RPI's MacDonald Selected Coca-Cola Community All-American

TROY, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Kirk MacDonald has been selected as a Coca-Cola Community All-American, it has been announced. A forward, MacDonald was one of seven chosen from around the United States, regardless of sport and/or division. He will be recognized formerly at a banquet in Orlando, Fla., on June 8.

The Coca-Cola Company has teamed with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) to recognize community service in intercollegiate athletics. The program is designed to recognize, celebrate and applaud student-athletes who are making a difference in their communities.

A native of Victoria, B.C., MacDonald was Rensselaer's leading scorer with 27 points, including a team-best 12 goals, in 33 games. Eight of his goals came on the power play and one was a game-winning marker. He also had 20 penalties for 40 minutes. In his career, MacDonald, the team's Most Valuable Player in 2004-05 and a two-year captain, had 103 points (47 goals, 56 assists) in 137 games.

MacDonald, who is currently playing for the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, is a management major who has been on the Dean's List on multiple occasions. He is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and will be inducted into Olympia, Rensselaer's student-athlete honor society.

A cancer survivor, MacDonald is very active in the community, having served in numerous charitable and volunteer activities during his career at Rensselaer, including:

. Helping organize a season-long campaign to raise funds for cancer research and awareness of the importance of being tested and educated about testicular cancer. At each home game during the 2005-06 season, two members of the team volunteered to have their heads shaved if a minimum of $100 was raised per player. Over $11,000 was donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The gift was one of the largest ever donated by a college of RPI's size through a grass roots campaign;

. Helping organize and obtaining prizes for raffles to help raise funds for cancer research and to raise awareness;

. Serving as a spokesman at RPI and at other local colleges for cancer awareness;

. Serving as a member of the committee and Master of Ceremonies for the inaugural American Cancer Society Relay for Life at Rensselaer, which raised over $124,000;

. Being named to the American Cancer Society Youth Council for New York and New Jersey;

. Volunteering for the Troy Turkey Trot & as a youth hockey coach;

. Helping organize a food drive to benefit Unity House of Troy by replenishing the organization's shelves after Thanksgiving;

. Currently working on the Second Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life at RPI.

This is the third national honor for MacDonald, who was previously named the U.S. College Hockey Online's 2006-07 Unsung Hero, in recognition of his work on the ice as well as off the ice, and a Lowe's Senior CLASS All-American. The 2007 Rensselaer Alumni Association Community Service Award recipient, he was also a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award