MSU-N's Cummings to be honored at annual Cat-Griz football game

The Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team has the weekend off, but Saturday will be a big day for Northern junior point guard Taylor Cummings.

Cummings, a graduate of Belt High School, will be honored with the 2013 Montana Athletes in Service Award during Saturday’s Cat-Griz game in Bozeman. Cummings is one of nine student-athletes in Montana being recognized Saturday for the award, sponsored by the Montana Campus Compact.

The award is given to student-athletes for their outstanding commitment to civic engagement, volunteerism, and the impact their service has on the community.

"These students deserve special recognition for taking time from their busy academic and athletic schedules to engage in projects that make a difference in Montana's communities," said Jane Karas, who is the president at Flathead Valley Community College and the Montana Campus Compact Board Chair.

The awards will be presented by Karas, University of Montana President Royce Engstrom, Montana State President Waded Cruzado, Governor Steve Bullock, and Lt. Governor John Walsh on the field at the annual Brawl of the Wild football game.

In its 13th year, the Montana Athletes in Service Award commemorates the historic Montana signing of the Presidents' Declaration of the Civic Responsibility of Higher Education. The first award was made in Nov. 2001 in Bozeman. The award presentation alternates with the location of the annual football game between the Bobcats and the Grizzlies. The Montana Campus Compact is Montana's largest higher education network. MTCC works to deepen the ability of colleges and universities to improve community life and educate students for their civic and social responsibilities.

Other student-athletes to be honored Saturday are Andy Austin, a senior football player at MSU, Kelsey DeWit, a senior basketball player at Montana Tech, Haylee Gaellegos, a sophomore basketball player at Dawson Community College, Eva Green, a junior basketball player at Salish Kootnai College, Jayde Hair, a junior volleyball player at Rocky Mountain College, Conner Hausauer, a junior golfer at Carroll College, Brian Labbe, a senior football player at UM-Western, Lewis Polkow, a senior member of the track and field team at MSU-Billings and Jordan Sullivan, a senior basketball player at the University of Montana. Cummings is earning her degree in Civil Engineering for MSU-Northern.