December 11, 2002

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that former Cornell College football player and track and field performer Dale Biser (South Hamilton, Mass./Hamilton Wenham Regional HS) has been named the Duane Schroeder IIAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2001-02 academic year.

“Dale Biser demonstrates that the true measure of success in life is determined by evaluating the impact one has on the lives of others. The Iowa Conference congratulates Dale for his unique ability to combine excellence on the field of competition and in the classroom, with a devotion to having a lasting impact on the lives of those around him through service to his fellow students and to his community.” IIAC Commissioner John Cochrane said. “Dale is a tremendous source of pride for the Conference and the level of commitment and achievement he has demonstrated as an athlete, as a student and as an individual, epitomizes what it means to be a successful Division III student-athlete.”

Biser graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2002 with a 3.78 grade point average with a double major in Theatre and Economics and Business. He earned Dean’s List honors throughout his collegiate career including Highest Honors in the fall 2000 and spring 2001. He received the Cochran Award for Academic Excellence in Economics in the spring 2000 and the Mortar Board Outstanding Thespian with Academic Excellence in the spring 1999. Biser is currently working for CYDCOR, a customer acquisition firm in St. Louis, Mo.

“Dale set extremely high academic standards for himself and worked very hard to meet these standards. He demonstrated strong-problem solving skills, outstanding analytical skills and solid critical-thinking skills,” Professor of Economics and Business Jerome Savitsky said. “Dale’s intellectual curiosity and his enthusiasm for learning really set him apart from other good students. He enjoyed struggling with challenging material. He applied what he learned in his courses to ‘real world’ issues and got a great deal of enjoyment from discussing and debating his ‘theories’ with his professors.”

Biser was active with the Cornell Alumni Student Association (CASA), a group organized to network alumni with students to provide planning, connections and skills for the future, serving on its executive board from 1999-2000. He was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was involved with the search committee when Cornell was hiring a new Dean of Admissions in 2001. He was a member of Mortar Board, an honorary society based upon scholarship, service and leadership; was active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving on its leadership staff; and served as President and Treasurer of the Weightlifting Club, which educates and supports lifters of all levels. Biser also volunteered with the Association for Retarded Citizens (A.R.C.) and provided farm work assistance for the Medberry Pig Farm in Decorah, Iowa. He has also been active in Church outreach programs assisting citizens with leaf-clearing, painting, shoveling and general yard work.

“Dale is one of those athletes a coach encounters only a handful of times throughout a coaching career. He led each and every practice with an enthusiasm unmatched in my six years of coaching. Dale was the team’s biggest cheerleader but also led by example as evidenced with his two school records,” Cornell Track and Field Coach Lonnie Speidel said. “I was also privileged to work with Dale outside of athletics as the Advisor for the Cornell Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was a member of our leadership team and brought the same passion to this organization that he displayed on the athletic field.”

Athletically, Biser holds the Cornell record in the 35-pound weight throw and hammer throw. He was a two-year captain of the track and field team and a three-year letter winner in both indoor and outdoor. He finished fourth in the shot put at the 2001 Conference meet and was named the Rams’ Most Inspirational in 2001. A two-time Iowa Conference All-Academic Team member (2001 and 2002), he earned Verizon Academic All-District honors in 2002.

In football, Biser served as team captain his senior season and received the Coaches Award. He was twice named to the Conference’s All-Academic Team and the Verizon Academic All-District Team (2000 and 2001)

The Duane Schroeder IIAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Award was first presented in December 2001 for the 2000-01 academic year. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete shall have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the academic year for which the award is given. She must have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment and achievement in a varsity sport, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and show evidence of scholarly achievements, community service involvement and leadership (either on campus or in the community).

At the May 2002 annual meeting of the Iowa Conference Management Council, Commissioner John Cochrane announced that the IIAC Scholar Athlete of the Year awards would be renamed the Duane Schroeder Scholar Athlete of the Year in honor of former Wartburg College sports information director Duane Schroeder. Schroeder served as Wartburg’s SID for 43 years until his retirement in 2000. Upon his retirement from his sports information duties, he was named SID Emeritus and served as Wartburg’s News Director until 2001. During much of his four decades at Wartburg, Schroeder served as the IIAC’s secretary and treasurer.

Also nominated for the Duane Schroeder IIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award was former Central College track and field performer Tony Brownlee (Villisca, Iowa/Villisca HS).

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