Curt Marshall receives Black Alumni Reunion award

Curt Marshall, director of access, recruitment and retention in the College of Arts and Architecture, has been awarded the Charles T. Davis/Thelma T. Price Faculty/Staff Award by Penn State’s Black Alumni Reunion Committee. Davis was the first Black tenured professor and Price was the first Black female administrator at Penn State. The award was presented to Marshall at the Black Alumni Reunion Luncheon, held during Homecoming weekend, in recognition of his career-long stewardship of the Black experience at Penn State. The Black Alumni Reunion was rejuvenated in 2004, with the help of Marshall, and in 2008 became an annual opportunity for alumni to reconnect in celebration of their heritage at Penn State while supporting the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund. Marshall graduated from Penn State in 1986 and began his career with the University in the Office of Student Aid in 1988. In 2003 he joined the College of Arts and Architecture’s Office of Academic Affairs and Outreach, where over the last 19 years he has been instrumental in helping all Arts and Architecture students achieve their goals while being an unwavering advocate for Black and other students of color at the University. “I was beyond humbled and honored to receive this award. It has been my pleasure to serve the University in recruiting and graduating hundreds of students, especially those from underrepresented and underserved communities,” Marshall said. “I did hold back tears seeing so many men and women, and even some of their children, that I helped to graduate.” The Black Alumni Reunion Awards are presented bi-annually as a way for the organization to honor what they refer to as “the legends in the Penn State community.” The theme of the weekend-long 2022 Black Alumni Reunion was “Bridging the Gap: The Black Nittany Lion Experience Through the Decades.” Joining Marshall in receiving 2022 awards were: Herbert Nipson, Pioneer Alumni Achievement Award; Don Ferrell, Legend Alumni Achievement Award; Johnnie Geathers, Leader Alumni Achievement Award; Shana Cox, Dave Alston Scholar Athlete Award; Brian Davis, Christian Ragland/Julie (Cromitie) Welker Student Leader Award; Delmar Washington, John Biggers/Matthew Robinson Visual & Performing Arts Award; Elijah Robinson, Helen Darling/ Lenny Moore “Heart of a Lion” Award; Ala Stanford, Ronald & Judith Davenport Alumni Achievement Award; Tracey Baker, H. Jesse Arnelle/Cynthia A. Baldwin Outstanding Alumni Award; Cheryl Harrison, African American Alumni Organization Alumni Appreciation Award; and Heather James, Penn State Black Alumni Reunion Appreciation Award. Photo credit: Fredric Weber