Schneider receives Fighting Bee Award on Senior Day
Dan Haverkamp
Issue date: 3/4/10 Section: Sports
As he sits in his office, Donald "Duke" Schneider looks through a yearbook. The office hasn't changed in the 30 years he's spent at St. Ambrose, but the previous students that fill the pages have gone on to successful careers in broadcasting.
As the Operations Manager for TV-11, Duke has seen many come and go. And as the 30th year of his time at Ambrose neared, those who had seen his passion and care for students wanted to put Duke in an unusual situation: in front of the camera.
"A group of alumni approached me about a year and a half ago," Amy Jones, previous co-worker and student of Duke, said. "They said they'd like to honor him, so we formed a committee."
Jones, through her work with the Advancement Office, formed a group that set up an event to take place on Senior Day, February 21st.
Duke has been an integral part of an estimated 1,000 SAU basketball broadcasts, but he's always in the control room, operating at breakneck pace to keep the broadcast on pace. It's well-known around the department that Duke does the job of three or four people during a broadcast.
So when Duke walked into Lee Lohman Arena for a seemingly normal broadcast, he was surprised to see family and friends waiting for him.
"It was odd because once we got into the building, everyone was just waiting in the doorway." Schneider said. "I thought to myself, 'Don't they know where to go? It's the last game of the season!'"
The truth was, the students knew exactly where to go and that they were going to have to do this broadcast without Duke. Jones and the group of alumni had arranged for Duke to be an honorary coach for the day, which included a seat on the end of the bench and in the locker room.
"When they told me, I thought it was really cool," Schneider said. "But I didn't know if the coaches would want me in there. And I knew we had a game to broadcast. But the coaches were really welcoming and we even talked strategy a little. And I knew with Matt (Carroll, Production Specialist, who took over Duke's duties for the day), the broadcast would be fine."
As the Operations Manager for TV-11, Duke has seen many come and go. And as the 30th year of his time at Ambrose neared, those who had seen his passion and care for students wanted to put Duke in an unusual situation: in front of the camera.
"A group of alumni approached me about a year and a half ago," Amy Jones, previous co-worker and student of Duke, said. "They said they'd like to honor him, so we formed a committee."
Jones, through her work with the Advancement Office, formed a group that set up an event to take place on Senior Day, February 21st.
Duke has been an integral part of an estimated 1,000 SAU basketball broadcasts, but he's always in the control room, operating at breakneck pace to keep the broadcast on pace. It's well-known around the department that Duke does the job of three or four people during a broadcast.
So when Duke walked into Lee Lohman Arena for a seemingly normal broadcast, he was surprised to see family and friends waiting for him.
"It was odd because once we got into the building, everyone was just waiting in the doorway." Schneider said. "I thought to myself, 'Don't they know where to go? It's the last game of the season!'"
The truth was, the students knew exactly where to go and that they were going to have to do this broadcast without Duke. Jones and the group of alumni had arranged for Duke to be an honorary coach for the day, which included a seat on the end of the bench and in the locker room.
"When they told me, I thought it was really cool," Schneider said. "But I didn't know if the coaches would want me in there. And I knew we had a game to broadcast. But the coaches were really welcoming and we even talked strategy a little. And I knew with Matt (Carroll, Production Specialist, who took over Duke's duties for the day), the broadcast would be fine."
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Dennis Reynolds
posted 3/09/10 @ 10:51 AM CST
Nice job Duke, a well deserved honor. It is always a good thing when nice things happen to nice people!
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