Marc McMullin ’95 has had three careers: one before he earned his degree and two after graduation.

The first was as a U.S. Marine when he enlisted after leaving West Chester in his freshman year. Since returning to complete his WCU degree, he’s had success as a fundraiser and in sales for health-care companies. All three careers have something in common: McMullin’s commitment as a servant leader, focused more on the needs of others instead of solely pursuing his own goals.

“It’s about helping people reach their goals and dreams,” says McMullin, who lives in Wilmington, NC, with his wife, Peggy.

As a first-generation college student from Bellefonte, PA, he was encouraged to attend WCU by alumnus Ken Achuff ’71 (now deceased), his high school football coach and teacher. He was recruited to play football as a middle linebacker for the Golden Rams. But when an injury sidelined him, he lost interest in college and joined the Marines. From 1987 to 1993, he served as a combat engineer, a specialty that can include clearing obstacles, removing landmines, and building fortifications. The job could also include non-combat operations, which led to two memorable deployments.

It’s about helping people reach their goals and dreams.

 

The first, in August 1990, found McMullin and his shipboard unit stationed off the western coast of Africa, helping to evacuate non-combatants during a civil war in Liberia. The second, which began in June 1991, took his unit to Turkey.

“In 1991, Saddam Hussein was bombing Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq. We participated in what was a United Nations operation called Provide Comfort, a humanitarian effort to help build housing and provide food and supplies to the Kurdish refugees who were being pushed into southern Turkey. These experiences shaped my life and perspective. When I reflect on those times, I’ve grown to appreciate our way of life more than ever,” McMullin says.

When his active duty ended, McMullin returned to West Chester where he earned a degree in communication studies and was a student assistant in the WCU football program under head coach Rick Daniels. A coaching staff member suggested McMullin consider a fundraising career. “So I marched straight up to the development office, knocked on the door, and said ‘Hey, I’m Marc. I’d like to talk to you about working here.’”

What started as an unpaid student position evolved into a full-time job as a fundraiser for the University. Later he worked as a major gifts officer at Penn State near his childhood home in Centre County, PA. At both universities, he considered that work a way to give back and serve others.

“I fully embraced the concept that it was about the institution, the alumni, and the students,” McMullin says. “I could do great things by getting as many people involved in the process as possible. It wasn’t about me; it was about helping people realize their philanthropic dreams and advance the institution.”

One of his fundraising contacts recruited him to work in the private sector in the health-care industry. It led to sales management positions with Humana, Highmark, and currently with Integrity Marketing Group, where being a servant leader continues to be a goal. “Staying focused on helping people achieve their goals and their best health can help bring the cost of health care down,” he says.

Giving back to the veterans’ community remains a priority. After a friend and fellow veteran struggled with depression stemming from combat experiences and died by suicide, McMullin and his wife Peggy committed to raising awareness about what he calls “the unseen injuries” among those who served. One of many projects they are proud to support has him partnering with his mother, who makes handmade quilts to donate to a program called Quilts of Valor, which presents them to veterans to help them heal. “I want to do everything I can to help the veteran community, my community, thrive, and contribute to the betterment of our society.”