Photo by: American Athletic Conference/Conor Kvatek
Perkins Wins Zeff Fellowship
4/30/2025 3:19:00 PM | Baseball
One-year grant to study abroad.
Rice senior pitcher Mark Perkins has been named the winner of the Zeff Fellowship, a one-year grant for purposeful, independent exploration and travel outside the United States, awarded to graduating seniors to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community.
"I'll be spending a year traveling to different countries- Japan, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Australia, Mexico, and possibly more- exploring how baseball shapes culture, identity, and community in each place," Perkins said. "I'll be doing everything from playing and coaching to volunteering with youth leagues and visiting professional academies, especially where the sport connects people across backgrounds. It's a mix of cultural research, personal growth, and sharing the joy of baseball."
Perkins, a graduate of Stratford High School in Houston, is a four-year letterman with the Owls and will graduate from Rice next Saturday after posting a 3.9 GPA while majoring in business.
He has a 3-1 career mark in 41 games (four starts) at Rice. He was named a Rice Scholar-Athlete in 2024 and was a two-time recipient of the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal (2022 & 2023) and named to the AAC All-Academic team in 2024.
The Owls will open a final seven-game homestand this Friday when they host Charlotte for the first of three games at 6:30 p.m.
"I'll be spending a year traveling to different countries- Japan, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Australia, Mexico, and possibly more- exploring how baseball shapes culture, identity, and community in each place," Perkins said. "I'll be doing everything from playing and coaching to volunteering with youth leagues and visiting professional academies, especially where the sport connects people across backgrounds. It's a mix of cultural research, personal growth, and sharing the joy of baseball."
Perkins, a graduate of Stratford High School in Houston, is a four-year letterman with the Owls and will graduate from Rice next Saturday after posting a 3.9 GPA while majoring in business.
He has a 3-1 career mark in 41 games (four starts) at Rice. He was named a Rice Scholar-Athlete in 2024 and was a two-time recipient of the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal (2022 & 2023) and named to the AAC All-Academic team in 2024.
The Owls will open a final seven-game homestand this Friday when they host Charlotte for the first of three games at 6:30 p.m.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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