Award-winning CSUSB alumnus advocates for access to education

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that community is everything,” said CSUSB MBA alumnus Patrick Marshall ’23, consultant and former inmate rehabilitation manager for Santa Clara County. “There are so many amazing people that have been on this journey with me. Without them, I wouldn’t be standing where I am today.”

One of those people is Marshall’s good friend and former colleague, Gurpreet Gill, captain in the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. Although Marshall had been considering pursuing his MBA, his decision to pursue the degree at CSUSB was heavily influenced by Gill, who had researched and planned to attend the program because of its national rankings and accreditation.

“When [Gill] asked me to join him in the CSUSB Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, it resonated with me. He told me he wished he could walk the stage with me — that it would mean the world to him, so I applied,” recalled Marshall, who was already enrolled in law school at the time. Despite the formidable task of juggling two rigorous programs and a full-time job, Marshall persevered. In 2023, he not only earned his juris doctor, he also completed CSUSB’s accelerated online Executive MBA program. Marshall and Gill both graduated with honors from the program, proudly walking the stage together at Spring 2023 Commencement. “I embraced the challenge and gave it my all,” Marshall said.

“The MBA from CSUSB provided me with a knowledge base that enhanced who I was as an individual and took me to a different level,” Marshall said, reflecting on the program’s impact. “It solidified what I already knew from my business experience and enhanced it tremendously.”

Marshall has nearly 20 years of professional experience in the criminal justice field. His journey is rooted in a deep sense of purpose that stems from his upbringing. Raised by a single mother who was the first in their family to earn a college degree, he credits her with setting him on a path of advocacy and service. “My mom is my hero. She set the trajectory of my life,” Marshall said. “Growing up, I saw that marginalized people didn’t have services and support. Meeting individuals who had been incarcerated – seeing how they’d been impacted – I knew I wanted to do something that contributed to their betterment.”

This passion translated into action when he became the driving force behind the College Collaborative System (CCS), a pioneering initiative designed to provide educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals in Santa Clara County.

“Breaking down those oppressive barriers that you see in a lot of jail and prison systems and giving justice-involved individuals access to education – this gives them hope. I wanted them to have the opportunity to transform their lives,” Marshall said.

Under his leadership, CCS expanded significantly, growing from two colleges and two courses in 2020 to six colleges and over 20 different offerings today. His efforts garnered attention not just within the correctional system, but also in the broader educational and social justice communities at a national level.

Marshall’s visionary leadership earned him the prestigious Equity and Social Justice: Change Agent Award at the 2024 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE). Winning NCORE’s top award underscored the significance of his work. “Having that success is a beautiful thing because people become aware of the work that we’re doing to change the lives of justice-involved individuals. That mattered the most,” he said.

As Marshall looks ahead, his focus remains on continuing to fight for social, correctional and jail reform, and expanding access to education for those who need it most. For those inspired to follow in his footsteps, his advice is clear: “Have your tribe of people you can trust, who believe in you and you believe in them. And, education is key. It builds you up, opens doors for you, gives you opportunities. No one can take away what you’ve learned.”