There’s no better example of the power of the Neumann-SNIDER partnership than Jasmine Martinez.
Jasmine grew up in Northeast Philly. Her parents divorced when she was 12, and Jasmine became one of four children being raised by her single mom, who worked tirelessly to care for her family. The children ranged in age from one to 14.
“My older brother and I had to mature really quickly so we could help with chores and with our younger siblings,” she recalls.
In addition to learning from her role-model mother, Jasmine had been soaking up all of the lessons she learned at Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, which she joined when she was seven.
“SNIDER was definitely more than just a hockey program. They provided after-school programs and homework help, and we did all this before we got on the ice. They taught me life lessons and life skills, how to be professional, how to write a resume. They taught me so much that I can use in life.”
When the time came for college, Jasmine knew that her only feasible path was through SNIDER’s Goals and Assists Program, which covers all tuition, room, and board costs at partner institutions. She began her studies at West Chester University, but when Neumann established a partnership with SNIDER, she transferred and was able to play NCAA hockey for three seasons.
“I love the Neumann experience. Neumann is a perfect fit for me because of the small class size. It’s easier to make personal connections with my professors, coaches, and classmates. You recognize faces all over because it’s a tight-knit campus.”
In July of 2022, because of her long affiliation with SNIDER, the Philadelphia Flyers selected Jasmine to announce their first pick during ESPN’s national coverage of the NHL draft from the Bell Centre in Montreal.
She completed her undergraduate degree in Sport Management in December of 2022 and is now in the Sport Business master’s program, scheduled to finish in December of 2023.
