.
 
Athletic Director Corey Anderson, Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Leader (SWL) Sarah Freeman, and student-athlete Sayer Pescosolido gave a featured presentation in April at the NAIA's National Convention. Titled "Building Character That Lasts", the team was able to lay out the building blocks of Bushnell's renowned Tri-Athlete Model, and the strategies that Bushnell has implemented that led to the School of Character recognition.
 
Beyond their presentation, all three members of the Bushnell delegation have had some strong influence recently at the national level.
 
Freeman, who has been with the Bushnell athletic department for over 19 years, was recently named the Vice Chair for the Athletic Compliance Administrators Association (ACAA) and also serves on the NAIA Champions of Character committee and as a member of the SWL leadership group.
 
Anderson, the longest tenured athletic director in the Cascade Conference, continues his influence at the national level. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the NAIA Athletic Directors Association, sits on the National Administrative Council, and serves as a member of the ADvantage committee, which helps with on-boarding and mentorship of new athletic directors within the NAIA.
 
Pescosolido has served over the past year as a chair of the Cascade Conference Association of Student Athletes (ASA) has also been a member of the NAIA ASA and the Council of Student-Athletes, a smaller leadership group which engages in ongoing research, education, and collaboration that benefits the health, safety, and development of the student-athlete.
 
He is a member of the Bushnell Men's Track & Field Team, which was named the NAIA National Team of Character in the fall, and has served as a member of the NAIA's Champions of Character Committee. During the convention in April he participated in meetings on competition, mental health, NIL, and other topics, and was asked to provide the invocation and benediction at the NAIA awards lunch.
 
"The convention game me an important perspective regarding how the NAIA operates and what they value," said Pescosolido. "I was able to share my opinion and represent myself and Bushnell and it was truly one of the best experiences I could have asked for during my senior year."
 
Cascade Collegiate Conference Commissioner Rob Cashell added, "It has been a pleasure working with Sayer this past year as he has represented the CCC-ASA within the conference and the NAIA. He embraced his leadership role and approached every topic and interaction with authenticity and a genuine desire to make each organization better."