Medeiros Receives EAST-COMM Excellence In Athletic Communications Award

EAST-COMM RELEASE

BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott College Sports Information Director Shawn Medeiros has been selected as this year's Irving T. Marsh Award winner, presented by the Eastern Athletic Communications Association (EAST-COMM). 

The award — the highest honor EAST-COMM bestows — is given annually for excellence in athletic communications. Medeiros is the youngest person to receive the award since its inception in 1966.

Medeiros, a Fall River, Mass. native, will be honored at the 2022 EAST-COMM Awards Banquet on June 16 during the organization's annual workshop in Ellicott City, Md. 

"This award is the byproduct of many people who have believed in and influenced my career," said Medeiros. "It's humbling to be in the same conversation as this year's award winners and included among the many gifted and transcendent Irving T. Marsh Award winners from years past."

Medeiros is currently in his seventh academic year as the Sports Information Director (SID) at Endicott. 

Among his many athletic communications initiatives, Medeiros' most notable venture is the "Endicott Experience" campaign, which was created to increase student-athlete publicity in the areas of academics, community service, internships, and study abroad. 

This initiative was developed in conjunction with the College's Admission Office and the Internship and Career Center. He has presented on this concept at the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), EAST-COMM, and NCAA conventions, respectively.

Medeiros has also increased Endicott athletics' reach on social media significantly through various strategic efforts in partnership with men's volleyball head coach/assistant sports information director George Chapell '08, staff photographer David Le '10, the sports information department's numerous graduate assistants and interns, and various student photographers and videographers.

The social media numbers speak for themselves. Since his arrival in 2015-16, Facebook has been elevated from 1,419 followers to 5,535 (290% increase), while Twitter has jumped from 2,319 followers to 6,612 (185% increase).

Instagram, the department's most popular platform, has evolved from a 2,539 follower count to its current tally of 9,401 followers (270% increase). 

The Gulls' Instagram account has regularly led all NCAA Division III athletics accounts in total interactions and interaction rate (min. 5,000 followers) since 2016-17, according to data from CrowdTangle.

Most importantly, Medeiros' department has laid the groundwork for a myriad of students to further their education in communications, sport management, photography, videography, marketing, and social media strategy through many internship experiences and eventual full-time job placements.

Students working in the Endicott sports information department have gone on to either intern or work at the following schools/organizations (presented in no particular order): Boston Red Sox, ESPN, Temple University, NESN, DesignerAdvantage, NBC Sports (Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics coverage), UMass Lowell, New York City Football Club, Duke University, WGME Channel 13 (CBS Affiliate), Harvard University, Saint Anselm College, Texas Stars Hockey Club (AHL Affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars), Eastern New Mexico University, Florida Atlantic University, Utah State University, Rhode Island College, Northeastern University, Suffolk University, On Deck Sports, Wake Forest, Roger Williams University, Stonehill College, New York University, James Madison University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Ecast Productions, among others.

Medeiros' other awards throughout his career include the CoSIDA Rising Star Award in 2019, while in 2021, Endicott was named one of three winners of the newly-created CoSIDA ChangeMaker Innovation Award. 

The award was created to recognize staffs who have created and managed innovative content during the academic year. The award was won through a collaborative effort with the Office of Admission and Audio Visual Services Department.

Prior to Endicott, Medeiros spent nearly three years as the SID at Wheaton (Mass.) College after serving as assistant SID at Stonehill during the 2011-12 academic year. 

Medeiros is past president of D3SIDA, serving as that organization's youngest-ever president. 

He is also a past CoSIDA Stabley Writing Contest district winner and has been recognized by the USTFCCCA twice (2014, 2017) and AVCA for excellence in athletic communications.

Medeiros is an active member of EAST-COMM and CoSIDA. He currently serves on the CoSIDA Mentorship Program committee and Rebranding Group, and previously has served on CoSIDA's Continuing Education, New Media, Academic All-America®, and Young Professionals committees.

Medeiros is a 2008 graduate of Bridgewater State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies and a concentration in Broadcast Journalism. 

Medeiros later obtained his Master's degree in Education (curriculum and instruction) with a concentration in Sports Information from Castleton University in 2011. 

For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

(Photo Credit - Nick Grace '20)