青瓜视频

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. 鈥� Wherever Marcus Rodgers has found himself in life, whether as a student at 青瓜视频, being a husband and father, or teaching business at Taylor County High School, he has been driven by a singular focus: to shape the world in a positive way.

鈥淲hen I hear shaping the world, I think, 鈥榃hat influences are out there that change the people who live on this earth?鈥欌�� Rodgers said. 鈥淢aybe we鈥檝e got some opportunities to change some lives and help turn people closer to Christ, which would be pleasing to Him.鈥�   

After earning his bachelor鈥檚 in 2015 from CU, Rodgers began working in CU鈥檚 Admissions Office. The job proved to be an easy transition, as Rodgers was an intern in Admissions since his freshman year, giving tours to prospective students and their families who came from across the world to visit CU. Rodgers estimated he gave some 500 tours in his time as an intern.

鈥淭here were some days where I was giving three or four a day in the summer,鈥� Rodgers recalled.

In addition, Rodgers also worked in CU鈥檚 Badgett Academic Support Center (BASC) under Kevin Propes, who is now CU鈥檚 registrar, working with students as an academic coach.

Rodgers explained his time at CU helped him in two important ways. First, he said CU helped him find his voice, and CU also gave him the confidence to become more outspoken about his faith.

鈥淚t helped me go from being somewhat uncomfortable about discussing faith and discussing the Lord to it becoming part of my everyday journey,鈥� Rodgers said. 鈥淏ecause when I was giving these tours, I was talking with people from all over the U.S. and sometimes all over the world. They come from all different walks of life.鈥�

Rodgers added on his time at CU, 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 absolutely been part of the Lord's plan to get me ready for the job that I鈥檓 in now.鈥�

Rodgers also met his wife, Mary Kate, at CU during his undergrad years, and today, they have two children 鈥� Rhett and Chapel. Rodgers has many roles in life, and as he considers these roles, he said his top priority is to be the best Christian, husband and father, in that order.

鈥淎ll of that comes before my job of what I鈥檓 paid to do,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲alking into Taylor County High School, none of that matters any more important than those three things, so I don鈥檛 know how I could do a whole story and not talk about my role as a husband and what I鈥檓 called to do from a biblical standpoint.鈥�

In addition to his bachelor鈥檚 degree, Rodgers also earned his master鈥檚 in business administration in 2017 from CU.

As a teacher, Rodgers often shares his faith in his classroom, something he admits isn鈥檛 exactly the norm among those in public education.

鈥淚 do it because I don't see how I could effectively teach you business and separate my faith from it,鈥� Rodgers said. 鈥淏ecause at the end of the day, if I teach business and these students don鈥檛 learn anything about Christ, then I鈥檝e totally missed what I see as the whole reason that the Lord has me in the classroom.鈥�

In the classroom, Rodgers will emphasize the importance of good stewardship, both with financial resources and other resources, such as time.

鈥淚 truly believe the Lord blesses all of us with resources,鈥� Rodgers said. 鈥淪ome of us have more resources than others, but we all have resources, and I鈥檓 called to be a steward of what He鈥檚 blessed me with, whether that be money, whether that be time.鈥�

Rodgers鈥� time at CU introduced him to countless individuals who helped shape him into the person he is today. Those people include Propes, Dave Walters, Paula Caldwell, Gean Wright, Trent Creason, Jeanette Parker and Pat Cowherd.

鈥淚'd be a hypocrite if I was sitting here鈥�and all I talked about was how I might be able to shape other people,鈥� Rodgers explained. 鈥淏ecause at the end of the day, all these people, I would be one of the products of how they let their career and their mission build and what they were called by God to do. They were faithful, and I鈥檓 a product of that.

Rodgers added, 鈥淭hey poured into me, and I鈥檝e got to give them some credit for how they let the Lord use them. They were the hands and feet of Jesus, and that was awesome.

Rodgers shared that the impact those people had on him inspires him to make a similar impact on others.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of my motivation for why I need to do what I鈥檓 doing,鈥� Rodgers said. 鈥淲hen I get up every single day, what keeps me going is I have to be for other people what those people were for me. 鈥淭he Lord blessed me with some really good people in my life.鈥�

Rodgers鈥� time at CU shaped the course of his life in many profound ways through those people and the countless experiences he had thanks to CU.

鈥淚t helped me grow in my faith,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 found my wife here. It was my first two full-time jobs. I will forever have such a special place in my heart for CU because of my time there as both a student and employee. I am super thankful for CU.鈥�