Miguel is a proud Murphy Scholar alumnus who graduated from Fenwick High School in 2018. Because of his participation in DMSF’s Caddie Program, Miguel earned the Evans Scholarship and now studies Finance as a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a remarkable young man bounding with humor and positivity despite the heavy responsibilities he faces.

Miguel typically lives in the Evans House on campus at U of I but has been back home in Cicero with his family since the pandemic hit in March. There, he lives with his parents, two sisters (17 and 3), and two brothers (10 and 5). Since being back in Chicagoland, he returned to work at Knollwood Club in Lake Forest for the sixth straight summer to work as a caddy by day and dining room server by night. Miguel’s earnings
took the place of those his father used to bring in as a carpenter before the COVID-induced economic downturn.

Though he misses his friends, lifestyle on campus, and in-person learning, Miguel said he feels blessed to have spent this extra time with his family, especially his late grandmother. Tragically, she died from complications associated with COVID-19 in August. To help support his family after the loss of his grandmother (and the loss of much-needed income during his 14-day quarantine after she contracted the virus), DMSF helped with groceries. Generosity of the community offered additional monetary support which, Miguel revealed, helped him pay his siblings’ full tuition to attend Ascension Catholic Elementary School.

Even through the suffering and pain he and his family have experienced, Miguel looks toward the future optimistically. He’s just landed the perfect internship and is excited for the holiday season. Recently while on a loop with DMSF Board Member Chris McComish, Miguel shared that by the time he is 35, he hopes to be a DMSF Board Member himself. 

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Why? Miguel credits DMSF with helping him establish a work ethic, gain confidence, and as a continued source of motivation. He wants to give back to help others gain these same invaluable skills.

​​Miguel Martinez

Murphy Scholar 
Fenwick High School Class of 2018
Evans Scholar 
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Class of 2022