My name is Marcus Martin. I was born and raised in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Growing up I enjoyed everything music. I was blessed to take private lessons, participate in Benton Harbor's renowned Tiger Marching Band.
Those talents helped to fund my undergraduate education. In 2005 I enrolled at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I was part of the tour choir and marching band there too.
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Like several of the students I now advise and coach, I had no clue as to what I really wanted to do with my interests and passions. One day while sitting in the my professor's office it felt like a switch was flipped on in my brain. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do with my life and that was work in higher education.
To be sure of my interest and passion I explored careers somewhat outside of my main interests. For example I knew I wanted to work in higher education, so I took a position in K-12 to get a feel of the experience. My overall mission was to increase enrollment, completion rates and overall student success of incoming and returning students. I worked to raise minority enrollment, created support groups for out of state students, provided support to international students, and developed an inclusive curriculum for freshmen seminar courses.
Pictured here are former co-workers from Lake Michigan College.
Photo from Alamy.com
Photo from stillman.edu
MY STORY
Me enjoying my day-to-day interaction with students.
I have had the chance to work at three institutions; Lake Michigan College, Western Michigan University and now Michigan State University. I always heard people quote that when you enjoy doing what you do it is not work. I can honestly say that the work I engage in does not feel like a 9 to 5 type job.
Every day I can positively impact the lives of adult learners and help them move beyond their personal fears and limitations to reach their life goals. While completing my undergraduate degree I went through some very hard and challenging experiences that almost made withdraw from school. It was the impact of advisors and college professionals that helped me overcome my own obstacles.
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Currently, I am completing a Master of Arts in Education degree in postsecondary leadership at Michigan State University. This academic program has sharpened my knowledge, enhanced my skills and abilities to provide effective advising, coaching and instructing strategies to support students. I look forward to all the new opportunities that I will one day enjoy because of completing this program.
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Pictured here is a coworker and I with a graduate of Lake Michigan College, student is now graduating from Michigan State University.
Me enjoying lunch with new students at Michigan State University.
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