Joe Spencer, a rising senior center at the University of Illinois, recently walked into the State Farm Center to watch the Illini men's basketball team play when a young boy ran up to him.

"I know you! I know you," the boy said with a smile. "You're Joe. You came and read to our class!"

The boy, of course, was referencing when Spencer went to a local elementary school to read to some of the children.

It wasn't anything unusual for Spencer to do. He's often found reading in classrooms the Friday before game days. It helps calm him down.

But for Spencer, it's not just reading to children. The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is always helping others. Whether it's helping plan an event for charity, going to to see children in need or passing through the local schools to put a smile on a kid's face, that's what Spencer is all about.

"It's so rewarding for us, but it also has such an impact," Spencer said. "It's cool to see that. Little things like that is what makes it all worth it."

As the center for Illinois, he's responsible for helping the quarterback identify what the defense is going to do. He's a leader, and that serves him well off the field as well.

In addition to the countless hours of football he endures each week, Spencer has a full load of school work, as he progresses towards a degree in finance, and he's also extremely involved in extracurricular activities.

Spencer is the president for the Illinois Chapter of Uplifting Athletes, the president of the Illinois Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a big brother to a high school senior named Devryck in Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and a regular in the classrooms of local schools.

"It really means the world," Spencer said. "It's very self-rewarding. It makes you feel like you're having a bigger impact and you're doing more than just throwing a pigskin around here."

The attitude of giving back started at an early age for Spencer thanks to his parents. Spencer and his mom used to volunteer their time together at the local Ronald McDonald House, where they would help make meal for families in need.

It was always that family bonding that made it natural to Spencer to do whatever he could in the community.

"I had an older brother who played lacrosse at Ohio State, and he kind of told me about all the stuff and the impacts we could have," Spencer said. "My parents were always big on giving back. You only have so many blessings that if you have it share it with someone because you never know how it will impact their life."

Now with one year left at Illinois, Spencer understands better than ever the impact he can have just because he plays football.

"In today's culture in NCAA sports in general, student-athletes are put on a pretty big pedestal," Spencer said. "I think it gave me an opportunity to be out there and be known. When somebody sees you walking around in your varsity jacket at a school, it definitely puts you out there. A lot of people can look at that as a negative thing, but I've looked at it as a positive thing.

"It's an easier way for me to help influence people and shine a little bit of light (on football). You hear about so many negative things about college football, but there are so many positives that student athletes are doing behind the scenes that people don't know about."

So Spencer will undoubtedly keep doing what he's been doing. He'll find a few hours here and there to grab some sleep, but he knows the impact he makes off the field is worth being tired.

Football has taught him how to push through any adversity and how to lead in the process, and he's taken that lesson and applied it everyday life.