The fourth annual RMU Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner is tonight at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport. The Voice of the Colonials and a 2012 inductee into the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame, Chris Shovlin, will serve as emcee to induct six individuals who make up the 26th annual class.
 
In a special series leading up to the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner, veteran Pittsburgh sportswriter Joe Bendel takes a closer look at each of the inductees. The final feature is volleyball standout Maria Kirkland. For more information on how you can take part in the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner, please visit this link.
 
Moon Township, Pa. – Maria Kirkland is on a first-name basis with the Mayor of Orlando, has shared a high-five with Prince Harry and recently showed up on Good Morning America.
 
A former Robert Morris University volleyball great, Kirkland was also named the 2016 Volunteer of the Year at Walt Disney World, where she is one of 74,000 employees.
 
To say she's been on an Aladdin-like magic carpet ride since graduating in 1986 would be short-selling this Adamsburg, Pa., native.
 
Heck, if you listen closely, you might even hear her whistling while she works.
 
Or, more likely, while she's volunteering at one of her 20-plus charities in Orlando and the surrounding area.
 
"I love it here at Disney," said Kirkland, who's live in Orlando and has worked at Disney for the past 30 years. "It's been such a great ride for me. I feel very fortunate."
 
It should come as no surprise that Kirkland has taken her career, and volunteering efforts, to extraordinary heights.
 
After all, that is precisely how she played volleyball from 1982-85 as a decorated middle hitter for the Colonials.
 
Despite standing only 5'4", this left-handed spitfire nicknamed "Awesome" sported a vertical leap of 36 inches. This enabled her to rip shots past unsuspecting opponents en route to four consecutive All-Northeast Conference selections and Team MVP honors as a senior.
 
It also made her worthy of the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
Kirkland will be inducted as a veteran's choice at the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner tonight at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport.
 
"It's really exciting," Kirkland said, her infectious personality shining through. "To know that there are people out there who remember me, and who appreciate what I brought to the game, it means a lot."
 
Kirkland had her seminal moment as a volleyball player after her junior year at Hempfield Area High School. She tried out for the Junior National Team, headed by Pitt coach Shelton Collier, and, to her surprise, made it.
 
She couldn't believe her ears when the good news arrived.
 
"I thought, 'Wow,' this is the crème de la crème playing here," Kirkland said. "I was the only kid from my school who made it. It was amazing."
 
Unfortunately for Kirkland, her mother did not let her play due to the time demands. Kirkland did, however, practice with the national team for a week at Carlow College.
 
It was time well spent.
 
"The longest week of my life," Kirkland said, laughing. "It was challenging, but something really clicked for me afterwards. I was spiking the ball like I never did before. I was dominating like I never did before. It had a huge impact on me."
 
It also had an impact on Collier, who recruited Kirkland to play at Pitt. Problem was, he couldn't provide scholarship money.
 
That's when RMU coach Dennis Damp stepped in. He not only offered scholarship money, but a chance for Kirkland to pursue her dream of majoring in business at school a renowned for its business program.
 
She eagerly accepted.
 
"Looking back, it couldn't have worked out any better," Kirkland said.
 
An exemplary student-athlete, Kirkland spent the next four years at Robert Morris dominating on the volleyball court and in the classroom.
 
In volleyball, she was a high-energy star who often threw defenders off because she was a lefty. It also didn't hurt that she could out-jump pretty much anyone and everyone. At practices, she would display her explosiveness by nearly grabbing the basketball rim.
 
"Sometimes, I would hear the other team saying, 'Wow, she plays like a 6-footer,'" said Kirkland, RMU's team captain her senior year. "That was a big compliment.'"
 
Kirkland "wowed" them in the classroom, too. Named the Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1984, she finished with a 3.46 grade-point average in Business Information Systems.
 
This provided her with a foundation to start a career with Walt Disney World thanks to its college recruitment program.
 
And 30 years later, Kirkland is as energized by Mickey Mouse and the Magic Kingdom as she was when she first arrived in Orlando.
 
In some ways, she's living her lifelong dream.
 
"I remember when the park first opened on October 1, 1971," said Kirkland, who responds to customer feedback and handles special requests in her role at Disney. "I was six years old, and there used to be educational segments on TV during cartoons, such as Schoolhouse Rock. Well, I remember there was something on Disney University. I thought to myself, 'It would be so neat to go to a school where you get to learn about Disney.' Then, lo and behold, it happened. It's pretty special."
 
Special. That best describes Kirkland's commitment to charities.
 
Take, for example, the 59 hours she spent volunteering at the 2016 Invictus Games at Walt Disney World. The event, which features disabled athletes from around the world, was a can't-miss for Kirkland.
 
This is where she had her brush with Britain's Prince Harry, who founded the Games. It is also where she found herself, and a large group of Disney employees (known as Cast Members), highlighted on Good Morning America.
 
By being named the Walt Disney Volunteer of the Year, Kirkland received a grant of $2,500 that went to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
 
It was humbling, yet well-deserved, given the sacrifices she has made to assist those in need.
 
When asked why she feels compelled to do so much for so many, Kirkland was quick with a response.
 
"Because it's a passion, and it's what I love to do," Kirkland said. "People tell me to slow down, but that's just not me. My mother (who passed away four years ago) and my brother (a former nose tackle at the Naval Academy) are my inspirations. I learned so much about giving to others and about being respectful and honorable from them. All I can say is that I love what I do. It's who I am. It defines me, and I wouldn't change a thing."
 
For those who know Kirkland, they wouldn't want it any other way.

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