DePaul University Athletics
Jesse White Tumbler Soars on Wings of DePaul Generosity
7/6/2021 12:58:00 PM | ATHLETICS
Jamari Grant first recipient of Marc Jacobson Blue Demon Scholarship
CHICAGO – Marist High School senior running back Jamari Grant was in the middle of football practice last spring when he read a life-changing text from his mom, Tiffany Daniels.
At that moment, Grant did not have any concrete plans for attending college.
That would all change in an instant.
Grant discovered that a Vincentian-like collaboration among Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, DePaul soccer alum Marc Jacobson and DePaul athletics director DeWayne Peevy would provide a full scholarship to the south suburban Sauk Village native who also performs on the Jesse White Tumblers.
"It was on Tuesday, April 6---a day I will never forget," Grant said. "I wanted to go straight home and hug my mom. I wanted to call someone and tell them of this great accomplishment."
When Grant got together with his trio of guardian angels last week at the Sullivan Athletic Center for a presentation of the first Marc Jacobson Blue Demon Scholarship, the 18-year-old still seemed somewhat amazed by the unexpected turn of events.
"I didn't really have a plan for college," Grant said. "My football career didn't take off and I wasn't going to get an athletic scholarship. My friend got a football scholarship to Wyoming and asked me to join him. I was thinking about going out there for track and field.
"But I told him if things didn't work out for me, I didn't want to come back home and leave him out there by himself.
"When I heard about DePaul, I knew it was for me. This is a dream come true. I want to work hard and one day be in a position to give something back to my community. It all starts with my generation. Maybe I can help provide a scholarship for a future Jesse White tumbler just like Mr. Jacobson did for me."
Jacobson (BUS '86) has combined two of his passions in DePaul athletics and the Jesse White Tumblers to create a $240,000 scholarship for a Jesse White Tumbler to attend DePaul and work in the athletics department as a student assistant in the area of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
The scholarship will cover tuition, room and board (on-campus), university fees and is open to all academic majors.
Grant, who presently works part-time at an animal center, will major in Health Sciences and wants to become a veterinarian.
"Seven years ago, I was in a near-fatal car accident that left me paralyzed for a year followed by learning how to walk again," said Jacobson, owner of the Marc Jacobson & Associates financial company. "As I laid on that cold metal operating table, I told myself if I make it through this, I'm going to make a difference in a big way.
"I wrote a book that became a bestseller, corporate America kept calling and the bank account kept growing. That's when I reached out to Jamari and his family.
"These young men and women on the Jesse White Tumblers are amazing ambassadors of Chicago. I wanted to see if I could unite two great institutions (the Tumblers and DePaul) to see what synergies we can make to impact Chicago.
"I've been greatly inspired by an amazing individual like Jesse White who has accomplished so much in his life and is the most popular person in Illinois. I understand that to pay it forward is a most important thing.
"Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy has done a great job putting together a program that will enable another DePaul Blue Demon to graduate from this school."
White enthusiastically expressed his gratitude for the blessing bestowed upon one of his protégés.
"I've been the Secretary of State for 22½ years and with the Jesse White Tumblers for 61 years," White said. "I tell myself: 'Every day, I need to do something nice for someone.'
"This scholarship will provide an opportunity for one of our tumblers to become better educated and better informed. Marc reached out to us and said he had the resources he would like to share with a member of the Jesse White Tumblers team.
"After Jamari gets his degree, he will give back to the community and make our world a better place for all. I want to thank Marc for his giving and caring spirit and for making a difference in this young man's life. I know Jamari is going to be a bright star at DePaul.
"I hope we can find another person like Marc who will help out another person in our program."
Count on it, Mr. Secretary of State.
"I jumped at the idea to be a part of such an amazing partnership," said Peevy who is all about big dreams. "For me to be able to make an impact on the life of a young person by training Jamari on the ins and outs of intercollegiate athletics will be life changing.
"It's a unique opportunity for us at DePaul, and I'm excited Jamari will get to work with me and be integrated into our athletics department. As a young man growing up, I didn't know that the job of athletic director even existed."
Peevy said he first met Grant via Zoom because the Marist Redhawk was still in school. Peevy noted that an in-person meeting might jeopardize Grant's perfect attendance record.
"The young men and women who perform for the Jesse White Tumblers are uniquely qualified to be part of our team here at DePaul," Peevy said. "The values of hard work and dedication that Jesse White infuses in his Tumblers will be a great addition to our department.
"It is my hope that Jamari will help break in the next Jesse White Tumbler who enters our scholarship program. It's my goal that by the time Jamari graduates, there are three more Tumblers coming up behind him. It's my dream to transform this into a million-dollar program."
Grant played football for three years at Marist and rushed for a career-best 154 yards on 19 carries in late March against Brother Rice, scoring the winning touchdown on a 53-yard run for the 20-16 victory.
His love of sports was fueled by his stepfather Cedric Cole who passed away from a heart attack in May of 2020. Grant dedicated his senior season to him.
"My stepdad was a youth football coach, and some of his former players would come over to watch NFL games," Grant said. "Two of them were on a tumbling team and that's how I got interested in tumbling. It keeps me off the streets, and I want to do something positive in life.
"I really got into it when I was 10 years old. I tried out for the Jesse White Tumblers and didn't make it. I practiced the entire offseason and made the team the following year."
He started out on the training team, working out twice a week in the summer. The older and more talented performers are promoted to the top team, which Grant achieved at the age of 13. He has performed at shows in Wisconsin and Indiana with a dream of one day vaulting off the mini trampoline and performing his mid-air magic in California.
Grant has performed at three Bud Billiken Parades, and on Nov. 16, 2019, went to the United Center for his first halftime show at a Bulls game.
For those unfamiliar with the Jesse White Tumblers show, the high-flying acrobatics climax with the grand finale known as "The Chain." One by one, the tumblers vault over teammates and then take their place on the chain for the next jumper. Grant is currently in the middle of the chain.
"The first time my grandmother came to watch, she got so excited and told me I had jumped over nine people," Grant said. "I don't think about how many people I clear so I won't get nervous.
"My goal is to one day be at the very end of the line---the No. 1 tumbler who hurdles over the entire team."
Jamari knows that none of this would be possible---Jesse White Tumblers, the scholarship, working at an animal center---without the wonderful woman who brought him into this world.
"My mom has always been there by my side," he said. "I'm very blessed with that. I was going to write her a letter saying how much she means to me.
"Being a single mom, working two or three jobs and raising three kids---she has done so much, and I wanted her to know how thankful I am."
He is also grateful for the Jesse White Tumblers and plans to make that a lifetime avocation.
"I'm going to stay with Jesse White," said Grant who will perform while attending DePaul. "Our best tumblers are in their late 20s and early 30s. After that, I want to become a Jesse White coach.
"I just look up to all the older Jesse White tumblers. Growing up without a father, these guys were my older brothers, my mentors, my father figures.
"My Jesse White Tumblers coach has been my guiding light. And, I've learned so much under Mr. White's leadership. He has given so much of his time and effort to help out so many kids. It was Mr. White who taught me how to be a man."
The Jesse White Tumblers have been a halftime favorite at Blue Demon men's and women's basketball games. How much fun would it be this upcoming season to watch one of DePaul's very own go soaring above Wintrust Arena court?
"That would be so cool," Grant said with a big smile. "I'd love to perform at a DePaul game."
No doubt Marc Jacobson, Jesse White, DeWayne Peevy and Tiffany Daniels would all be in the South Loop applauding his athleticism and beaming with pride.
"Hopefully we start something special with this, and it's only the beginning," Jacobson said. "There is so much we can do to help unlock an individual's potential. While he's going to school at DePaul, Jamari will work as an intern at our company.
"We're all counting on Jamari, and our confidence is high that he will be able to unlock his true potential."
At that moment, Grant did not have any concrete plans for attending college.
That would all change in an instant.
Grant discovered that a Vincentian-like collaboration among Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, DePaul soccer alum Marc Jacobson and DePaul athletics director DeWayne Peevy would provide a full scholarship to the south suburban Sauk Village native who also performs on the Jesse White Tumblers.
"It was on Tuesday, April 6---a day I will never forget," Grant said. "I wanted to go straight home and hug my mom. I wanted to call someone and tell them of this great accomplishment."
When Grant got together with his trio of guardian angels last week at the Sullivan Athletic Center for a presentation of the first Marc Jacobson Blue Demon Scholarship, the 18-year-old still seemed somewhat amazed by the unexpected turn of events.
"I didn't really have a plan for college," Grant said. "My football career didn't take off and I wasn't going to get an athletic scholarship. My friend got a football scholarship to Wyoming and asked me to join him. I was thinking about going out there for track and field.
"But I told him if things didn't work out for me, I didn't want to come back home and leave him out there by himself.
"When I heard about DePaul, I knew it was for me. This is a dream come true. I want to work hard and one day be in a position to give something back to my community. It all starts with my generation. Maybe I can help provide a scholarship for a future Jesse White tumbler just like Mr. Jacobson did for me."
Jacobson (BUS '86) has combined two of his passions in DePaul athletics and the Jesse White Tumblers to create a $240,000 scholarship for a Jesse White Tumbler to attend DePaul and work in the athletics department as a student assistant in the area of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
The scholarship will cover tuition, room and board (on-campus), university fees and is open to all academic majors.
Grant, who presently works part-time at an animal center, will major in Health Sciences and wants to become a veterinarian.
"Seven years ago, I was in a near-fatal car accident that left me paralyzed for a year followed by learning how to walk again," said Jacobson, owner of the Marc Jacobson & Associates financial company. "As I laid on that cold metal operating table, I told myself if I make it through this, I'm going to make a difference in a big way.
"I wrote a book that became a bestseller, corporate America kept calling and the bank account kept growing. That's when I reached out to Jamari and his family.
"These young men and women on the Jesse White Tumblers are amazing ambassadors of Chicago. I wanted to see if I could unite two great institutions (the Tumblers and DePaul) to see what synergies we can make to impact Chicago.
"I've been greatly inspired by an amazing individual like Jesse White who has accomplished so much in his life and is the most popular person in Illinois. I understand that to pay it forward is a most important thing.
"Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy has done a great job putting together a program that will enable another DePaul Blue Demon to graduate from this school."
White enthusiastically expressed his gratitude for the blessing bestowed upon one of his protégés.
"I've been the Secretary of State for 22½ years and with the Jesse White Tumblers for 61 years," White said. "I tell myself: 'Every day, I need to do something nice for someone.'
"This scholarship will provide an opportunity for one of our tumblers to become better educated and better informed. Marc reached out to us and said he had the resources he would like to share with a member of the Jesse White Tumblers team.
"After Jamari gets his degree, he will give back to the community and make our world a better place for all. I want to thank Marc for his giving and caring spirit and for making a difference in this young man's life. I know Jamari is going to be a bright star at DePaul.
"I hope we can find another person like Marc who will help out another person in our program."
Count on it, Mr. Secretary of State.
"I jumped at the idea to be a part of such an amazing partnership," said Peevy who is all about big dreams. "For me to be able to make an impact on the life of a young person by training Jamari on the ins and outs of intercollegiate athletics will be life changing.
"It's a unique opportunity for us at DePaul, and I'm excited Jamari will get to work with me and be integrated into our athletics department. As a young man growing up, I didn't know that the job of athletic director even existed."
Peevy said he first met Grant via Zoom because the Marist Redhawk was still in school. Peevy noted that an in-person meeting might jeopardize Grant's perfect attendance record.
"The young men and women who perform for the Jesse White Tumblers are uniquely qualified to be part of our team here at DePaul," Peevy said. "The values of hard work and dedication that Jesse White infuses in his Tumblers will be a great addition to our department.
"It is my hope that Jamari will help break in the next Jesse White Tumbler who enters our scholarship program. It's my goal that by the time Jamari graduates, there are three more Tumblers coming up behind him. It's my dream to transform this into a million-dollar program."
Grant played football for three years at Marist and rushed for a career-best 154 yards on 19 carries in late March against Brother Rice, scoring the winning touchdown on a 53-yard run for the 20-16 victory.
His love of sports was fueled by his stepfather Cedric Cole who passed away from a heart attack in May of 2020. Grant dedicated his senior season to him.
"My stepdad was a youth football coach, and some of his former players would come over to watch NFL games," Grant said. "Two of them were on a tumbling team and that's how I got interested in tumbling. It keeps me off the streets, and I want to do something positive in life.
"I really got into it when I was 10 years old. I tried out for the Jesse White Tumblers and didn't make it. I practiced the entire offseason and made the team the following year."
He started out on the training team, working out twice a week in the summer. The older and more talented performers are promoted to the top team, which Grant achieved at the age of 13. He has performed at shows in Wisconsin and Indiana with a dream of one day vaulting off the mini trampoline and performing his mid-air magic in California.
Grant has performed at three Bud Billiken Parades, and on Nov. 16, 2019, went to the United Center for his first halftime show at a Bulls game.
For those unfamiliar with the Jesse White Tumblers show, the high-flying acrobatics climax with the grand finale known as "The Chain." One by one, the tumblers vault over teammates and then take their place on the chain for the next jumper. Grant is currently in the middle of the chain.
"The first time my grandmother came to watch, she got so excited and told me I had jumped over nine people," Grant said. "I don't think about how many people I clear so I won't get nervous.
"My goal is to one day be at the very end of the line---the No. 1 tumbler who hurdles over the entire team."
Jamari knows that none of this would be possible---Jesse White Tumblers, the scholarship, working at an animal center---without the wonderful woman who brought him into this world.
"My mom has always been there by my side," he said. "I'm very blessed with that. I was going to write her a letter saying how much she means to me.
"Being a single mom, working two or three jobs and raising three kids---she has done so much, and I wanted her to know how thankful I am."
He is also grateful for the Jesse White Tumblers and plans to make that a lifetime avocation.
"I'm going to stay with Jesse White," said Grant who will perform while attending DePaul. "Our best tumblers are in their late 20s and early 30s. After that, I want to become a Jesse White coach.
"I just look up to all the older Jesse White tumblers. Growing up without a father, these guys were my older brothers, my mentors, my father figures.
"My Jesse White Tumblers coach has been my guiding light. And, I've learned so much under Mr. White's leadership. He has given so much of his time and effort to help out so many kids. It was Mr. White who taught me how to be a man."
The Jesse White Tumblers have been a halftime favorite at Blue Demon men's and women's basketball games. How much fun would it be this upcoming season to watch one of DePaul's very own go soaring above Wintrust Arena court?
"That would be so cool," Grant said with a big smile. "I'd love to perform at a DePaul game."
No doubt Marc Jacobson, Jesse White, DeWayne Peevy and Tiffany Daniels would all be in the South Loop applauding his athleticism and beaming with pride.
"Hopefully we start something special with this, and it's only the beginning," Jacobson said. "There is so much we can do to help unlock an individual's potential. While he's going to school at DePaul, Jamari will work as an intern at our company.
"We're all counting on Jamari, and our confidence is high that he will be able to unlock his true potential."
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