​June usually marks a peaceful period for Jill Guise, Johns Hopkins’ assistant director of athletic communications, before she returns to work in August. Not this year. On June 18, Guise accepted the Ann King Advocacy Award from the Eastern Athletic Communications Association, an honor named for a pioneering woman who built a nearly four-decade career in the industry before her death from cancer in 2023. The award honors a female sports information professional with at least 15 years of experience who has supported college athletics, advanced women’s influence within the profession, and encouraged colleagues, according to the organization.
On June 27, Guise and her stepchildren, Carly, 26, and Shane, 23, hosted a Celebration of Life for her husband and father, Scott Guise, former director of athletic communications at York College, who passed away on December 3 after a prolonged battle with colorectal cancer. The day prior, a golf tournament had been held to raise funds for colorectal cancer research and for a York College scholarship in Mr. Guise’s name. “I am amazed and humbled by how many people came out for Scott’s Celebration of Life,” Jill Guise said. “There were so many family members, friends, and colleagues who attended—some from far away and some I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was a bittersweet day and a stark reminder that he’s no longer with us.”
For thirty years, Mr. Guise led York College’s athletic communications efforts. In 2005, he accompanied the men’s basketball team to the NCAA Division III Tournament semifinals. In 2025, he would have received the Middle Atlantic Conference Giant Steps Award, which honors individuals who inspire others through perseverance and service. The road to his passing was long. After his father, Larry, was severely injured in an October 2020 accident, Mr. Guise began experiencing health issues he initially attributed to stress from his father’s condition. A September 2021 colonoscopy revealed a tumor in his colon, and subsequent tests showed the cancer had spread to his liver.
Despite more than two dozen surgeries and procedures to remove parts of his colon, liver, and gallbladder, and more than 40 cycles of chemotherapy, Mr. Guise continued to work at York. His wife of 14 years recalled his love of campus life: “Scott was very much a people person. He was an extrovert. He drew energy from being around people.”
Tragically, after attending a nephew’s wedding in South Carolina in November 2025, his health deteriorated further. Additional scans showed the liver mass growing. He underwent an experimental treatment, but on November 29 a nurse informed his wife that his kidneys had failed. Hospice care began at home on December 1, and he died two days later. The family has since carried forward his legacy through ongoing support for cancer research and education, including the York College scholarship in his name.