Track and Field’s Jessica Duckett Honored as Stephen Martin Scholar
Feb 20, 2020 | Track & Field
NEW ORLEANS — Tulane track and field graduate student Jessica Duckett was honored earlier this year as one of the university's first Stephen Martin Scholars, demonstrating the highest level of character and leadership skills while also displaying academically driven and civically-minded qualities.
The Stephen Martin Scholars honor Stephen Martin, who broke the color barrier in the Southeastern Conference when he played his first baseball game for Tulane in 1965. Duckett joined football's Keyshawn McLeod as this past year's honorees.
Duckett, a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams since 2015, holds the 100-meter hurdle record at Tulane with a time of 13.02 seconds, while also standing second in program history in the 400-meter and 60-meter hurdles with respective times of 57.30 and 8.36 seconds. The Houston, Texas native was named a Second Team All-American in 2018 after recording an 11th-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in her second consecutive National Championship appearance.
"I'm honored that I was picked as one of the recipients because I feel like [Stephen Martin] really paved the way for African Americans participating at the Division I level," Duckett said. "He was such an important person, and for me to be seen as someone who is living up to what he worked for means a lot."
The establishment of the Stephen Martin Scholars, which was announced in October of 2019, is part of a larger initiative aimed at honoring the lasting impact that individuals from diverse backgrounds have made within the University.
Recognizing Martin's lasting influence, Duckett hopes that this award will inspire future student-athletes at Tulane to become the best versions of themselves.
"I think that student athletes will really try to make their years at Tulane mean something since they know someone was out there who set the mark for them," Duckett said. "I think it will motivate people to give their all. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Martin and his wife, Brigid Cheri Martin, also a Tulane graduate, were married for 43 years and had three children, Stephen Jr., Nicole and Dana. Stephen Jr. and Dana each earned their college degrees from Tulane.
Born on Nov. 2, 1946, Martin was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, earning his bachelor's degree in Latin from Tulane in 1968 before earning his master's in business administration from Tulane in 1973.
He ultimately served his country in the United States Army and retired as the Chief Financial Officer for Tuskegee University in 2012.
For more information on how to make a gift in honor of the Stephen Martin Scholars Award Program please visit GreenWaveClub.com or call the Green Wave Club at (504) 865-5356.
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