Viking Profile

Marisol Denney

Several years and three children ago, Marisol Denney was a young woman in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, having just finished high school, when she met her future husband, an American ex-serviceman. They eventually married, moved to North Carolina and started a family. In 2004, she applied to ECSU, but because she went to high school in a country with only 11 grades, she was short of transferable credits and wasn’t accepted. That same year, she had her second child and 3 years later, she had her third child, so along the way, she gained her GED and her citizenship and was ready to apply again in 2010, when she was accepted. This year, 2014, she graduated.

As her children grew up and went to school, she got involved in their schools, and saw the needs for children of immigrants, volunteering as a helper in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. Along the way, she decided she wanted to do more than work as a helper and she set her sights on becoming a full-fledged teacher.

“When I first started going to my children’s school, I noticed how difficult it was for some of the children who spoke Spanish at home and were trying to get up to speed in English. At first, I saw it as a language issue, but over time, I saw it as an educational issue, and it was then and there I decided that I’d become a teacher.”

“I grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, in a family where my mother owned a business and my father was a policeman. They always wanted my sister and me to get an education, and when I moved to the States, they knew that I could get that college education.”

“Even though I had lived in NC for a while, it was hard finding time to go to school while being a full-time mom and working. But ECSU has been wonderful for me, allowing me the freedom and flexibility I needed to be able to finish my four-year degree in four years, giving me the opportunity to work at the school while I studied. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the assistance of Doctors Jose Gil, Chantelle MacPhee, Linda Hayden and Linda Woolard and Professor Sherri Lewis plus all the regular-age students who I studied with, developed friendships with and learned from, as well. Through it all, ECSU made me feel like family!”

“I graduated in May, 2014 and was so proud to be able to show my kids that diploma, to be a real, living role model for them. I can’t wait to start teaching elementary school kids and show them what’s possible when you have a goal and work hard for it.”

Marisol has been inducted into the National Collegiate Society of Leadership and Success and plans to gain a Masters in Elementary Education at Fayetteville State University in the near future.Several years and three children ago, Marisol Denney was a young woman in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, having just finished high school, when she met her future husband, an American ex-serviceman. They eventually married, moved to North Carolina and started a family. In 2004, she applied to ECSU, but because she went to high school in a country with only 11 grades, she was short of transferable credits and wasn’t accepted. That same year, she had her second child and 3 years later, she had her third child, so along the way, she gained her GED and her citizenship and was ready to apply again in 2010, when she was accepted. This year, 2014, she graduated.

Favorite place on campus: The Library

Professors who have influenced you the most: Dr. Jose Gil & Dr. Chantelle MacPhee, Department of Language, Literature and Communications. Dr. Linda Hayden Department of Math & Computer Science. Mrs. Sherri Lewis Department of General Education & Dr. Linda Woolard Department of Education.

Advice for other students:  I would encourage other Moms to attend as well as Dads to enroll. ECSU is a great place to achieve your degree because it offers flexible schedules that anyone can plan and adjust to their daily schedule. “You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.” Will Smith.