Marcia J. Bolden

As a woman of color and first-generation college student, I come from a heritage of sharecroppers who participated in the Great Migration from the South. Being the oldest of four children, I am proud to be the first in my family to graduate from a four-year institution. My parents always believed we couldn't be idle in the summer, so I worked in human service programs and summer camps, which cultivated my love for public service. I describe myself as a connector who builds bridges between faith, education, and leadership. My journey at Illinois Central College started in 2000 when I began as an academic advisor after meeting the Dean of Students through my community service work. Now, I oversee several learning centers and supervise over 40 tutors who are some of the most brilliant minds, supporting all academic disciplines. My staff is incredibly diverse, including retired individuals, fresh college graduates, and people in between jobs. I pride myself on creating a collaborative culture where we are intentional about creating a climate conducive for learning and a safe place where people can bring their best selves. We work with a large percentage of part-time students and adult learners who have been out of school for a while, many of whom have never been taught about their learning styles or may experience anxiety. Every day, I get to read testimonies from students saying things like 'I didn't think I was gonna make it' or 'I can now do math with my grandkids because you've helped build my confidence.' In addition to my work at the college, I am an author, transformational coach, and career strategist. My book, 'A Cloud of Witnesses,' is a guide for women in the workplace that came about from my own experiences with power dynamics and challenging workplace cultures. I didn't want my daughter to feel unsupported or think something was wrong with her in difficult situations, so I reached out to friends and mentors including bank presidents, attorneys, and entrepreneurs to share their stories, lessons, and advice. The book blends faith-based guidance to help women facing gender bias, glass ceilings, and other workplace challenges. I am also a pastor's wife, and my husband is a bishop. I work alongside him with ministry leaders, particularly women in ministry. This past December, I developed a 4-week AI intensive for ministry leaders called 'I Am AI' (Anointed and Informed) because I saw a gap in faith-based groups discussing AI. We launched in February with about 55 students across three time zones, including pastors, their wives, ministry leaders, and Sunday school teachers. The course teaches how to use AI responsibly as a research assistant to save time and complete projects. In August, I will attend an international conference for the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World to talk about how pastors and ministry leaders are utilizing AI within ministry. Most recently, on May 16th, we held our first women's retreat called the Reset and Reclaim Retreat, which brought together 100 women from ages 16 to 91 in a multi-generational, multi-faith gathering. We addressed topics like self-regulation, handling stress, deep breathing, dealing with trauma, and releasing unforgiveness. We blended gentle movement and exercise with worship, had certified therapists discuss therapy techniques, and concluded by singing the Golden Girls Anthem. The testimonies have been incredible, with women saying they feel emotionally healed and grateful for the safe space we created.