JOE THIGPEN OF BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE, a senior from Crestview, Fla., has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending September 19, 2010.

Thigpen, a quarterback on the BSC football team, has been an active member of the Beacon College Ministry at First Baptist Church of Crestview, Fla., where he has also been a college leader for their youth retreat weekends known as Disciple Now Weekend 2009 and 2010. He most recently volunteered as a chaperone and leader for First Baptist’s youth trip to Student Life this past summer.

In the summer of 2007, Thigpen served on a mission trip to Lima, Peru, with Word Made Flesh Ministries, working alongside missionaries to build relationships with the people of Lima and ministering to the poverty stricken and homeless youth. He also served as the football chaplain for the Crestview Senior High football team at their annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes Camp in 2009.

Moreover, Thigpen has led Bible studies for his teammates on the BSC football team during each season and continues to lead prayer meetings with his teammates each Friday night before games on Saturdays.

During his freshman year, he was selected as a representative for the BSC Capital Campaign. He was later selected to the BSC Provost Search Committee. 

Thigpen was a volunteer Teaching Assistant for Bishop Morgan at BSC for the spring semester of 2010. Speaking at local churches, youth events, and the Crestview Senior High Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ meetings has been a by-product of his spiritual, educational, and athletic endeavors. 

Along with his wife, Laura, the Thigpens are the proud sponsors of a young boy in Indonesia providing food, water, clothing, and education for him through their partnership with Compassion International.

His future plans include graduating in May with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and pursuing his Master’s of Divinity at Seminary. Thigpen intends to enter the Christian ministry and is open to all ministry fields whether local, national, or on the foreign mission field.