MILWAUKEE— Marquette basketball player Adrien Stevens spent Tuesday giving back to the Milwaukee community, helping local students prepare for the upcoming school year with backpacks and school supplies.
Stevens partnered with a local Boys & Girls Club to provide backpacks, school supplies and other back-to-school essentials to children before classes begin.
The Maryland native said he wanted to help ensure students have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom.
“Education ​is ​the ​key ​to ​doing ​anything ​in ​life,” Stevens said. “Just ​giving ​these ​kids ​the ​best ​opportunity ​to ​show ​up ​to ​the ​classroom ​the ​right ​way with ​school ​supplies, ​lollipops, ​all ​that ​stuff. ​ ​I ​just ​wanted ​to ​give ​them ​an ​opportunity ​to, ​like ​I ​said, ​start ​the ​school ​year ​off ​right.”
Stevens said he also hopes the events teaches the children the importance of giving back to their on communities.
“If ​you’re ​in ​a ​position ​to ​give ​back ​to ​the ​community ​that ​you’re ​part ​of ​or ​a ​community ​that ​you’re ​in, ​it’s ​really ​important,” Stevens said. “Just ​the ​importance ​of ​education, ​really. Obviously ​I ​play ​basketball ​and ​stuff but ​the ​education ​piece ​is ​why ​I’m ​at ​school. ​I ​just ​wanted ​them ​to ​really ​hone ​in ​on ​the ​importance ​of ​education.”
The Golden Eagles guard said Milwaukee has welcomed him since arriving at Marquette, making it important for him to give back to the city that has supported him.
“Support ​systems ​are​what ​make ​people ​thrive,” Stevens explained. ​ “​I’ve ​had ​a ​great ​support ​system ​at ​Marquette, ​first ​of ​all. ​In ​the ​community ​in ​Milwaukee ​the ​people ​have ​been ​really ​nice ​and ​supportive ​and ​stuff ​like ​that. ​So ​being ​able ​to ​do ​something ​like ​this ​and ​give ​back ​to ​community ​and ​hopefully ​I ​can ​do ​other ​things ​like ​this ​in ​the ​future.”
While Tuesday’s focus was on serving the community, Stevens is also looking ahead to the upcoming basketball season.
He said he’s excited about Marquette’s roster and is ready to contribute however he can.
“I ​just ​want ​to ​go ​out ​there ​and ​win,” Stevens said.  “Just ​whatever ​it ​takes ​to ​be ​able ​to ​do ​that. ​Whether ​that’s, ​you ​know, ​defending ​making ​shots, ​whatever ​it ​is. ​Making ​an ​impact ​on ​the ​game ​is ​something ​that ​I ​take ​very ​seriously.”
The backpack giveaway was designed to help local students begin the school year prepared while reinforcing the importance of education and community involvement.
The first day of school for Milwaukee Public Schools students is September 1.
