Result of the LAIR Fund: Alain Marcelin

EIU Football Leader Aspires to be a Cardiologist

11/4/2009 2:36:27 PM

When it comes to helping others, Alain Marcelin is usually the first in line. The 20-year-old Eastern Illinois University football player has a ton on his plate, but from the looks of his volunteer work, it's always others he puts first.

One of his most rewarding experiences was volunteering for the East Central Special Olympics. Marcelin, a native of Hollywood, Fla., walked participants to and from different competitions, talked with them and, most importantly, cheered them on.

“It was great to see how happy the participants were just to see us (EIU Football team) and compete in front of us,” Marcelin said. “The joy and appreciation they had for life stayed with me afterwards.”

Marcelin has also incorporated his football skills into his volunteer work. He served as a coach for the Eastern Illinois Football Clinic, a program that taught drills and techniques to elementary students in the community.

To add to that, he was a Football 101 instructor, where women throughout the community learned about the basics of his sport, from offense and defense all the way to learning some intense drills that he and his teammates practice.

“Volunteering makes you a well-rounded individual because it allows you appreciate the little things you take for granted, and you get a great feeling that lasts for weeks,” said Marcelin.

Playing football and his volunteer work take up a lot of time, but yet Marcelin still has time to study and to maintain his 3.95 GPA (on a scale of 4.0) in one of the toughest programs on EIU's campus. He is obtaining a Biological Sciences degree with a Chemistry minor, all of which add up to a PreMed concentration.

He is able to accomplish all that he does by setting a strict schedule. “Being a student is a full-time job and being an athlete is also a full-time job,” said Marcelin. “Balancing academics and athletics as well as a social life requires careful planning.”

Included in his plans are a set of personal goals he hopes to achieve at EIU. First is his football goal: playing the best he can and helping his team win a conference championship. Next is his academic goal: to graduate from EIU with a 3.95 GPA. Finally, Marcelin hopes to continue his education into medical school and become a cardiologist.

Becoming a cardiologist would mean Marcelin would continue his helping ways that he's established here at Eastern. Although as a cardiologist, he'd be saving lives instead of teaching football drills.