FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
SAN FRANCISCO — The University of San Francisco named senior pitcher Bob Mott the 2011-2012 Spirit of St. Francis Medalist.
USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. awarded the honor to Mott during the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit on Monday, August 22 in St. Ignatius Church.
“Bob Mott perfectly exemplifies the University’s tag line, ‘Change the World from Here,’” said Privett.
“He did not wait for graduation to change the world. With his baseball teammates, through the “Home Run for Health” project, he is helping to improve the lives of those living in African communities that receive the mosquito nets. We are proud of Bob and the baseball team for the changes they are enacting.”
The St. Francis award is given to the student who best exemplifies the ideals of the Saint in whose honor this City is named. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, was most renowned for his humble and loving service of all people, especially the poor and marginalized.
As a student-athlete at USF, who has traveled to Africa several times, Mott is committed to educating his fellow teammates and raising funds to support malaria eradication programs in Africa.
“I am very honored to receive this award,” Mott said. “Saint Francis is someone who every person should strive to be like in some shape or form, whether it be helping people their local community or around the world.”
Mott founded the “Home Runs for Health” project at USF that raises money for the Nothing But Nets Foundation. The project was such a success that Bob expanded the initiative to reach the seven other baseball programs in the West Coast Conference. After just five months, the USF baseball team was able to buy 110 nets for African communities to fight the spread of malaria. Click here for more information about the Home Runs for Health project.
Additionally, Mott volunteers and raises funds for several local and international charities including the USF Thanksgiving Food Drive, the Nike Women’s Marathon, the USF Cross Country Fall Invitational, the Tom Caruso Run and the baseball program’s Movember to help families touched by cancer.
“Charity work is so important to me because that’s how I believe an individual can make the world a better place,” Mott said. “It can be with a donation or helping with your own hands, as long as you are making the lives of those in need better. That’s really what life is about.”
Mott embodies the spirit of St. Francis through his concern for the poor of the world and his strong commitment to education, service and philanthropy.
