Penn State captain David Goodwin has been named one of five finalists for the 2017 Hockey Humanitarian Award. The finalists were announced on Thursday.
In the words of the foundation, the award is given to honor college hockey’s finest citizen specifically, ‘a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team, but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism.’
“David Goodwin’s commitment to building the Penn State Hockey culture has been matched by his commitment to service and community that has been strong and consistent for four years,” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said in a statement. “We are honored that David is a part of Penn State and thrilled that he is a finalist for this prestigious award.”
While Goodwin’s academic accomplishment are noteworthy as a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Goodwin’s work abroad is perhaps his most commendable contribution.
Goodwin has spent time build retaining walls in El Salvador and Nicaragua, in addition to time in Mexico strengthening his Spanish to get closer to fluency and most recently, teaching an English course at a university in Cuba. All of his efforts have also made David a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award.
‘Being at the service of others simply gives my life meaning and purpose,’ Goodwin said in a release. ‘I recognize that I have received much throughout my life. I am grateful for the many people, including my Penn State family, that have supported me each and every day.’
The recipient will be announced Friday, April 7 as part of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in Chicago. Additionally, the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation will make a donation to the charity most important to each finalist. These donations are made possible with the generous support of the award’s partners and donors.
