Scholarship support helps Creighton student-athletes thrive
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When you know someone is looking out for you, says graduate student and cross country and track runner Marcos Gonzalez, BS’24, (pictured above) “you want to give it your all every day and never take anything for granted.”
“The best part of being awarded a scholarship is that it allows me to accomplish my goals while knowing I’m a part of a community that cares about me. When I think back to the beginning, that’s the main reason I committed to Creighton. Because I felt wanted here. I felt valued.”
Gonzalez is one of half a dozen student-athletes awarded the Parker Family Foundation Athletic Scholarship each year.
The scholarship — established in 2018 by Dave and Sandy Parker — is provided to student-athletes who participate in cross country, track, soccer, rowing, tennis or golf.
In addition to financial support, donor-funded programs like the Parker Family Foundation Athletic Scholarship give Bluejays the drive to strive for greatness — athletically, academically and personally.
Like most Parker scholars, Henry Slagle, a Class of 2025 business student who runs cross country and track, has shared a meal with the Parker family.
The best part of being awarded a scholarship is that it allows me to accomplish my goals while knowing I’m a part of a community that cares about me.
— Marcos Gonzalez, BS’24
“The Parkers live and breathe Creighton athletics,” Slagle says, “and it’s incredible to have their support behind me. I’m forever thankful to them. The relationships, memories and competitions that I’ve shared with my teammates and coaches are something I’ll never forget.”
Ana Paula Martinez, Class of 2026, says the Parkers made her dream of playing D1 tennis possible. “I couldn’t be more grateful and honored to be a part of this amazing community and team,” she says.
Graduate student and soccer player Omar Ramadan, BSBA’24, says the impact of the Parker Scholarship is far greater than the support it offers to the individual recipients.
“The Parker Scholarship is essential for many programs because it not only provides opportunities for the athletes, it also enriches Creighton athletics as a whole, promoting diversity and inclusion in sports.”
Maintaining the Creighton experience for thousands of students — athletic and otherwise — is a team sport, one that trains future graduates in the art of working together for a common goal. That holistic commitment to community and belonging has given Ramadan a sense of purpose on and off the field.
“As a player, I’ve grown not only in skill but in character, learning the values of teamwork and resilience,” Gonzalez says. “As a student, I’ve been empowered to explore my passions, wherever they might lead me.”
