Cornell's Sam Paolini named Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist

Cornell men's hockey team senior forward Sam Paolini, from Rochester, N.Y., has been named as a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, which recognizes college hockey's finest citizen.

Paolini

A key member of the Cornell team, Paolinihas been involved in many charitable activities off the ice, leading to his nomination and selection as one of the five finalists for this year's award. Established in 1996, the award is open to any NCAA college hockey player, male or female, in Division I, II and III, who exemplifies personal character, a commitment to studies and whose contributions to his or her larger community is worthy of recognition by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation. Paolini is majoring in applied economics and management in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The other finalists for this year's Hockey Humanitarian Award are John Flint (St. Michael's College), Chandra Gunn (Northeastern), Bryan Isola (Neumann College) and Deanna McDevitt (Yale).

Paolini has been involved in numerous community activities since arriving on the Cornell campus. He has worked as a volunteer coach for the Ithaca Youth Hockey Association, visits a local elementary school to talk to the students about the importance of school and was a speaker at Lansing High School's annual "Difference Day."

His charitable contributions to the Ithaca community include four programs that he has initiated and in which he has gotten his teammates involved. He approached the Ithaca Youth Bureau to start "Special Population Skate," which is a program that has members of the Big Red hockey team skating each week during the season with individuals from Ithaca who have physical and mental disabilities.

Paolini also worked to get sponsorship for a promotion to raise funds for the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance. Every time the hockey team scores a power-play goal this season, the Tompkins Trust Co. donates $100 to the IBCA as part of the "Power Play for Prevention." (Read related story.)

In supporting Paolini's nomination, Christine Sanchirico, the executive director of the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance, wrote: "It's extraordinary when a student would like to help, has a plan in mind and then follows through on that plan purely on his or her own initiative. Sam has been that kind of extraordinary volunteer."

Paolini and his teammates also raised funds for Loaves and Fishes, a food bank in downtown Ithaca, by collecting donations at the annual "Skate With the Big Red" program, which also included a skills competition. Over $350 was contributed to assist this important community organization.

Following Paolini's initiative, another program is about to kick off, this one called "School Is Cool." With Paolini leading the way, HealthNow was secured as a sponsor for this program, in which local students can enter to win a pizza party with the hockey team. Paolini and his teammates will use this opportunity to talk to the students about the importance of staying in school, working hard and living healthy, active lives.

"Not only is Sam an outstanding student-athlete," wrote teacher Barbara Hatt from South Hill Elementary School in Ithaca, "he is also an outstanding human being as evidenced by the many ways he has enriched the Ithaca community during his four years at Cornell."

A member of the Red Key Athletic Honorary Society at Cornell and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Paolini was the recipient of the Richie Moran Award this past fall. The award goes to a Cornell senior student-athlete who distinguishes him/herself through academics, athletics and ambassadorship.

An Academic All-ECAC selection and an All-Ivy League second-team pick last year, Paolini currently has nine points this season on three goals and six assists. His three goals are all power-play markers.

The announcement of this year's Humanitarian Award recipient will be made April 11 in Buffalo, N.Y., as part of the festivities surrounding the NCAA Men's Division I Hockey Frozen Four Championships.