College students are often under tremendous pressure to know where their life is going and what degree or career to pursue. Marcus “Paul” Curd recently joined EvCC’s advising team and is not going to insist that students decide what career path to follow right here, today.

“I was 33 before I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up,” he said.

Over the years, Curd has been a paramedic, business owner, massage therapist, construction worker and has worked with children with autism. None of those experiences share the same field. He advises students who don’t know their major to plan something general; anything to get to know themselves. For Paul, that was travel; he has traveled all through Europe, and is now married with a family. From his travels he recounts that the world will never look the same after his valuable experiences. He proves that not everyone stays in the same field or location their whole career.

While Curd was traveling, working and raising a family, he earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling from Northwestern University. Now he is finishing his dissertation to get his PhD. Not only does he have his education fresh in mind, but he truly understands where students are coming from, and the struggles we face, including being a parent and student simultaneously. In Curd’s family, he and his two kids often do homework together. He says one of the most common problems for students is being distracted, and not taking time for “self-care” or taking some time without media, which is “not the same as entertainment.”

Paul’s office is located in Parks Student Union 336.