Marlene Marshall began her career as a dance studio owner/instructor at seventeen years old. She attended Illinois College and graduated with a B.S. degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, IL. She continued to teach dance all through college and after, in several locations. Twenty-four years later, she decided to get a Master’s degree in Dance/Movement Therapy from Columbia College in Chicago, which she completed in 2000.

Her next career choice was operating a learning center for children with learning disabilities. She became certified to use computer programs to increase reading skills, math skills, and improve focus and attention. After a sudden down-turn in the national economy, her business ground to al halt. She remained hopeful that it would build-up again. Then in 2012, she suffered a stroke and after rehabilitation, decided to retire from tutoring. But God wasn’t done with her!

She is currently part of a ministry team that helps acclimatize International Students who are new to the University of Illinois at Springfield to their new surroundings and culture. She helps to provide familial connections to these young men and women helping with physical needs (apt. furniture and appliances and personal needs) and emotional needs (spending time with the International Student and getting to know them better and listening to their concerns and offering wisdom).

Marlene and her husband, Ron, live in Springfield, Illinois near the U of I, Springfield campus with their cat, Bob. They have 2 children (who are adults now) and 2 grandchildren.