Yorgun Marcel’s Destiny to Help Students
Reporter: Nadine Samy
Photographer: Michael Gobrial
Finding your calling in life and having a natural flair for it is pretty rare, but for Yorgun Marcel, the pieces seemed to fall into place quite naturally.
From South Korea to multiple states in the US, Marcel has worked closely with students – a lifetime endeavor, he admits – to help them overcome academic and other challenges and reach their full potential.
As the new Dean of Students at AUC since January, Marcel brings remarkable work experience directing student activities and services, intercultural programs, and managing diversity and inclusion on campus.
Given that AUC just successfully crossed over the bump in the road that was pandemic, he’s had to hit the ground running, often finding himself having to catch his breath.
“It’s been busy. A lot to catch up on in terms of getting to know the inner workings of both the university and the various areas and units that are under my portfolio. But also it’s been really great just getting to interact with students and getting a better feel for the community,” Marcel says.
There are many challenges – the latest is the universal struggle of AUC students grappling with the “devaluation” of the Egyptian pound – but Marcel says he hasn’t set specific projects to start working on yet, clarifying he doesn’t like building assumptions without first having a solid foundation of understanding the critical issues and their nuances.
He explains that he wants to first take his time in learning about AUC culture.
“I want to make sure that our students have a great pleasant experience and that they are aware of their rights, their responsibilities,” he says.
He adds that he is working on “setting up a structure that maximizes their chances of success, however, they define it”.
He says he also wants to focus on developing the residential experience and redefining what it means to be a student living on campus and “making it more than just a place to sleep”.
Another area he is planning on focusing on is providing better support for student mental health. More specifically, he wants to ensure resources are provided for faculty and staff in understanding mental health.
In the meantime, he is drawing inspiration from his international experience growing up in different parts of the world to bring that global experience and inclusivity to AUC.
Born in Ivory Coast and raised in various continents for most of his adolescent life, Marcel had quite a versatile upbringing. Similarly, he lived and worked in different countries that offered him interesting perspectives on life.
“I think it taught me not to be afraid of change, to actually welcome it. It allowed me to understand the different ways in which we are different but also similar. And also it’s allowed me to pick up on the common ground, to understand common ground,” Marcel says.
Right now he says he enjoys living and working in Egypt because of the cultural similarities he sees with Ivory Coast, both being countries on the same continent and rather coastal.
“So there are similarities that I looked forward to re-engaging with. But more importantly, I also wanted my kids to get a feel for this culture and the similarities so they could have a better understanding of where I came from,” he said.
Marcel’s passion for student affairs started in his college years. Because there were problems on his campus he wanted to improve, he got involved in student organizations, became a part of the student government, and ultimately joined the California State Student Association, a student-led organization with the aim of improving the lives of students at California State University.
Marcel originally studied television and film at California State University and was considering earning his master’s in documentary filmmaking. His career plans took a shift, however, when he found himself in his seemingly inescapable involvement with students and their problems.
Trying to escape the vigorous entanglement with student affairs, Marcel finally decided to study for his master’s in international communications at St Cloud State University in Minnesota and reconnect with his initial ambitions. As he recounts, things went as planned until he came across a frenzied group of students, angry over the student government cutting funds for multicultural organizations.
“I’m listening to them and so I start talking to them, and the next thing I know I’m in front of the student government, the year after that I’m elected chair of the state student association and I’m like okay the universe is telling me something,” Marcel says enthusiastically.
As rare as it is for one to encounter one moment of a prophetic sign like this one, Marcel happened to encounter two.
During a period of restlessness and stagnation being involved in student affairs, he describes an incident where a girl and her parents come into his office; this was his moment of truth, he says.
The girl, a graduating senior at the time, had a problem with one of her major courses which prevented her from getting her degree. To make matters worse, Marcel explains, she was being offered her dream job.
“It was again one of those moments where the universe speaks to you. She came that day when I was really doubting whether I should continue,” said Marcel.
Doubly challenging (and rather ironic, he admits) was the fact that Marcel was still a student and a student body president.
In just 48 hours, Marcel was able to solve her problem. He recalls an emotional moment, pivotal for both him and her, when she was holding his hand in tears and he thought “I literally helped change this person’s life”.
Understanding and prioritizing people are among his top values in life and this particular moment served as an epiphany for Marcel; his values and career choices aligned.
“I go back to that memory a lot of times when I get frustrated and I look for the small victories like these to keep me going through the hard times.”
