Will Hunt, Rhodes College, Men's Cross Country

WILL HUNT OF RHODES COLLEGE, a senior from Greenville, S.C., has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending October 24, 2010.

Hunt, a member of the Rhodes' Cross Country and Track & Field teams since his freshman year, has contributed greatly to not only the success of each program, but to the strong team dynamic that has helped define the two programs over the years. His dedication to the team and to the demanding nature of the sport is unparallel, and his unceasingly positive attitude has set an example for his teammates since the beginning of his collegiate career.

A standout in the classroom as well, the English major is also actively involved in the Rhodes Catholic Students Association and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) – the national honor society for college students that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character.

On top of volunteering as a mentor to middle school children as part of Evergreen Tutoring, Hunt also dedicates his time to an internship at the Memphis Juvenile Court as part of the Commission on Missing and Exploited Children. The Commission works primarily with the Amber Alert Program for the west Tennessee region, and hosts a variety of programs for the rehabilitation of troubled youths and the promotion of family-safety education.

In conjunction with his internships, Hunt has been contributing to an ongoing research project on the methods with which state justice systems deal with youths who bring weapons to school campuses, with special attention to the level of success for alternative punishments to jail-time.

Last but not least, in the summer of 2009, Hunt explored further his interest in literature and the English language by attending the British Studies at Oxford abroad program hosted by St. John’s College in Oxford, England. While there he studied visual arts, history, literature, and music from one of England’s defining epochs in history and also delved into explorations of Shakespeare’s hallmark plays.

In considering his high academic achievement, his commitment to the Track and Cross Country teams, his community involvement, and his desire for continued learning and study, perhaps his closest friend said it best, “to be completely honest, in my opinion, there would be no better candidate (for this award) than Will Hunt.”