Hammond native/Merrillville resident tried 'to take advantage of every opportunity'

"Purdue Cal gave me a second chance, so I have taken a lot of pride in school. My philosophy when I came here was to take advantage of every opportunity."

No one had to sell Marisol Edmond on the importance of education. But opportunities can be fleeting, and given a second one, she intended to take full advantage of it.

The 1994 Hammond High School graduate was an honor student in high school with a promising future ahead of her when she began her college education at a down state university.

But illness forced her to drop out in early 1995. Back in Hammond, she got her old high school job back at a local pharmacy, got married and started a family.

"I wanted to be a good example for my children," she said. "One night at work, while I was cleaning the floor, it hit me and I asked myself, 'What am I doing here? I've got too much potential to do this the rest of my life.'"

By fall of 2002, she was back in school-this time, at Purdue University Calumet, from which she will graduate Tuesday (12/19) with a degree in management and deliver the traditional response on behalf of her graduating class.

She then plans to pursue an MBA and a career as an accountant.

"I always loved math and problem-solving," the 30-year-old Merrillville resident said. "When I was young, I wanted to play banking and be the banker."

Something else she set out to do at Purdue Calumet, given her second opportunity to earn a university degree, was to experience everything she possibly could.

"Purdue Cal gave me a second chance, so I have taken a lot of pride in school," she said. "My philosophy when I came here was to take advantage of every opportunity."

To say that she has done that might be considered an understatement. She has served as:

• President and vice president/treasurer of the Black Student Union, for which she helped spearhead involvement with breast cancer and HIV/AIDS awareness activities;
• Student ambassador/coordinator for the Office of Admissions;
• Volunteer math tutor;
• Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.;
• Homecoming queen candidate; and
• Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program Scholar-she presented research at the National McNair Conference.

She also has received various scholarships and recognitions, including the Student Ambassador Service Award (2005), the Purdue Alumni Association Calumet's Outstanding Student Award (2006), the Center for Career & Leadership Development's A.C.E. Award for Activities and Community Service Excellence (2006) and the Student Life and Activities Above & Beyond Award (2006).

"Purdue Calumet has provided me the reassurance to keep persevering; different people here encouraged me to keep on pushing," she said. "One of my lasting memories here is giving a 'thank you' speech at a scholarship luncheon on perseverance and having people come up to me afterward to tell me I inspired them."

Roy Hamilton, Purdue Calumet assistant vice chancellor for equal opportunity programs and McNair Achievement Program director, calls Edmond "a very focused person. She's extremely passionate about her discipline."

Professor of Economics Paul McGrath added, "Marisol is very bright, inquisitive and self- motivating, but also down to earth. After chatting with her, one can quickly conclude that she will be a positive contributor to her employer, her profession and her community."

Pondering her second chance university experience at Purdue Calumet, she said, "When I walk around campus, I feel like I'm at home."