Glenn Abe Martin Student Award

The families of Glenn “Abe” Martin’s two children established this Award as a way to say thanks and pay tribute. They also hoped to memorialize his unique legacy as an athlete, coach, teacher and administrator for generations to come. To the family’s surprise, instead of wanting to establish a men’s athletic award, as they supposed he’d prefer, Abe asked that the annual award be open to any senior, male or female, in the entire College of Education who best exemplified the qualities that worked so well for Coach Martin during his four decades long career.

Save for a six year period from 1932 to 1938, Glenn “Abe” Martin was affiliated with SIUC athletics and its College of Education and Human Services for a 42 year period from 1929, when he enrolled as a student, until 1971 when he retired at 65 years of age. He graduated from Southern as a Physical Education major in 1932 after outstanding careers in football and track. He returned to SIUC in 1938 where he served as a Head Coach (football, basketball, baseball) for 26 consecutive years. In addition, he was a dominant force in the Physical Education Department where he taught a variety of subjects and served as Department Chair. He also functioned as the Director of Athletics from 1943 to 1955 and the Director of Intramural Athletics from 1940 to 1971.

“Abe” introduced baseball to Israel while on assignment for the U.S. State Department and in 1960 was named coach of the U.S. Amateur National Baseball team which went on to win the World Championship. He was a loyal, trusted friend and humble gentleman who relished helping young men make the most of themselves. He was a dedicated leader, firm and consistent in his beliefs, committed to fair and team play, passionately in love with his work, who possessed great moral character. He held high expectations for himself and for those he coached or taught. He had a remarkable talent for turning those expectations into happenings.

• Scholarship for students in the School of Education and awarded during the second semester of the student’s senior year.
• Applicants must submit a resume and two essays about the following: 1) your Leadership Philosophy, and 2) your Professional Goals.