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Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Eton, North Carolina
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Elon News Network
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ELON
FRESHMAN
’ERSEVERES
despite life’s
obstacles
From a young age, Elon student
has faced down daunting
responsibility and turmoil
Diego Pineda
Enterprise Coordinator | @diego_pinedal9
Freshman Mason Curtis’ earliest child
hood memories were changing his young
er sister’s diapers, unpacking groceries and
doing laundry. He was 5 years old.
Instead of being in kindergarten and
learning the alphabet, Mason had to step
up and care for his 2-year-old sister, Lillie
Potter, and himself because of their moth
er’s substance abuse issues.
In their trail
er home in Boone,
North Carolina, Ma
son felt obligated to
care for Lillie while
their mother, Su
zanne Potter, would
leave them alone for
days or weeks at a
time battling alcohol
and drug use.
“I was going to try
my best to help my sister out,” Mason said.
“It sounds crazy even to me but the love I
Mason Curtis
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had for my sister is what kept me going in
that situation.”
Mason’s father, Richard W. Curtis, left
him and Suzanne when he was only 3
years old. Mason says he could not move
in with Richard since he was not finan
cially stable enough to support him. Ex
periences like these affected Mason neg
atively in some of his mental, academic
and social abilities. But they also helped
him grow and become responsible at an
early age. Mason never thought these ex
periences would help him become deter
mined to better his life and overcome the
hardships he was facing.
Twelve years later he was accepted to
Elon University, his top choice school, as
a part of the class of 2022 Odyssey Pro
gram. This is one of the most competitive
and highly selective merit-based programs
for incoming freshmen at Elon. This year,
there are 38 new members in the Odyssey
program.
“I am very surprised that I am here,”
Mason said. “When I was a kid, the envi
ronment and atmosphere that I grew up in
set me up for failure.”
Growing up in Boone
Because of Suzanne’s inability to care
for him, by the age of 8 Mason had lived
with his paternal grandfather, Richard F.
ii
THE ENVIRONMENT AND
ATMOSPHERE THAT I GREW UP
IN SET ME UP FOR FAILURE.
MASON CURTIS
FRESHMAN
Curtis, returned to Suzanne’s for a bit af
ter she had been to rehabilitation and then
moved in with maternal grandmother,
Beverly Church.
He describes his childhood as “chaotic.”
“I didn’t have the opportunity to go to
school,” Mason said. “I was enrolled in an
elementary school but I couldn’t go be
cause I was obligated to take care of my
little sister.”
Every move for Mason meant a new el
ementary school and lifestyle. It wasn’t un
til 2009 when he decided to move in with
his paternal aunt and uncle, Robin Curtis
and Jim Alexander, in Atlanta. He consid
ers this the best decision of his life besides
coming to Elon.
See CURTIS Ipg. 7
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