CTK Alum Prepared to Pursue His Dream Career

Curtiss Bell ’21 grew up on Chicago’s West Side and took advantage of the college prep educational opportunities available to him. He started at Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) in third grade, which prepared him for high school at Christ the King Jesuit, which prepared him for college, where he is currently a senior at Eastern Illinois University. When he graduates next spring with his degree in Sports Management with a minor in Business Administration, he feels he will be prepared to pursue his dream career of working for a professional sports franchise, ideally in Chicago.

Upon graduating from CTK in 2021, Curtiss chose to go to Tiffin University in Ohio. He primarily went to Tiffin to be able to continue to play basketball in college at the Division 2 level. Several of his family members passed away during his time at Tiffin, which was even more challenging for him given his distance from home. He decided to transfer after a year there to be closer to his family. He set his sights on attending Eastern Illinois University (EIU), but he initially needed to spend 12 weeks at Malcolm X to earn the credits needed to meet transfer requirements.

He enrolled at EIU in January 2023. At three hours away, EIU was close enough to easily return home, but far enough for him to establish independence. Another key reason for his college choice was the opportunity to have his tuition paid for by the Chicago Jesuit Academy Alumni Scholarship. By maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA each semester, he has continued to receive scholarship support throughout his time at EIU.  He credits the combination of CJA and CTK with easing his adjustment to college. By taking college prep classes while in high school, he was prepared academically for his college coursework. He has also relied on strong study habits like getting his assignments completed on time, effective time management, and self-discipline. He mentioned the importance of knowing when to ask for help. “In one of my business classes, I was struggling with some of the material. So, I decided to go to my professor’s office hours to get the help I needed to understand it better. I’ve learned that having a one-on-one conversation with the professor works better than trying to do it in a class of 30 students.”

Curtiss believes his growth in college has allowed him to become more mature and self-motivated. With an eye towards his future, he has established a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility. He envisions applying his skills in the real world and demonstrating to his eventual boss his willingness to do whatever it takes to get things done. 

Curtiss is involved with EIU’s Black Student Union and works in the school dining hall 14 hours per week. He invests most of his free time into his role as an EIU Panthers men’s basketball manager and practice player. His responsibilities include setting up the locker room, coordinating team meals, and helping with practices & games – home and away. He enjoys using his basketball knowledge and experience in scouting opponents and helping players and coaches.  Serving as the basketball team manager is relevant to Curtiss’ major in sports management and his career goal of working for a professional sports team.

Curtiss started at Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) in the 3rd grade. CJA shares a campus and a Jesuit, college prep mission with CTK, making his transition into high school easier. Having a few close friends and basketball teammates from CJA join him at CTK helped him feel comfortable from day one. Outside of his classwork, his passion for sports led him to play on the Gladiator basketball and cross-country teams. He values the skills and lessons gained from being part of a sports team. He says, “One of the key parts of being on a team is communicating with and listening to others. With teammates or co-workers in the job world, you want people to want to work with you and earn their trust.” By his senior year, he was part of a basketball team that had gone through challenges together, including a Covid-shortened season, which strengthened their bonds. He also cited the team’s coach, Troy Caldwell, as being a positive influence who provided strong advice and support on and off the court.

During his sophomore year at CTK, Curtiss’ stepmom passed away. It was a difficult time for him and his father, and he needed to miss several weeks of school. When he walked into the funeral, he was “shocked” to see so many CTK and CJA teachers and staff members. “I didn’t expect them to be there. When I saw them, I realized I wasn’t just a student to them. It helped me to know I had people in my corner to help me through it.” He mentioned being thankful for the support of Ms. Olson, Mrs. Hatch, Ms. Abrams, Mr. Hyatt, Mr. Laughlin, and others in the CTK community.

While at CTK, his Corporate Work Study Program assignments at the Chicago Blackhawks and Marillac St. Vincent had a big impact on him. Assisting at the Marillac Food Pantry motivated him to want to help people. “You see all different types of people, including the homeless. You realize there are people who are hungry or trying to stay warm in the winter. It opened my heart to want to help people in need.”  His Blackhawks experience included working with school groups and kids with disabilities at the Blackhawks-owned MB Ice Arena, now Fifth Third Ice Arena. He remembers it as a fast-paced environment with multiple assignments each day. He developed professional skills like time management, Excel spreadsheets, and communication with guests and his co-workers. He recognized that, as a 15-year-old, it was a unique and valuable experience that helped to fuel his desire to work for a professional sports team.

Curtiss has started to take steps towards pursuing his post-college career aspirations. Last summer, he had a paid marketing internship at CJA, working in their alumni department. His responsibilities at CJA included assisting with social media and coordinating events such as an alumni workshop and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. He has started his full-time job search using EIU resources, LinkedIn, and other job sites. He is looking to set up job interviews when he is home during his winter school break. He realizes it will be tough to get his foot in the door of a professional team, but he is willing to do what it takes to get an opportunity, and once hired, whatever they need him to do. He shared his pitch to prospective sports employers on why they should hire him: “You will be getting a hardworking, dedicated person who puts others before themselves. With everything I’ve been through, I have persevered and kept a smile on my face. I also have key experience with the Blackhawks, a CJA marketing internship, and as an EIU basketball team manager, I will do whatever it takes to help a team to be successful and contribute to a winning culture.”

He's ready to go to work. Is anybody hiring?