Rabbit Barnes, a senior on the men's cross country and track & field teams from Los Olivos, Calif., has been selected the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Character and Community Male Student Athlete of the Week for the week beginning March 2.
The SCAC Character & Community award honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics, and also serve their campus and community.
Rabbit has been recognized as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Character & Community Athlete of the Week, honoring his commitment to service, leadership and character development both on and off the course.
Rabbit has embraced community engagement throughout his time at CC. Alongside his teammates, he has participated in trash cleanups along Monument Valley Creek and represented the department at community events such as the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off.
One of the most meaningful service experiences for Rabbit came through volunteering with the White Lotus Foundation in Colorado Springs, where he and fellow student-athletes assisted with building renovations supporting the Asian heritage community.
"That was incredibly fulfilling to go meet with people who are working on a project and trying to update their campus and being part of somebody else's goals and being able to give our time, energy and work towards helping another institution in the Springs," Barnes said.
Beyond team-based service, Rabbit has also engaged the community through his academic work in the neuroscience program. He helped design and deliver a lesson to local elementary students, breaking down complex concepts to inspire curiosity and learning at a young age.
For Rabbit, however, character and community extend beyond organized service projects. He believes that sport itself plays a central role in shaping individuals and fostering values that extend far beyond competition.
"I am a big believer in sport as its role in developing good people, and as in giving my team and my fellow athletes an end goal to work towards and become good people in the process," Barnes said. "And so it's a deep value of mine to express your character as well as a teammate, as a steward of the sport and of the community, and with how you interact with everybody who is supporting me to carry out my athletic goals."
