{"id":446,"date":"2015-07-05T11:30:55","date_gmt":"2015-07-05T16:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=446"},"modified":"2018-05-16T09:32:11","modified_gmt":"2018-05-16T14:32:11","slug":"grad-finds-new-role-in-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/grad-finds-new-role-in-business\/","title":{"rendered":"After Marines and Maryville, Grad Finds New Role in Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reading time: 3 minutes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

There was never any question what Kevin Ellis, \u201915, would do after graduating from high school in 2004. The U.S. Marine Corps is woven into his family\u2019s DNA. As much as military service seemed inevitable, Ellis always knew that college was also in his future.<\/p>\n

Ellis\u2019s great uncle served in Korea, and his father served in Vietnam. The call to service was strong in Ellis, who served five years as an infantry squad leader and completed two deployments, one of which was to Afghanistan. \u201cIt\u2019s a family legacy that if my kids one day live out, I\u2019ll be extremely proud,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

After a brief stint at community college and a private-sector job with a contractor in Iraq, Ellis enrolled at 91ÖÆƬ³§ in 2013, after learning the school had been named one of Missouri\u2019s Best Colleges for Veterans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I initially signed up, I was anxious,\u201d Ellis says.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut as soon as I got into classes, everything just clicked. The lesson plans were interesting and interactive, and the teachers wanted to help me be successful in my career.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After receiving credit for his training in the Marines, and by taking 15 to 18 credit hours each semester, Ellis earned his bachelor\u2019s in business administration in just two years. \u201cWhen I think of business, I associate it with things I learned in the Marines\u2014discipline and professionalism, and being introduced to exciting and new situations,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

A yearlong internship at Maritz Motivation Solutions recently led to a full-time job offer with the company. Ellis\u2019s new role as an associate account executive will help him achieve his goal of working in a client-facing role and adding value to an organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always believed, and the Marine Corps emphasized it even more, that the quality of work you produce is a representation of who you are,\u201d Ellis says. \u201cThe Marine Corps and Maryville have really been stepping stones for me to now move forward in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before beginning his next chapter, however, Ellis wrapped up his experience at Maryville by delivering a 2015 Commencement address. Chosen by classmates and faculty to represent nontraditional students, his speech focused on the importance of finding mentors and challenging yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of my teachers ended up being mentors and coaches,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019ve given me so much more than just a basic college education. They provided me with a sense of community, a sense of caring, a sense of actually wanting students to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellis\u2019s father, Michael Ellis, passed away from cancer, the result of Agent Orange poisoning in Vietnam, when his son was just 2 months old. \u201cI\u2019ve always hoped my dad would be proud of what I\u2019ve done, and I can honestly say I think he is,\u201d Ellis says.<\/p>\n

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