This CNM Student Wants to Use His Business Knowledge to Give Back to the Community
When Joseph Marchbanks started at CNM, he thought computer science was the degree for him. But it wasn’t long before he switched to studying business and realized that’s where his talents truly reside
“My mom is an accountant and I always enjoyed helping her with different aspects of her work, which is how I ultimately decided on pursuing a business degree,” he says.
Before he enrolled in CNM’s Business program Joseph earned his GED through CNM’s High School Equivalency Program. After that, he jumped right into earning his associate degree.
Over the last two years, Joseph has learned financial information skills, business management skills, and gained a basic understanding of business operations. He’s also worked as a student employee at CNM Ingenuity, which has been his favorite part of attending CNM.
“Working at CNM Ingenuity has been the best,” he says. “I’ve met so many great people and have been able to help other students too. This job has ended up being a really formative experience for me.”
Another important piece of Joseph’s success at CNM was the various scholarships he received, including the Dorothy Sue GED Scholarship Endowment and the Rust Opportunity Assistance Fund.
With the help of these scholarships, Joseph was able to continue his education journey without worrying about how to pay for school or cover his basic needs.
“Between those two scholarships, everything I needed was covered,” he explains. “I am so grateful to Clint Wells at the CNM Foundation who helped me apply for these scholarships and approached my situation without judgment and just asked ‘what do you need right now?’”
Joseph has one semester left at CNM and then plans to go on to UNM to earn his bachelor’s in business. From there, he hopes to work in the nonprofit field so he can play a role in their contributions to the community.
“The most important thing for me is that I’m helping others. With a business background, my role would likely be behind the scenes, but I’ll know the work I’m doing is positively impacting others and that’s what matters most to me,” he says.
More than anything, Joseph is grateful for his time at CNM and is excited to see what the future holds.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the community members who created and donated to scholarships like the ones I’ve received,” he says. “And I know my experience is just one of many examples of how we can come together and create a brighter future for everyone.”