April 26, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford senior defensive lineman Jeremy Towns received three awards at Samford University's Leadership and Service Convocation, held in Reid Chapel Thursday morning.
Towns, a native of Dolomite, Ala., won the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Circle Leader of the Year Award, the Rufus Shelton Community Service Award and the John R. Mott Award. Towns' family, teammates and coaches were in attendance at the ceremony.
"I'm excited that the football staff, the football players and my family came," Towns said. "I think the big thing about leadership is service. If you serve, leadership will find you and you'll get the leadership positions. But at the same time, there's no leadership if you don't have anyone following you. The people that are following are probably more the leaders because they are the ones sending the Facebook posts and messages to keep going, and saying `thank you, you're doing a good job.' So, the people around me are the ones who push me the most."
Towns has maintained a high grade-point average throughout his four years as Samford, majoring in sports medicine. He has made Samford's Dean's List for every semester he has been in school, and he has earned Southern Conference Academic All-Conference honors.
Towns has also been heavily involved in community service while at Samford. He has served as a volunteer mentor and tutor at G. Ross Bell Detention Center, and he helped start and lead the RANSOM (Radical Athlete aNd Student Oasis Ministry) Ministry.
Towns served on the Samford NCAA Recertification Team's Gender Diversity Committee. Towns participated in the March of Dimes' March for Babies in 2009, and he has been a member of Samford's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Towns was also a member of the search committee for Samford's new athletics director last spring.
Towns has earned several awards since coming to Samford. He was named the winner of Samford's inaugural ODK Male Freshman Leadership Award in the spring of 2009. He also won the Brothers of One Voice Award from the city of Birmingham, and he was nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team last spring.
The ODK Circle Leader of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding ODK member annually for exemplary service to its circle and community at Samford University.
The Rufus Shelton Community Service Award goes to one male and one female student, and is selected by the SGA Student Senate. The awardees are individuals who have done the most for the betterment of life at Samford through special sustained efforts. The award was established in memory of Rufus W. Shelton, Class of 1932, by Dr. and Mrs. R. Waid Shelton, Jr.
The John R. Mott Award is presented to a man in the graduating class who represents high character, scholarship and student public service.
