IRVING, Texas – Tulane track and field athlete Candice St. Etienne was named as one of 12 Conference USA athletes to receive the C-USA Spring Spirit of Service Award, announced the commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
The award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport.
“Obviously, we are all very proud of the achievement and the accomplishments Candice has made here at Tulane University,” said Tulane director of track and field Eric Peterson. “She has been a very valuable member of our women’s track and field team, and she has been very versatile, as she has contributed as a hurdler and to relay teams. It makes me especially proud to know that all of the extra-curricular teams she has voluntarily gotten involved with, and I’m excited for her that she is being honored with some recognition for her efforts. She has given a significant amount of time to all kinds of different activities and causes.”
St. Etienne served as vice president for Tulane’s Student‐Athlete Advisory Committee, which was involved in five major initiatives this year. SAAC raised $60,000 for Tulane football player Devon Walker, who was severely injured in a Sept. 8 football game at Tulsa, by selling T-shirts and wrist bands at home football games. Also in the fall, the New Orleans native helped collect more than $3,400 for the Second Harvest Food Bank to be used to provide food to those less fortunate during the holiday season.
St. Etienne was also very involved with the youth of the greater New Orleans are. During Wave Days, an annual event hosted at the Louisiana Superdome, SAAC partnered with elementary schools to educate 500 students about the possibility of going to college and continuing their education. She also participated in the Shadow a Student‐Athlete Day, where 60 Harriet Tubman Charter students to follow individual student‐athletes through a typical morning, attending classes and walking around the Uptown Campus.
In April, St. Etienne participated in the Samaritan’s Feet event, purchasing new shoes – sometimes the very first pair of new shoes ‐ for children at Martin Behrman Elementary.
During her senior campaign for the track and field squad, St. Etienne was an integral part of the team as she competed in the 400 meter hurdles and the 4 x 400 meter relay team. She ran a season best in the 400 meter hurdles at the Stanford Invitational on March 29 by running the event in 1:01.68. She was also a member of the 4 x 400 meter relay team that ran a season best 3:44.01 on March 30 at the Stanford Invitational.
After the season, St. Etienne was honored with the 2013 Wilson Award, considered to be the most prestigious won by a Tulane student‐athlete.
St. Etienne graduated in May 2013 with a degree in neuroscience and a minor in Spanish. She plans to enter LSU Dental School in the fall of 2013.
