Chicago Bears Tight End, Martellus Bennett Visits CTK

The 6’6” athlete paced the gym floor throughout his speech and kept the crowd laughing with a mixture of dating advice, stories of his career outside of football and the financial pressures that follow success. Still he told the students there are better bets in life outside of professional sports. He walked them through the numbers and explained to the young men that knowledge, not money, is the real currency in the world today. The average NFL career is three years, which is shorter than an average college career, so everyone should have a plan for the future outside of sports.

He added that he was very blessed and thankful for his eight year football career, which has provided him a platform and opportunity to discover more of his passions, including digital animation, photography and music. His humor, honesty and candor struck a chord with the young men of Christ the King.  

CTK President, Clem Martin, who is a former College of Holy Cross baseball player said, “The connection Martellus made between success and preparation was an important point for our young men to hear. It is the work and effort prior to the test or game that most often determines the outcome. We constantly remind our students that the energy they put into their studies and the opportunities provided to them through the Corporate Work Study Program will provide them the foundation needed to be successful in college and beyond.”

Students at Christ the King participate in a Corporate Work Study Program where they work five days each month in a business setting and serve as reliable, productive and cost-effective employees while enabling them to earn a portion of their tuition costs and gain real work experience prior to graduation. 

CTK students work in over 60 civically-engaged businesses of all sizes and industries throughout the Chicago region, including many major banks, law firms and hospitals in the area. Christ the King will soon graduate their fourth class in June 2015 and will maintain the record of 100% college acceptance for the fourth year in a row. Also, 92% of CTK alumni are still currently enrolled in higher education. For more information about Christ the King visit their website at www.ctkjesuit.org or call (773) 261-7505.