University of Minnesota Athletics
McAvoy and McMillen Receive MVG Honors
12/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The University of Minnesota and the Gopher athletics student-athlete development program will recognize one male and one female student-athlete each month, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty as ambassadors of the maroon and gold. New this year, Gopher athletics will announce its 'Most Valuable Gophers' at the start of each month. This month's award goes out two individuals who have made their marks on MAGIC (Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community) throughout their Gopher careers in football's Luke McAvoy and women's hockey Milica McMillen.
Criteria for the award will be based on one or more of the three student-athlete development areas:
• Leadership - leadership roles on athletic team, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representatives, student group participation, campus panels, team hosts or other roles as ambassadors of the Maroon and Gold, campus committees
• Professional Development - embracing career opportunities on campus and programs offered by the athletics department, to include: internships, volunteer and part-time employment focused on career development.
• Commitment to Service - volunteering through MAGIC and on their own in the community (may or may not be career related). All hours considered are logged through the University of Minnesota system.
December 2014 Male MVG: Luke McAvoy (football)
Luke McAvoy, a red-shirt junior from Bloomington, Ill., has been an integral part of the MAGIC program since he first stepped foot on campus. As a Gopher student-athlete, McAvoy has logged 150 community service hours with MAGIC. Along with helping at various community service functions such as the Unlimited Dance Marathon and youth football groups, he has made an impact among his fellow student-athletes. McAvoy spearheaded Maroon Madness, which is a program where student-athletes support other student-athlete events and functions. In conjunction with his community service efforts, McAvoy is also this year's Student Athlete Advisory Council President.
Q: What drives you to volunteer through MAGIC?
Luke McAvoy: A few things drive me to volunteer, from seeing the impact that we can have in a short time, to simply having time to get to know other student-athletes better. However, I think one of the main things that drives me is the chance to give back to a community that supports us every year. A lot of people around the Twin Cities are Gopher fans and watch our games and follow us all year long. Volunteering is another way to support them like they do us.
Q: What was your most memorable volunteer activity?
LM: My most memorable volunteering memory was going to a Playworks event and walking into one of the classrooms before recess. There were three other student-athletes as well in two volleyball players and a rower, so we all are pretty tall people. We walk into the room and this one little guy walks right up to us and yells "man, you guys are stupid big!" I lost it! It was a simple little thing, but has to be one of the most funny moments I have had volunteering.
Q: How do your efforts impact the community?
LM: While I can't give you tangible numbers on our impact, I think it is more focused on the idea of showing kids that we really are not that different from them. If they work hard they could be just like us. We go to a lot of schools that do not have the most resources and we have the chance to go in and tell them our story, give them a little bit of advice, and interact with them. I hope the message that we leave behind is that no matter their situation, they can succeed.
Q: You've organized a volunteer event on your own, what was your experience like?
LM: I helped with the fundraising side of HopeDay my freshman summer and the one thing that really surprised me was how willing people were to help. Once people knew about what we were trying to do and why, it wasn't a matter of trying to convince them to help, but one of helping them find a place to help. That summer really helped to solidify my drive to give back. I saw people from every walk of life come together to help support some kids that they did not even know, and still were willing to give so much.
December 2014 Female MVG: Milica McMillen (women's hockey)
Milica McMillen, a junior from St. Paul, Minn., has logged the most hours by either a male or female students-athlete since her arrival on campus. Since her freshman season, McMillen has given back nearly 190 hours of community service. She has volunteered with Hopekids, has been active with the Eat Smart, Play Hard program, youth clinics, visiting elementary schools and the Masonic Children's Hospital to name a few. Taking it upon herself, McMillen organized a Special Olympics event at her former high school, Breck, as she gathered Gopher student-athletes to the event.
Q: What drives you to volunteer through MAGIC?
Milica McMillen: I like volunteering with MAGIC because there are so many different opportunities to choose from. I can pick the days that work with my schedule and volunteer when I am free. All of them are fun and give impact for others. I've been many places and they really enjoy having student athletes help out, which in turn makes me feel like I'm making a difference outside of competition.
Q: What was your most memorable volunteer activity?
MM: I think my most memorable activity would be the Hope Day festival we host each year. It's amazing seeing so many different families attend, and watch the kids have so much fun. Most the kids have terminal or rare illnesses, but for one day, they get out of the hospital, forget all that and just play. They are so brave and the day is all about us serving them.
Q: How do your efforts impact the community?
MM: I've done events from, packing food to making special appearances and signing autographs in public. It doesn't matter if we are seen by tons of people or just by one person. I think the fact that student athletes are noticed doing something other than school or their sport allows us to be role models for what it means to be a part of Gopher Athletics, and shows that we care about bettering our community.
Q: You've organized a volunteer event on your own, what was your experience like?
MM: I helped at the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Tournament or Poly Hockey. It's a state tournament that is held every year and it happens to be at my former high school. I started volunteering at that event since I was in seventh grade on the hockey team. When I had the opportunity to get my Gopher team to go, everyone jumped at it. I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew where to go and could help out where they could. We handed out medals, cheered on the athletes. It was a great event and my team loved it. Hockey was the one thing that everyone had in common and it brought a lot of people together.
