Marlyn Cullen’s mother has always pushed education. Marlyn’s family was living on the South Side of Chicago with seven children. Because of their financial struggles, Marlyn was granted a scholarship to attend university.
Marlyn lost access to her scholarship and could not continue the education her mother wanted because of revisions to the requirements. While she was dropping out, her friends had moved west to attend college in Colorado and invited Marlyn to stay with them. In her eight months she spent there, Marlyn signed up for the Navy. Now unable to attend college, Marlyn filled her days with the painting of small submarines. There was, however, one major drawback: it was very cold on the deck of her ship. There was a – much warmer – opening in the Galley that she jumped on to get out of the freezing cold.
Marlyn was simply trying to keep warm on the job, but she would end up with an entirely new career path. Marlyn is now one of four managers of James Madison University’s Gibbons’ dining hall (often referred to as D-Hall), which sits just outside of the original campus.
Now, finally having the means, Marlyn will be returning to school to complete the 30 hours left for her Bachelors’ degree. Marlyn will be able to take her classes online, letting Marlyn to complete another life goal of hers: traveling the country. Marlyn will be able to take her classes along with her husband on her nation wide trip to see the what beautiful sites the country has to offer. She feels like she needs to see the US, because she couldn’t enjoy it when she was young.
Though she is returning, Marlyn’s education didn’t just take place in the classroom.
“I never thought I’d leave the south side of Chicago. I was blessed; I went to the military. The Military brought me to New England and then New England brought me to Virginia. So, I’ve had a little bit of a journey and it may continue.”
– Jordan Latham
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