Race to 100 Alumni
Jill Marcus
KCC Class of 1978
Major: Liberal Arts
Current Title/Profession:(Former) Attorney for NYC District Council 37 Employee Union
Founder of the Jill M. Marcus Scholarship Award
Nominated by: Dan La Noue
“I felt like I could breathe,” is how Jill M. Marcus ‘78 recalls her time at Kingsborough Community College (KCC). She was referring, in a literal sense, to KCC’s sprawling campus, closeness to the water and its tranquility, far from the bustle of the city. But the statement is also an apt way to describe how KCC afforded her space to grow and thrive: “Whether I was in the classroom or on the tennis court, KCC always instilled in me the confidence to succeed.” Ms. Marcus also credits KCC for setting her on the path to becoming a lawyer. “I will never forget when my history professor, Sydney Rosenberg, asked me about my future plans,” she says. “After we spoke, he encouraged me to pursue law. His opinion that I could embark on that kind of career gave me tremendous confidence.”
That confidence would propel her through a distinguished legal career, culminating in her work as an attorney for District Council 37, New York City’s largest public employee union. “I was never drawn to the ‘corporate track,’” she says. “As a lawyer, I wanted to use my skills and expertise to directly improve people’s lives.”
In 2021, Ms. Marcus found another way to make a positive impact by establishing the Jill M. Marcus Scholarship Award. Her scholarship recognizes talented, hardworking KCC students who are hearing or visually impaired. “Ten years ago, I myself became hard of hearing, Not only did I find certain aspects of my life more challenging as a result, but I also wondered how hard it would be to experience this as a student.”
Ms. Marcus is grateful to be in a position to give back, particularly to the college that contributed so much to who she is today. She also hopes that other KCC alumni consider following in her philanthropic footsteps: “A student’s education is one of the finest causes you can support. A scholarship not only gives a student a leg up in a difficult economy, but also has an exponential impact on their dreams.”