Mike Evans is an NFL superstar, but he will never forget the path that helped lead him to success.

Evans and several former Texas A&M players attended a celebrity bowling event at Grand Station Entertainment recently, and he and his wife, Ashli, presented a $40,000 check to the university, according to the Texas A&M Foundation. Half of the gift will go to fund $2,000 scholarships for 10 students through the Scholarships and Financial Aid office, while the other half established two $10,000 Foundation Excellence Award scholarships.

“My wife and I are all about helping,” Evans said. “We just want to preach that if you work hard, you can get where you need to go. Just because you’re a little less fortunate doesn’t mean that you should be treated any differently. … Galveston and College Station helped me become the man I am today as well as Tampa. I just want to give back as much as I can.”

Evans was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round (No. 7 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. In two career seasons in College Station, Evans made 151 receptions for 2,499 yards and 17 TDs.

In five career years with the Bucs, Evans has tallied 395 catches for 6,103 yards and 40 TDs.