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Marie Leichliter

Leichliter_Marie.jpg“I am active with the Honors College student life at West Virginia University because this is where I feel I am most needed,” says Marie Leichliter. “I try to support the students by attending their functions and being as involved as I can.”

Marie was a high school student in Jefferson, Pennsylvania when she first encountered the ministry of the CCO through the person of CCO staff member Cami Haley. Today, she serves as Director of Programming for the Honors College at West Virginia University while she pursues a PhD in Instructional Design and Technology.

“I knew Cami Haley when I was in high school and she got me involved with Jubilee when I was only 16,” remembers Marie. “When I started at the University of Pittsburgh, I was in search of a youth fellowship and I found Bellefield Presbyterian Church, which I learned from Cami was part of the CCO ministry. Just because one goes to a secular school, does not mean they cannot find Christ!”

After spending two years at Pitt, Marie transferred to Waynesburg University, and graduated in 1998 with a degree in English Writing and Literature. She earned a master’s degree in public relations from California University of Pennsylvania in 2001, and expects to finish her dissertation and graduate from WVU in 2010.

Marie’s involvement in the CCO’s ministry as an undergrad inspires her to continue to connect with students today. She is especially excited about the opportunities for growth that the CCO-sponsored Jubilee conference offers both students and adults.

“Jubilee is fantastic!” she says. “The first year I went, I was only a junior in high school. I went almost every year thereafter. I had the opportunity to witness so many young people, like myself, loving their Lord and praising. Once I became a professional, I attended again and had an equally valuable experience worshiping with my students.”

Today, Marie shares her faith in subtle and direct ways, and she hopes to offer others the kind of encouragement she received during her most formative years.

“Cami Haley was a powerful influence on my life in high school,” she says. “She was a wonderful, warm, Christian woman who cared about everyone with whom she worked. I valued all the time I spend talking with her about colleges, church, and even life in general. She was a wonderful mentor and friend.”