Charles Curtis, Colorado College, Men's Lacrosse

CHARLES CURTIS OF COLORADO COLLEGE, a senior midfielder on the Tigers' men's lacrosse team from Phoenix, Ariz., has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending May 12, 2013.

During his four years in Colorado Springs, Curtis made a career out of helping others.

The two-time first-team all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference selection was involved in 121 points as a Tiger, scoring 57 goals while assisting on 64, and was instrumental in helping CC claim four consecutive regular-season league titles as well as three of four tournament crowns.

During the recently-completed 2013 campaign, Curtis set personal single-season highs with 19 goals, 24 assists and 43 points while leading Colorado College to its second appearance in the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship.

Naturally, he was among the team’s assist leaders during each of the last three seasons when he played in all 49 games.

But his contributions were not limited to lacrosse.

Curtis has been involved in many community service projects, both inside and outside the campus walls.

A three-year member of CC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, he served as co-chair during the 2012-13 academic year when he also was the men’s representative to both the SCAC and NCAA.

One of group’s primary projects was Parent's Night Out, where children spend an evening with varsity athletes. Curtis helped promote the event, as well as the college, at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s annual “Boo at the Zoo.”

During each of the last two years, Curtis was one of the primary organizers of the Quony Cup.  The annual all-campus soccer tournament commemorates former men's soccer and lacrosse player Chris Quon, who died unexpectedly in 2009. The 2013 event also paid tribute to one of Quon's teammates, Evan Spirito, who lost his battle against cancer in 2011.

Sponsored by SAAC, this year’s event raised more than $3,000 for the American Cancer Society, the Christopher Quon Foundation and the Evan Spirito Memorial Foundation.

Curtis also participated in Volunteer Action during each of the last three years, serving as a mentor for a student at West Elementary School. Recently, he spoke at an assembly at Taylor Elementary School on what it takes to lead a healthy, productive life as a student-athlete.

He also found time to help organize and schedule referees for football and basketball for the college’s immensely popular intramural leagues.

Not to be overlooked, Curtis posted impressive academic credentials at one of the most demanding liberal arts institutions in the nation.

He owns a 3.45 grade-point average in biology and participated in a research project that became part of his classwork.

During the summer of 2012, he assisted Professor Brian Linkhart’s long-term study of Flammulated Owls in the Manitou Experimental Research Forest. The project focused on gaining a better understanding of the species' habitat requirements and demography. His summer research carried over to the classroom this year as he took an independent study block to focus on genetics research with blood samples acquired from his work in the field.

Last spring, Curtis was one of 24 CC student-athletes who earned a spot on their respective all-conference teams as well as the SCAC Honor Roll for excellence in the classroom during the spring semester. He also was on the honor roll in 2011.

After graduating on May 20, Curtis will return to Phoenix where he will focus on applying to medical schools while studying for his Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). He is considering a career in orthopedics or anesthesia.

During that time, he also will volunteer at the Phoenix Children's Hospital and work with Dixon Golf at charity tournaments on the weekends.