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 10 years ago, and also recognizing that CBU students are very academically driven, so events and meetings have to accommodate classes, labs and exams, or 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.”

And her care and attention are paying off. Even though college campuses nationwide are still dealing with socially hesitant behavior developed in response to COVID-19, student participation is on the rise across the board at CBU. Ogutu empowers students to not only join but also lead activities. This experience results in students developing a deeper connection to campus.

“Mary pushes the envelope in Student Engagement by developing high-quality events that engage our whole student body,” said colleague and frequent collaborator 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, to promote our rich history and tradition, and to include more students from diverse backgrounds and interests.

“Relaunching the 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 to her role and shares with our students. In the year she’s been here at CBU, she has helped tremendously to elevate the student experience.”

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