By OVC Media Relations
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. –Dr. Lance Jasitt of Tennessee Tech University has been named one of two recipients of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Thurston Banks Award for Distinguished Academic Service.
The award, selected by the OVC Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs), was established in 2013 to recognize individuals (e.g. academic advisor, professor, tutor, etc.), with at least five years of service at one or more OVC member institutions, for their outstanding contributions to OVC student-athletes' academic success, learning and development as well for his or her overall commitment to the institution's athletics program.
The other recipient this year is Danelle Fabianich of the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The award is named after Dr. Thurston Banks, who served the Tennessee Tech Department of Athletics for 31 of his 34 years on the faculty and served as the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) for 25 years before stepping down in 2006. He was inducted into the OVC Hall of Fame in 2007.
The inaugural awards were presented to Austin Peay's Dr. Bruce Myers and Eastern Illinois' Dr. Gail Richard in 2013. Since then Tennessee Tech's Andrew Smith and Belmont's Betty Wiseman (2014), Austin Peay's Dr. Gaines Hunt and Morehead State's Dr. Peggy Osborne (2015), UT Martin's Dr. Nell Gullett and Southeast Missouri's Dr. Tim Rademaker (2016), Austin Peay's Lawrence Baggett and Eastern Kentucky's Dr. Janna Price (2017) and Murray State's Dr. Karl Hussung and Belmont's Rich Tiner (2018) have been honored.
Fabianich and Jasitt will be presented their awards at the 2019 OVC Honor Brunch as part of the OVC Spring Meetings in May.
Jasitt served Tennessee Tech for 20 years until his retirement in June 2018. In 20007 he became the Assistant Director for Athletics for Academics and Student Welfare, providing assistance for approximately 300 student-athletes each semester. During his tenure he helped thousands of student-athletes develop education plans that were realistic and consistent with their life goals, maintain their eligibility and reach graduation. He also served as the primary liaison between coaches and the faculty.
He assembled and oversaw a staff of advisors who coordinated resources for student-athletes, monitored their academic performance and ensured compliance with NCAA, OVC and University policies. A regular attendee at Tennessee Tech athletic contests, Jasitt also encouraged his staff to attend as well. He helped coordinate the selection of student-athletes to be honored as "Scholar of the Game" at TTU events. He served on the TTU Commission on Women, the Disabilities Services Committee, the Service Learning Committee and the Admissions and Credits Committee. In 2014 he received the Outstanding Diversity Advocate Award for his support of minority student-athletes.
Jasitt earned a bachelor's degree from Penn State University in 1978 and added a master's in Public Administration from Valdosta State University in 1987. In 1993, he received a master's degree in Education from Old Dominion University and added a PhD in Literacy Education from Tennessee Tech in 2004. Dr. Jasitt is a former Commander in the U.S. Navy.
Fabianich has been an integral part of the UT Martin Department of Athletics for 24 years and currently serves as the Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Student-Athlete Services and the department's Senior Woman Administrator. She serves as the liaison between the athletic department and the academic faculty and the Student Success Center. Her primary responsibilities include monitoring academic progress and coordinating academic assistance for all athletes. She also supervises departmental tutors along with student-athlete services to include life skills and coordinating community service efforts.
As the Senior Woman Administrator, a role she has held since 2005, she monitors gender equity issues and monitors the needs and interests of all student athletes in her role as advisor of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Fabianich began her career at UTM as a senior secretary but before moving into the role of business manager.
The Colorado native earned her degree at Northern Colorado in 1987 and completed her MBA at UT Martin in 1997.
