March 18, 2015

University of South Carolina senior Melanie Cormier was named to the SEC Community Service Team, the league office announced Wednesday.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference on Wednesday announced the Community Service Team for the sport of equestrian. The conference names a Community Service Team for each of its 21 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to her community through superior service efforts.

The 2015 SEC Equestrian Community Service Team is as follows:

Bailee Sussey, Auburn (Sr., Guin, Ala.)
· A senior business major at Auburn.
· Involved with the Big Sister Program at the Boys and Girls Club of America.
· Serves as a student mentor for the Women’s Leadership Institute.
· Tutors 25 hours per week at the Auburn Early Education Center.

Olivia Gaude, Georgia (Jr., Conyers, Ga.)
· A junior in the CIDA accredited interior design program at Georgia.
· President and chair of the Georgia equestrian philanthropy committee, serving as a liaison between the Georgia equestrian team and the UGA Athletic Association for community service. Records and tracks all of the individual community service hours for the equestrian team and organizes opportunities for the team and its members.
· Is involved in Safe Routes to School, the local homeless shelter, the Hunger Bowl, the Athens Farmers Market and Nike Gear for Greatness.
· Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and was a Dean’s List member in the fall of 2014 with a 4.0 grade point average.
· Was a Top-10 Caterpillar Scholar-Athlete for the 2014-15 season.

Melanie Cormier, South Carolina (Sr., East Longmeadow, Mass.)
· A senior majoring in experimental psychology at South Carolina · Participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes.
· Volunteered with the Spanish Honor Society and Curing Kids Cancer.
· Volunteered with the University of South Carolina’s Office of Disability Services, helping take notes in an advanced psychology course.
· A member of the Dean’s List, President’s List and Athletics Director’s Honor Roll.

Marlena Parker, Texas A&M (Jr., Cumming, Ga.)
· A junior sociology major at Texas A&M.
· Is a member of the leadership team for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Texas A&M and was a huddle leader for an FCA retreat in January.
· Assists with TeamIMPACT.
· Participated in Aggies Can, the nation’s largest student-run canned drive.
· Was on the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll in both the spring and the fall of 2014.
· Was invited to participate in the 2015 Pin Oak Invitational.

The 2015 SEC Equestrian Championship is slated for March 27-28at College Station, Texas.