SAINT LEO, Fla. – Dr. Passard Dean, professor of accounting and finance at Saint Leo University, has been named the Sunshine State Conference Faculty Mentor Award nominee for the NCAA Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award.

The NCAA Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award honors an institutional faculty member at an NCAA Division II institution who has demonstrated dedication, support, and guidance to student-athletes and the institution's athletics program as a faculty member.

As the SSC's nominee for the NCAA Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award, Dr. Dean was selected by the SSC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) among the nominees submitted by each SSC member institution.

"We are fortunate here at Saint Leo to have an extraordinarily gifted faculty who are supportive of our student-athletes both in their academic pursuits and as competitive athletes, and Dr. Dean has certainly been foremost among those," said Francis X. Reidy, Saint Leo's director of athletics. "Dr. Dean is most deserving of this recognition by our conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and the work he does mentoring our young men and women speaks to the commitment put forth by all our faculty members."

Originally from Jamaica, Dr. Dean joined the Saint Leo faculty on University Campus in 2008. He is active as a recreational tennis player and particularly enjoys soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

The NCAA Division II SAAC will evaluate each conference's selection and announce the national award winner later this semester. The NCAA Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award honoree will be recognized in-person at the NCAA Convention on January 17-20, 2018, in Indianapolis.

"Congratulations to Dr. Dean on receiving this prestigious honor," remarked SSC Commissioner Ed Pasque. "His work in supporting and mentoring Sunshine State Conference student-athletes deserves to be recognized and honored."

This is the second time this year the Saint Leo professor has been recognized as a consistent and enthusiastic source of encouragement for students. The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) selected Dr. Dean to receive the Ursel K. Albers IMA Campus Advocate Award. The distinction salutes Dr. Dean for the contributions he has made to the organization, and especially to student members preparing for their careers.

The NCAA Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award is an initiative of the NCAA Division II SAAC and aligns with the Division II commitment to preparing student-athletes to excel in their endeavors after their athletic careers have ended. This student-athlete driven award was first presented in 2013 to the family of Dr. Dave Pariser, who passed away earlier that year after a longtime career at Bellarmine University where he was known for his work among Bellarmine student-athletes.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo Department of Athletics, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com.  Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

NOTE: An earlier version of this story had the wrong organization presenting Dr. Dean with the Ursel K. Albers IMA Campus Advocate Award.