Paul Marvin ‘87
When I look at my post-Saint John’s University career, I attribute a lot of my success to what transpired during my years in Collegeville. I received a quality education, but perhaps more importantly I learned life lessons.
There were many instances where my perseverance was tested at SJU. I remember nearly failing an income tax test where I sat in the classroom after others left wondering if I should stick with my accounting major. Some encouragement from the professor and a little extra study helped me recover from my stumble.
I was raised Catholic and generally attended weekly Mass. However, after spending much of my first year out of high school partying and playing games at a community college, I felt the desire to strengthen my faith at Saint John’s. I was able to do that on a regular basis with those on my dorm floor and with several monks I befriended over the years (including faculty residents), and I attended Mass on a regular basis. I definitely found a better balance in my life through my faith.
I grew up in a small town where it was easier to be an athlete, starting in multiple sports. I participated in basketball tryouts at SJU and managed to make the team. I practiced hard and learned a lot about the sport and life skills such as the importance of teamwork. But one thing I took away that surprises many is that despite spending most of my game time on the bench, I look back at this experience as one of my most impactful at Saint John’s. I learned the importance of making everyone on the team feel important and to continually encourage them to work hard and work as a team.
SJU’s liberal arts approach provided me with the opportunity to spend time learning and discussing topics such as philosophy and criminology, which may not have much to do with accounting but really helped make me a more rounded person. As far as my major goes, the classes I took helped prepare me for the job I initially took out of college and those that followed.
I don’t need an occasional call or letter to remind me to contribute. I set a reminder in the fall of each year to make the donation. It’s been easier some years as a result of favorable markets or job income, but I always try and keep the donation fairly substantial knowing that it is being put to good use in helping others benefit from the university that helped shape me both as a man and business leader.
As an accountant, I’m well aware of the fact recent tax law changes with larger standard deductions have removed some of the tax benefits of giving for many. I’ll remember the needs haven’t gone away, so I’ll continue to give.