By Margaret Schell

R ecent graduate Madison Marcinkowski has always been reserved, but that was before her tenure at Georgia College & State University changed her forever.

“I hated talking to people,” said the Canton, Georgia, native, who toured six SEC universities after high school before finding GCSU. There, she remembers, something felt different.

“I loved the community feel,” she said of Georgia College. “I could see myself involved in different campus organizations. This meant a lot to me.”

Her involvement started right away. In her freshman year, Marcinkowski became a campus tour guide. That’s when everything changed.

“It allowed me to connect with people,” she said of the role. “It was cool to share my story and make that impact on other students the way GCSU had made an impact on me.”

It also led to her chosen major: political science, with a career path in advancement. She wants to represent people “who can’t come to the table.”

“My classes taught me to emphasize other people's voices,” said Marcinkowski, who only four years prior used to fear conversation with others. “I've learned the ‘why’ between government and society. I loved learning about why we operate the way we do, and what I can do to better uplift the people around me.”

Marcinkowski walked the commencement stage May 10 in Milledgeville, Georgia. Now, she plans to launch a career in advocacy.

“I can’t wait to advocate and emphasize voices through advancement and development work,” Marcinkowski said. “I also want to get people involved philanthropically to see the good they do.”


The power of showing up

To Marcinkowski, extracurricular activities were the key to her success at Georgia College.

She was a member of the Council of Student Ambassadors, the Leadership Program’s leadership cabinet, the Georgia Education Mentorship program, worked as a campus tour guide and activity planner, and served as vice president of the Eta Mu chapter of Kappa Delta.

In the mentorship program, Marcinkowski was matched with mentor Jessica Walden, president and CEO of the Macon Chamber of Commerce. She shadowed Walden to learn about business models, economic development and how to be a better leader.

In Kappa Delta, Marcinkowski helped her sorority sisters achieve the chapter’s highest GPA on recent record.

And as a student assistant in the Office of University Advancement, she met with donors and represented the student body to the GCSU Foundation and Alumni Boards.

“It’s been a rewarding opportunity to make an impact on students who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend college without scholarships,” Marcinkowski said.

GCSU’s unique campus environment — highlighted by its ultra-low 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio and wealth of experiential learning opportunities — gave Marcinkowski the chance to grow in ways she never imagined. Looking back, taking advantage of those programs and personal connections is the advice she’d leave to incoming freshmen.

“If you don't put yourself out there, you're not going to grow as much as you can,” she said. “Despite the challenges, these opportunities made me the person I am. If I wasn't involved, I wouldn't be ready to move on to the next stage of my life.”