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Ice Hockey's Martin, Softball's Jones Honored With Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Humanitarian Award

01/16/08

New York University is pleased to announce that Michael Martin, a senior captain on the club ice hockey team, and LaVicke Jones, a three-year member of the club softball team, were named the male and female recipients of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 2008 Humanitarian Award.

Both student-athletes were honored between the Violets' men's and women's basketball games Jan. 14 at Hunter College for embodying Dr. King, Jr.’s “vision of peace, persistence in purpose, and inspirational action” as well as sportsmanship within or outside the University community.

A native of Brooklyn, Martin is heavily involved in community service in his hometown. He has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC, working with the same student since September, 2005; Boost Mobile Rock Corps, USA, which organizes efforts among youngsters in Red Hook and Williamsburg to clean up their neighborhoods; and TOPS for You, Inc., which collects, sorts and distributes donated Christmas gifts for needy families in Brooklyn.

In addition, Martin also has served as a hockey mentor to youths who have attended Violet hockey games, helping the young fans hone their skills on the ice.

Academically, Martin has maintained a 3.38 grade point average while majoring in real estate in NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He is a three-time Super East Collegiate Hockey League (SECHL) All-Academic Team selection (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07).

Athletically, Martin is a four-year standout at NYU and was a American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) First Team All-American in 2006-07. Also named the SECHL Player of the Year last winter, Martin was one of four Division II players invited to try out for the 2007 World University Games. He is a three-time All-SECHL honoree, including two first-team selections (2005-06, 2006-07).

“Over the years, I have proudly followed Michael’s progress, and am heartened by his continued development and many life achievements,” Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said. "This is a young man whose future is extremely bright, and the NYU Athletics Department could not find a more suitable scholar athlete for this extraordinary honor.”

A mentor in the NYU Academic Achievement Program the past two years, Jones is an advocate of the topics of sexual health and sexual awareness, as well as issues surrounding unrepresented and underprivileged populations. During the 2007 fall semester, she devoted part of her studies to sexuality and AIDS recognition within the African-American community, writing a final paper critiquing an ABC News documentary titled, “Out of Control: AIDS in Black America.”

A sociology major, Jones is also a gender and sexuality studies minor in NYU’s College of Arts and Science. She has overcome challenges in her personal life and has shown academic and personal growth throughout her collegiate career.

Jones aspires to run her own non-profit organization that would use art therapy to aid underprivileged adolescents cope with hardship.

“LaVicke is a bright young woman with an entrepreneurial spirit,” NYU Academic Affairs Advisor Denise Fergus said. “She is a good-natured and motivated human being who is fully deserving of this award.”