David L. Archer President | Christian Brothers University

There is no question what inspires CBU Director of Student Engagement Marianne Ogutu to come to work every day.

“These are the best students that I’ve worked with in my entire career,” she said. “I play a part in putting a smile on their faces. I do the work that God has called me to do.”

At CBU, Ogutu cultivates opportunities for students to connect through more than 50 registered student clubs and organizations, Greek life, the Student Activity Council, and an ever-growing roster of events and activities. She has worked in this field for 10 years and joined CBU in June 2023 after serving as the Assistant Dean of Students at Talladega College in Talladega, Ala.

“The challenge at any school is getting to know the institution and the students,” Ogutu said. “It’s important to be open to what our students need and want. An engaged student is a retained student, and we all want our students to persist to graduation.”

That means exploring activities such as esports and pickleball that weren’t popular five or ten years ago, while also recognizing that CBU students are very academically driven. Events and meetings have to accommodate classes, labs, and exams; otherwise turnout will be low.

Recent work highlights for Ogutu include the reactivation of several Greek organizations that had gone dormant, the return of the September of Service community service initiative, and the inaugural CBU Goes Pink Cancer Walk.

“One of my favorite things about CBU is the diversity of our student body,” she said. “We want to make sure we have something—a community—for every single student.”

Her efforts seem effective as college campuses nationwide deal with socially hesitant behavior developed during COVID-19. At CBU, however, student participation is on the rise across all areas. Ogutu empowers students not only to join but also lead activities, helping them develop a deeper connection with campus life.

“Mary pushes the envelope in Student Engagement by developing high-quality events that engage our whole student body,” said Joel Kelley, CBU’s Director of Campus Ministry. “She never settles with running programs simply because ‘they’ve always been done this way,’ but rather she reimagines how to align her activities with our Lasallian Mission."

Kelley added: "Relaunching September of Service clearly demonstrates her creativity, dedication and drive. It has been a pleasure working alongside her because of the energy and passion that she brings."

Ogutu earned her bachelor’s degree in English/Liberal Arts at Rust College in Holly Springs, Miss., with her office located in Rozier Hall.