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Evan Martin, a member of the SIU baseball team, was drawn to SIU because of the opportunities for financial assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing raised by a single mother, the biggest factor when it came to deciding where I wanted to go to school was making sure it would not put her in any uncomfortable financial situations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His mother, Barbara Graham, is an SIU alumna, which opened more scholarship opportunities for Martin. He received legacy, academic, and athletic scholarships.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese scholarships have been the greatest thing that has happened to my family and me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt gave my mom a chance to take a deep breath and focus on herself for the first time in 21 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin played the 2021 season as a redshirt freshman, hitting .261 with 10 doubles, five home runs, and 31 RBIs. In the Salukis\u2019 MVC Tournament win against Valparaiso, he was 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and three runs scored.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Saluki experience has been unbelievable,\u201d he said. \u201cSince my first day on campus, the coaches, staff, faculty, and everyone else in Carbondale has welcomed me with open arms.\u201d<\/p>\n
Studying mathematics with the hopes of working in the analytics department of a Major League Baseball team, Martin has found success off the field at SIU as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe math department at SIU has provided me with a holistic mathematics education, but statistical analysis is my focus,\u201d he said. \u201cI was able to take multiple 400-plus level statistics courses that use many of the same programs being used in Major League Baseball. I feel as though this blend of playing baseball and taking courses that enhance my understanding of data and statistics will make me a well-rounded candidate when I am able to pursue my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salukis Forever<\/strong><\/p>\n Student-athletes like Martin are the main beneficiaries of the Salukis Forever fundraising campaign.<\/p>\n The $25 million campaign, which launched in February, coupled with appropriate cost-cutting, and increased revenues from other sources, will provide sustainable funding to drive Saluki Athletics forward. \u201cReceiving these scholarships has assured my mother that all of her hard work has paid off,\u201d Martin said. \u201cI know it makes her so happy to see how successful I have become, and that matters to me more than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n By supporting the Salukis Forever campaign, more student-athletes will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Martin and others like him. For more information, visit www.foreversiu.org\/athletics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Engage with us on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Evan Martin, a member of the SIU baseball team, was drawn to SIU because of the opportunities for financial assistance. \u201cBeing raised by a single mother, the biggest factor when it came to deciding where I wanted to go to school was making sure it would not put her in any uncomfortable financial situations,\u201d he … Continue reading Scholarships allow student-athletes to thrive<\/span>