08/11/2026
For Marrylin Ogbonna, building meaningful connections has shaped much of her Oregon State experience. The third-year honors student and psychology major with minors in criminology law and politics is motivated by giving back to the communities that have supported her. After benefiting from scholarship support at Oregon State, she is now helping connect donors with opportunities to support future students through her role as the 2026 Planned Giving Initiative/CASE Advancement Summer Intern.
In her current role, Marrylin helps cultivate relationships between donors and Oregon State. Much of her work involves sharing her own story, communicating the impact of scholarships and helping connect donors with programs that align with their interests. Through those conversations, she has met many alumni and supporters whose own experiences motivate them to give back.
Because she has personally benefited from scholarship support, Marrylin feels uniquely positioned to help communicate the importance of philanthropy. She hopes her own experiences can demonstrate how donor contributions affect students' academic journeys and future opportunities.
Marrylin also credits the Honors College with helping her develop the interpersonal skills that are central to advancement work. She points specifically to the variety of Honors College seminars she has taken, which have introduced her to topics ranging from The Lord of the Rings to wilderness survival and fairy tales. She says the broad exposure to different ideas has strengthened her ability to connect with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Looking ahead, Marrylin plans to attend law school and is interested in exploring how a legal education could intersect with philanthropy, nonprofit work and higher education. As she reflects on the opportunities that have shaped her time at Oregon State, Marrylin encourages other students to actively pursue experiences that interest them. "Always ask because the worst someone can say is no," she says. “It’s better to try than to miss an opportunity that could change your life.”
Read the full story: beav.es/YwA
