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You might say the secret to Eric Marshall ’91’s success is curiosity, and he credits Rollins for sparking it. A sales executive with three decades of experience everywhere from the Atlanta Olympic Committee to Universal Destinations and Experiences, Marshall reflects on how his Rollins experience— conversations with classmates and professors and broadcasting baseball and basketball games for WPRK—shaped him into the person and leader he is today. At Rollins, he discovered how much he enjoyed meeting new people and trying new things.

“I immediately recognized that not everyone has a college experience where you have real relationships with professors and administrators,” says Marshall, senior vice president of sales management at Universal Destinations and Experiences. “At Rollins, you weren’t just part of a machine, and that was incredible for me.”

His curiosity about the world—and specifically about the past—drew him to major in history and embrace the liberal arts ethos. Through both his major and classes in a variety of disciplines, he developed knowledge and skills that he continues to draw on every day.

“The nature of being part of a community and having a voice equipped me really well,” he says. “At Rollins, you sit in a small group of people and express yourself. You don’t just learn, you interpret—and that skill translates well to the boardroom or to any leadership role.”

He laughs remembering the pager he was given on his first day at Universal. “Technical knowledge dates so quickly,” he says. “What I do today bears no resemblance to that job I started 30 years ago. Rollins equipped me with the ability to adapt.”

It also instilled in him the importance of connections. Relationships he forged early on at Rollins helped him feel confident getting involved—not just with his classes and WPRK but also in the larger community. He notes Rollins’ proximity to a large metropolis, with so many opportunities to engage with diverse people and causes. Along with two friends, Marshall founded a fraternity whose distinguishing focus was service.

“We wanted to stand out among the other Greek organizations,” he says. “We realized it feels good to do good. And it feels really good to do good with your friends.”

That sense of giving back never left him. In the years since he graduated, Marshall has served on the boards of causes close to his heart, including Make-A-Wish and Visit Florida. And he’s stayed active at Rollins, a commitment he says comes naturally because of how much the College has given him.

As past president of the Alumni Board, Marshall helped increase alumni engagement, and he regularly mentors students and new graduates through the Career Champions program, providing guidance and support as they embark on their meaningful lives and productive careers.

“Helping people figure out their next steps is really exciting for me,” he says. “One thing I’ve learned is that the pressure today is much different. When I graduated, there wasn’t as much emphasis on having everything figured out immediately. When I mentor students, I try to help them find their next step—but also help them breathe. Most people don’t have it all figured out in college, and they shouldn’t have to. I look at my friends, and not many of us were ready to set the world on fire at 23, but we were educated for the long run.”

No doubt it’s that compassionate, open-hearted style that played a key role in Marshall earning the 2025 Alumni Service Award, a recognition made even sweeter because of Marshall’s latest role in life: a Rollins parent to Grace ’20 and Emily ’22. He jokes that among the three Rollins graduates in his family, he’s the third most impressive.

“They are so much more fearless than I was,” he says, remembering the study abroad programs they pursued and the mentorships they sought out. The pride he feels in his daughters—and his alma mater—shines bright.

“In the end, I got this experience at Rollins that I treasure,” he says. “I made lifelong friends. I found a home and community that I love. And it became that for my kids too. The reality is that I could never give back to Rollins as much as it has given me.”

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