In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has created the MVC Leadership & Service Award (formerly the Good Neighbor Award).  Ten student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2013-14 Fall season.

This year’s Fall honorees include Nathan Davis, Bradley, Men's Cross Country; Conor Wells, Drake, Men's Cross Country, Kevin Schafer, Evansville, Men's Soccer; Kristen Zillmer, Illinois State, Women's Cross Country; Zakee Bashir, Indiana State, Football; Tricia Stonebraker, Loyola, Women's Soccer; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, Football; David Johnson, UNI, Football; Juan Avila, Southern Illinois, Football; Justin Scott, Wichita State, Men's Cross Country.

In order to be eligible for the award, the student-athlete must be in good academic standing, must demonstrate good citizenship through good sportsmanship and significant community service, and must participate in a sport, during the season of recognition.  The Valley will recognize 10 student-athletes three times annually (fall, winter, spring), for a total of 30 honorees.  Institutions select their MVC Leadership & Service Award honorees.

Nathan Davis, Bradley, Men's Cross Country, Senior

• MVC Scholar-Athlete (2013 - Outdoor Track & Field)
• Bradley Country Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week (September 14)
• Bradley AD Honor Roll (Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013)
• Holds a 3.85 GPA in Political Science (major) and Sociology (minor)
• Co-organizer of the Bradley Athletics Shoe Drive
• Student leader for the Bradley Athletics Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Course Organizer at the eLUKEp 5k (September 2013)
• Volunteered as a tutor for political science (2012)
• Volunteered as a note-taker for a student with disabilities in various classes (2010-13)
• Member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Board (2011-13)
• Student-Athlete Counselor for the Banner Elementary School Youth Running Club (2010-13)
• Volunteered at numerous races in the Central Illinois area

Conor Wells, Drake, Men's Cross Country, Junior

• Mathematics and Computer Science double major
• Presidents List 4.0 (Fall 2011, Fall 2012)
• Dean's List 3.5 (Spring 2012, Spring 2013)
• Math Club Treasurer (2013)
• Head of Committee of Public Outreach, Student Athlete Advisory Committee (2012)
• Organized adopt a family shoe drive program
• Vice President and events coordinator of Best Buddies Club
• Organized monthly events for the last two years
• Helped people who were have issues with their buddies in the Best Buddies Club
• Volunteer at Capital Pursuit Road Race (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Volunteer in the math tutoring lab
• Volunteer at Best Buddies Chef's Challenge Fundraiser event
• Volunteer at Best Buddies Iowa Friendship Walk
• Volunteer at Best Buddies Iowa Prom
• Environmental Chair, Carpenter Hall (2011-12)
• Organized recycling program and environmental awareness events
• Helped organize recruiting effort of Everybody Wins! Iowa

Kevin Schafer, Evansville, Men's Soccer, Junior

• 3.86 Cumulative GPA in Mechanical Engineering
• Dean's List (Four semesters)
• Student-Athlete Honor Roll (Four semesters)
• Member of the National Society of Leadership and Success
• Member of Pi Tau Sigma - Mechanical Engineering Honor Society
• Participant in UE Move-in Day for Freshman
• Boys & Girls Club
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure volunteer
• Susan G. Komen Kick for the Cure volunteer
• Aces Spring Break Soccer Camp volunteer
• ProRehab Score with Aces Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds at Newburgh Elementary
• University of Evansville's Freshman Service Project
• Special Olympics Bowling
• Circle K Special Education Prom
• Pen Pal Letters with local school children

Kristen Zillmer, Illinois State, Cross Country, Senior

• 3.56 Cumulative GPA in Special Education
• USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2012, 2013)
• Track and Field MVC Scholar-Athlete (2012, 2013)
• Cross Country MVC Scholar-Athlete (2011)
• AFNI Honor Roll (six semesters)
• Illinois State Impact Award (2013)
• Vice President of SAAC
• SAAC representative (2011-present)
• Coordinated a camping weekend with the Easter Seals and her teammates
• Participated in SAAC's trick or treat for canned goods in 2012; organized event in 2013
• Helped welcome and move in new freshman during Curb Birds (2012, 2013)
• Hog Roast (2012, 2013)
• Recess Buddies (2012, 2013)
• Special Olympics (2013)
• Community Cancer Center - Day of the Dozer
• Festival of the Trees
• The Baby Fold

Zakee Bashir, Indiana State, Football, Senior

• 3.2 GPA in Criminology (major) and Psychology (minor)
• Philosophy club president (Spring 2013)
• Football SAAC Member (Public Relations Committee)
• Designated Research assistant in the Psychology Department
• Special Olympics
• March of Dimes
• Relay for Life
• Boys and Girls Club
• Church of the Masters (packaging and delivering food baskets)
• Salvation Army
• Volunteered for Community Parade setup/teardown
• Read in Elementary School in local community
• Worked community business picnic for employee appreciation day

Tricia Stonebraker, Loyola, Women's Soccer, Senior

• 3.788 GPA in Psychology
• Dean's List (every semester)
• Maroon & Gold Society (exclusive honor society for seniors demonstrating a commitment to leadership, academic excellence and service to others)
• Horizon League Academic Honor Roll (2011, 2012)
• Mather Pavilion (Alzheimers & nursing care facility) volunteer
• Misericordia volunteer (community for persons with development disabilities)
• Christmas on Campus volunteer
• Athletico Physical Therapy volunteer

Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, Football, Junior

• 3.92 Cumulative GPA in Wildlife Conservation and Management
• Dean's List (Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013)
• Maroon & White Scholar (Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013)
• Member of SAAC
• Boys & Girls Club Volunteer
• Assists with Healthy Heroes Program
• Assists with Habitat for Humanity

David Johnson, UNI, Football, Junior

• Dean's List - 3.5 or above (Two semesters)
• 3.0 Honoree (Five semesters)
• UNI Student-Athlete of the Month
• Just Read participant
• Anti-Bullying intervention to schools
• Special Olympics volunteer (Three years)
• FCA Fields of Faith

Juan Avila, Southern Illinois, Football, Senior

• Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Member (Current Vice-President)
• Dean's List
• MVFC Conference Honor Roll
• SIU Saluki Scholar
• MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
• Creator/Organizer of Every Dawg Has Its Day (children experiencing the football game experience)
• Student Director of Valiant Player (Student-athlete weekly visits to a local hospital)
• Good Samaritan House Souper Bowl of Caring Events - collected donations for local food pantry
• Victory Dream Center (Salukis Kicking It for Hunger)
• MVC/State Farm "Just Read" participant
• Southern Illinois Heart Walk - created event to collect donations for American Heart Association
• SIU Athletics Santa's Shoeboxes - fill shoeboxes with gifts for children attending SIU HeadStart
• Natalie's Toy Drive - collected toys for children with cancer at Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis
• Habitat for Humanity
• Give Kids a Smile
• Cairo Upward Bound
• Good Samaritan House Painting

Justin Scott, Wichita State, Men's Cross Country, Junior

• 3.688 GPA in Mechanical Engineering
• Men's Cross Country representative for SAAC
• Wallace Scholarship for Engineering
• Project Lead the Way Scholarship for Engineering
• Top Shocks Scholarship
• Dean's Honor Roll - 3.5+ GPA (Four semesters)
• Shocker Scholar - 3.2+ GPA (Six semesters)
• AD Honor Roll - 3.0+ GPA (Six semesters)
• Wichita Buddy Walk volunteer
• Prairie Fire Marathon volunteer
• WSU Robotics Competition
• Goddard Intermediate Learning Center Pen Pal Program
• Allen Elementary Walk-a-thon
• Fuel up to Play speaker
• Youth Group speaker
• Track Clinic volunteer