Friends of Marquette Athletics Award

PATRICK J. CARLIN, BUS AD '65, and JANE GRAMLING CARLIN, SP '67
Raleigh, N.C.

Patrick and Jane met at Marquette and were married for 45 years. Very active alumni and searching for a way to give back to the university, they established a scholarship endowment fund to support soccer student-athletes.

 “Jane and I lived by the premise that you don’t just take from a community. You give back,” Patrick says. “That’s what motivated us to start the fund for the women’s soccer program. We started small in 1992 and have grown the fund over the years. The point is to do what you can.”

Jane passed away in 2013, leaving a legacy of four children, including two sons who played soccer at Marquette, and eight other Marquette graduates in their immediate family.

“Jane was a remarkable woman,” he says. “She was a teacher both by profession and temperament. Our four children and our 11 grandchildren learned about the power and strength of family from her.”

Patrick was a student cheerleader and served as Marquette’s mascot, enjoying his role in firing up the crowd. More important, he learned the lessons of teamwork, commitment and leadership — principles that helped him in his career and life as a father.

“While I was at Marquette, I learned the importance of being part of a community and giving back to the community,” he says. “And that lesson has guided me ever since — as an alumnus, in my career and within my family.”

Patrick:
Favorite quote: “I’m a huge fan of Vince Lombardi, who was arguably the greatest football coach of all time and is on the short list of history’s greatest coaches, regardless of sport. His ability to teach, motivate and inspire players helped turn the Packers into the most dominating NFL team in the 1960s. My favorite two quotes from him are: ‘People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society’ and ‘Winning is not a sometime thing. It’s an all-the-time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while. You do them right all the time.’ ”
Dream dinner guest: “Ronald Reagan or Lombardi. In fact, I’d like to dine with both of them at the same time. What a night that would be!”
Favorite Marquette memories: “My first Marquette memory was going to the gym with Jane’s family. Her family had season tickets dating back to the 1940s. Also, I was the university mascot for two years and loved it. It was great to be on the court and help get the crowd cheering in support of our team. More recently, I enjoyed watching two of my sons, Michael and Kevin, enjoy their years at Marquette. They both played soccer, and Jane and I loved watching them play and getting to know their teammates.”
Most influential person: “My first boss really made an impression on me. I was still in high school, working for a grocery store, and that’s guy’s passion for people and commitment to doing it right still live with me.

“And, of course, my wife Jane changed everything for me. We met at Marquette and were happily married for 45 years when she passed away last spring. She had a real knack for extending the family unit. When you were a friend of Jane’s, you were family. She even adopted the Marquette women’s soccer team. When they came to play in North Carolina, the whole team came to the house for dinner!”