Glen Midkiff

"I only had eyes for @[Short2] when it came time to apply for college. @[Short2] has always been very special to me, but the people make it a great institution of higher education. As a young boy from Lincoln County, once while riding by the campus and pointing at the buildings, I asked my parents, what happens there?' My parents told me that is where very smart young men and women go after they graduate high school. I set my sights on becoming a Son of @[Short2]," said Glen Midkiff, a four-time graduate of the Marshall University Foundation.

"As I got older, this seemed impossible because of being poor," said Glen. "Even though it was challenging for this first-time generation student, there were some extraordinary faculty and staff thatFun Facts: became family. Many of them took me up as their special project to make sure I was successful despite many barriers. Many of them became my mentors and I owe so much to them because they believed in me and pushed me towards the finish line."

A native of Branchland, West Virginia, which is located in Lincoln County, Glen obtained his Regents Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science in adult and education degrees from @[Short2] and accepted a position at Michigan State University as a residence hall director. After spending four years in that position, Glen was offered the assistant director for community development in housing and residence life at the University of Louisville. Glen spent an additional four years there before returning home to take care of his father, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He was in need of a job and applied to work at @[Short2]'s Office of Career Services. The rest is history.

Glen served as event and public relations manager for what is now named the Office of Career Education. He then enrolled in the education specialist degree program, and, after completing that program, obtained his Master of Science in Human Resource Management. Five years ago, Glen accepted his current position in the Lewis College of Business as the director of the Center for Stakeholder Engagement. Overseeing daily outreach and marketing efforts, he serves as the chief of staff. Glen coordinates many of the college-wide initiatives and special projects involving senior staff, identifies opportunities and partnerships, and serves as a liaison among the business community, faculty, staff, students and alumni, such as creating internships and consulting projects. He also manages events like the Dean's Distinguished Speaker Series and the Cohen Business Professionalism Speaker Series.

"When I hear a student or graduate say, 'thank you so much for connecting me to that employer! I just got an internship or a full-time position,' that is the applause I anxiously wait for, and I am so fortunate the students allow me to help them along their career journey," Glen said.

Believing "We Are… @[Short2]" is more than a movie title or mantra, Glen says it is symbolic of family and that we are all in this together. For that reason, he has chosen to give to @[Short2] through a planned gift via his retirement plan and make a "larger gift that will help more @[Short2] students than I could ever do right now."

"Giving back is so important to me because @[Short2] gave so much to me. I am committed to giving back to the university that provided me with an outstanding education, career opportunities and priceless experiences," Glen said, who hopes to continue affecting and mentoring young professionals.

His hope for @[Short2] is that it will continue growing by educating others with advanced knowledge that transforms the lives of West Virginia residents, the Tri-State community and around the globe because of the university's Research 1 (R-1) status.

"I hope my legacy at @[Short2] will continue to support business students, help them advance as professionals and promote the Lewis College of Business as a major contributor to the region's economic development. I have appreciated the opportunity to speak to business students and encourage them to be lifelong learners, as well as explaining why it is important to give back."

In his spare time, Glen enjoys singing at church and other events. He serves on the Huntington Rotary Board of Directors, the Mountwest Community and Technical College Business Advisory Committee and as the the Marshall University Foundation chapter advisor to Delta Sigma Pi and the Society for Advancement Management.