OMAHA, Neb. – It takes courage to stand up and use your voice to bring attention to important societal issues.

College of Saint Mary is proud that Claire Koile is one of those courageous people.

Koile has been selected as the Great Plains Athletic Conference's nominee for the Dr. LeRoy Walker Champions of Character Award. This national award is one of the most prestigious handed out by the NAIA and was created to honor athletes who go above and beyond in academics, athletics, leadership and living the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character Initiative.

After losing a family member to suicide, Koile has worked to turn tragedy into awareness for mental health. A sophomore on the softball team last spring, the Valley, Neb., native organized a "Suicide Prevention Awareness Game,'' where she spoke and shared her family's story.

"Something that stuck with me from that day is that a girl from the opposing team (Dordt University) brought a sweater from her family member, who had passed,'' Koile said. "That really stuck with me. … You don't think about how many people are affected by suicide until you talk about it.''

Teammate Allyson Lynch said the event had a profound effect on the CSM team.

"Claire's efforts impacted not only me, but our team as a whole,'' Lynch said. "Personally, the event reminded me that there are resources and people I can lean on if I ever face a mental health crisis. It also brought Claire and me closer, and I can't think of anyone more fitting to represent what this award stands for.''

Whitney Merz, an associate professor of occupational therapy at CSM, said Koile excels in the classroom.

"Claire consistently creates environments where every voice is valued and progress is achieved,'' she said. "Her calm and composed approach to challenges, along with her ability to unite individuals from diverse backgrounds, have left a lasting impact on both faculty and her peers across undergraduate and graduate levels.''

Koile is planning more activities in September, which is Suicide Awareness Month. She said her efforts were never intended to earn awards.

"My goal was always to spread awareness, to let others know that they're not alone because a lot of people go through this, unfortunately,'' she said. "It was just an honor to be nominated in the first place.''

The national winner will be announced in September.