Marc Mitchell had left teaching and was working in sales when a friend recommended that he revisit coaching.
When Mitchell came to Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus in 2009, the Devils had only had mediocre results.
Today, it is the first women’s basketball program in New Jersey to win an NCAA title and fell just short last week in the national tournament of making it back-to-back championships.
“This program needed to show the nation how great it can be. I went out and got it done and I’m still working hard,” says Mitchell. “If you have a dream and a vision, keep working at it.”
Mitchell is a prime example of not dismissing a passion and never saying it’s too late to pursue something.
Raised in New Jersey, he took time off from formal education after high school. Eventually, Mitchell attended community college, earning an associate degree from Essex County College in Newark, and then pursued a bachelor’s degree part time over several years until he graduated from Kean University. He also holds a master’s degree in education from American Intercontinental University.
While working as a middle school special education teacher in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Mitchell had a chance to put his love of basketball to good use when he was tapped to coach a middle school girls’ team. Mitchell went on to coach for three seasons at Elizabeth High School.
