Champions of Character Spotlight September 2018
Donnie Smith
Mariah Higgins
School: Southeastern University
Sport: Women’s Cross Country
Class: Senior
Hometown: Bradenton, FL
Major: Multi-Disciplinary Studies
Athletic Achievements: Part of second place 4x800 relay team at Sun Conference Track Championship in 2016 in a time of 9:55...XC 5K PR of 20:02 at the Sand Shark Invitational during junior year (2016).
Champions of Character Highlights: Team Chaplain, organized team service projects, and formulated a team Bible study. Invests a great deal of her time to Porchlight, an organization that works with victims of sex trafficking. There, Higgins serves as a student team leader and a tutor.
Last year, she volunteered as a mentor for a group of freshmen in the school's First Year experience program. Lastly, Higgins has traveled to Ecuador and the Dominican Republic to partake in missions work.
How do you go about living out the Champions of Character Five Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, & Servant Leadership?
"I try to live out the Champions of Character Five Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership by trying to apply them to every aspect of my life, whether I am in classes, on the course, at Church, with friends and family, or just out in the community.”
The servant leadership is a key element of the Champions of Character Program. Why is servant leadership and community service important to you?
“Servant leadership and community service are really important to me because I have seen the effects of it, both in the community and in myself. It brings people together, shares Jesus' love, and changes lives. When I serve, I always get excited to be able to help others but the individuals there always pour into me and leave me changed."
Gabriel Hogan
School: Ave Maria University
Sport: Men’s Cross Country
Class: Junior
Hometown: Oxford, Michigan
Major: Politics
Athletic Achievements: 2 x 1
st Team All Sun Conference, 2 x NAIA National Qualifier – Men’s Cross Country
Champions of Character Highlights: SAAC Leadership Board, Debate Club, Intramural Athletics, EDGE (Youth Ministry), Cross Country team captain. Worked as a camp counselor at Camp Sancta Maria in Gaylord, Mich. this past summer.
How do you go about living out the Champions of Character Five Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, & Servant Leadership?
“The biggest reasons that these are important to me and the way I live them out is that I have experienced great examples and amazing leadership in my life. I had a former captain that made me more than welcome on the team and displayed all the qualities of a true leader. If it made that big of a difference for me, the least I could do was try to make that difference for someone else. I try and treat everyone with the respect they deserve and lead by example.”
The servant leadership is a key element of the Champions of Character Program. Why is servant leadership and community service important to you?
“There never should be a moment in your life where you should be too prideful to help someone in their time of need. If someone comes to you or is looking to you at that moment, it is your responsibility to be there. A good sign of leadership is the leader willing to take on even the most menial of tasks. That is something I try to always do.”