University of Phoenix Celebrates Alumna and World Champion Gail Marquis
August 09 2016 - 1:10PM
Business Wire
New Brand Campaign Recognizes Athlete,
Businesswoman and Mentor
As the world comes together this summer to watch sports history
be made, University of Phoenix honors Gail Marquis, a World
Champion basketball player. The University’s campaign serves to
feature and acknowledge Marquis as a World Champion athlete,
recognizing her lifelong accomplishments – on and off the
court.
As a World Champion, prominent Wall Street executive, MBA
graduate and dedicated mentor, Marquis is a true inspiration to the
University of Phoenix community. Her impressive career in finance
followed her professional basketball career, which includes her
placement in the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. Today, the
new University of Phoenix brand campaign serves as an inspiring
platform to showcase Marquis’ impressive academic and professional
careers in addition to her sporting achievements, with content set
to Maya Angelou’s moving poem Still I Rise.
Marquis’ story serves as an inspiration. In a world that didn’t
recognize women’s basketball as an entertaining and competitive
sport, her efforts, and those of her teammates, ultimately changed
the game forever. Marquis not only helped build her high school's
first girls' basketball team, but she went on to gain All-American
status at Queens College (NY) and play for the National
Championship. She then went on to become one of the first American
women to live and play basketball internationally with a French
team for three years.
After receiving her World Champion title, she sought further
success beyond athletics. Tackling a new challenge, Marquis thrived
in another highly competitive environment: with several prominent
financial firms on Wall Street, where she worked for 30 years.
“As a World Champion athlete, I know just how much hard work and
dedication go into achieving your dreams – whether it be in sports,
education, career or in a relationship,” said Marquis. “Like many
of my fellow athletes, my dreams didn’t end with basketball. I took
my determination to Wall Street, where after decades of success, I
still wanted more. Accomplishing my educational goals has enabled
me to teach other students what it takes to forge their own path to
greatness.”
Marquis earned her Master of Business Administration degree from
University of Phoenix in 2006, after decades of success on Wall
Street. Marquis earned her MBA to fulfill one more dream of hers:
advanced higher education. Today, she uses that degree as Director
of Community Outreach for the School of Business and the Business
Development Incubator at New Jersey City University (NJ), where she
acts as a liaison between the businesses and corporations and the
students, empowering those coming from diverse and disadvantaged
backgrounds that: No matter who you are, you belong. She challenges
students to step out of their comfort zone to meet those
challenges.
From basketball, to business, to education, Marquis has changed
the game in more ways than one. Today, she is a leader in business
and the community. She and her wife, Audrey Smaltz, former Ebony
Fashion Fair Commentator and CEO and Founder of The Ground Crew,
continue to fight for the cause of human rights equality after
winning their own marriage battle after 12 years. Breaking records
and breaking barriers, Marquis embodies the gold standard that
University of Phoenix is proud to graduate.
“Gail Marquis shares the same traits found in so many University
of Phoenix students – grit and determination. They are driven to
overcome obstacles and willing to put in the hard work required to
get a higher education, often while raising a family or working a
full-time job,” said Timothy P. Slottow, president of University of
Phoenix. “University of Phoenix believes in the power of a college
degree to change the lives of students, their families and future
generations. That is why we work tirelessly to support working
adults and diverse students as they pursue a career-relevant higher
education.”
More about Marquis’ story can be seen here.
For more information about each of these programs, including
on-time completion rates, the median debt incurred by students who
completed the program and other important information, please
visit: phoenix.edu/programs/gainful-employment.
About the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help working
adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly
changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses,
and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue
career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives.
As a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:
APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population,
offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree
programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well
as online throughout the world. For more information,
visit www.phoenix.edu.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006139/en/
University of PhoenixHeather McLaughlin,
714-338-6429heather.mclaughlin@apollo.edu
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