Calvetti Awarded Charlotte West Scholarship
08/30/2001 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Aug. 30, 2001
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University Associate Athletics Director Kathy Jones announced today that Chiara Calvetti was chosen this year's recipient of the inaugural Charlotte West Scholarship.
The scholarship, which was first established in 1997, is awarded to a female student who plans a career in athletic administration, one who has demonstrated an interest in or a commitment to ensuring equitable benefits or enhancing opportunities for female athletes and one who displays qualities of dedication, integrity, responsibility and leadership. It was named in honor of West who served as the Salukis' head women's basketball coach from 1959-75 and SIU's Director of Women's Athletics from 1975-87. Once the men's and women's athletics departments merged in 1987, she then became Associate Athletics Director and remained in that position until her retirement in 1998.
Calvetti, a native of Carbondale, Ill., has served as an intern for Carbondale High School's Athletics Director Vicky King for the past four years. Through her internship, she has gained practical experience by helping with the planning of the Carbondale Holiday Tournament in addition to other various tasks.
Prior to her term at Carbondale High School, Calvetti capped off a four-year career with the SIU softball team where she played an instrumental role in the team's success. Beginning her career as a walk-on in 1998, Calvetti's solid work ethic and passion for the game helped her develop into a scholarship athlete before her playing days came to an end this past May. And according to members of the selection committee and fellow educators, she proved herself to be well-deserving of the honor.
"Chiara is most deserving of this award," said SIU Head Softball Coach Kerri Blaylock. "She has been an exemplary student-athlete and she embodies all of the qualities that Dr. West would want in a student-athlete for this award."
To go along with her success as both an athlete and an intern, Calvetti was also impressive in the classroom where she managed to maintain a 3.21 GPA. In addition, she served as the softball representative on the Student Athletic Advisory Board and assisted with community projects arranged by the SIU Athletics Department.
"Chiara has been a great representative of Saluki Athletics as a student-athlete," commented Jones. "She will be an outstanding athletic administrator and will continue to be a credit to SIU."