In Memory of Mom
Adrian Griggs ’88 had long thought about engaging philanthropically with his alma mater. When his daughter became a Gaucho herself he finally knew how he wanted to do it.
In honor of his late wife, Kristin Martinez, whom he met during their shared years at UC Santa Barbara, Adrian donated $100,000 to the UCSB Women’s Soccer team. A portion of the donation served as the lead gift for the recently completed women’s soccer team room renovation. In addition, the gift will provide seed money for a planned women’s soccer team trip abroad next summer. Daughter Dakota, a fourth-year UCSB student, is a standout starting midfielder for the Gauchos.
“I’ve always wanted to do something with the university but never found anything that felt as compelling as participating in the soccer program through Dakota, especially thinking of her mom,” said Adrian, recalling Kristin, who died of lung cancer in 2009. The couple also had a son, Austin, now 23. “The contribution and team room is in Kristin’s name as a legacy for the kids that they could see in person, in a physical form, and think of their mom. It’s a nice way to benefit the school, the soccer program and recognize my late wife.
“She was the ultimate soccer mom in terms of always being there for and with her kids, and helping them get where they wanted to be,” Adrian added of his philanthropic tribute to Kristin, who worked on campus as an undergraduate and served as president of her sorority, Delta Gamma.
For Adrian, who studied business economics as a Gaucho, UCSB not only set him up for a fruitful family life — it also provided him a solid foundation in all things professional and social.
“When you end up reconnecting you truly realize the value that you personally received from your time at UCSB,” he said. “The education is obviously very valuable and really important, but the one thing that resonates with me still to this day is not only what UCSB brings in terms of the educational component, but also the social — the interconnectivity of students with each other, with the university, and even with the community of Santa Barbara. You walk out of there as an adult ready to contribute to society. UCSB is special in that way. The whole experience is second to none.”