Carson Smith honored by Big 12 as member of Community of Champions

	Carson Smith

Oct. 30, 2009

Irving, Texas - Texas A&M junior Carson Smith was honored this week as the student-athlete chosen to represent the Aggies among the dozen individuals selected by the Big 12 Conference for its 2009 Fall Chick-Fil-A Community of Champions.

During the fall, winter and spring terms, one student-athlete from each Big 12 institution will be honored based on the following criteria: academics, community service as well as leadership and sportsmanship.

In the academic category a 3.00 grade point average or higher must be obtained. For the community service the student-athlete should be involved with at least one community service program, which can be a student organization on campus or within the athletics department. The student-athlete should demonstrate leadership and sportsmanship on and off the field.

The institution of the student-athletes named to the Community of Champions will be awarded $3,000 each year.

A sports management major from Mineral Wells, Texas, Smith is serving as Vice President of the Texas A&M Student Athlete Advisory Council. As the Vice President Smith chairs the Aggies CAN project, an annual canned food drive that was held during the first week of October.

The 2009 version of Aggies CAN raised $10,376 in donations along with 3,300 pounds of canned food. Both figures surpassed the goals the organization set for this season.

"Overall, it was a blessing to be involved in it personally," Smith said. "The day was special overall to see everything come together on that day. We were very excited to surpass our goals and have it turn out so successful."

The SAAC is made up of student-athletes who desire to be a voice for student-athlete welfare at Texas A&M and in the country, as well as to serve the University and community through service projects developed by Aggie Athletics Involved.

Smith, a middle distance runner on the Aggie track and field team, noted being part of SAAC has taught him how to communicate properly, lead efficiently and serve humbly.

"The student-athletes possess the heart to serve each other, the surrounding community and the University, and it rubs off on everyone in the organization," said Smith in a recent interview with the campus newspaper Battalion.

In addition to his community service on campus, this past summer Smith traveled to Bolivia for work at a children's orphanage and the experience now has him eager to pursue a masters in theology at a seminary after his graduation or to work abroad at an orphanage.

"My heart was totally changed," Smith said of the experience. "I was impacted by the children in an extremely powerful ways. I know there is a plan for my life, and I'm patiently waiting for that plan to be shown to me."

Joining Smith on the fall Big 12 Community of Champions were Robert Griffin of Baylor (football), Kaitlyn Burkett of Colorado (volleyball), Marquis Hamilton of Iowa State (football), Drew Dudley of Kansas (football), Kylie Hanson of Kansas State (rowing), Madison Marcolla of Missouri (women's golf), Blake Lawrence of Nebraska (football), Bridget Laplante of Oklahoma (volleyball), Bridget Miller of Oklahoma State (soccer), Sam Acho of Texas (football), and Taylor Potts of Texas Tech (football).

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