​Creative, visionary, and motivator are three words that strongly describes the Aurora- born leader that is Marquell Oliver. He is currently studying at Illinois State University where he is also the first-generation student to pursue higher education in his entire family.  In the past few years, Marquell has added his name amongst the community leaders once he received the NAACP Martin Luther King Jr. Character Award (’14). He is an alum from Metea Valley High School (’14), where he was the Black Student Alliance President, Vice President of the Young Men’s Club, and he achieved being selected 1st Team All-Area/All-Conference basketball player. From studying in Europe and South Carolina, Oliver’s approach has definitely been influenced in a worldwide view which he hopes to continue to educate himself to help further his ideas and plans moving forward. He currently has his own Social Emotional Learning program (LIFTOFF), motivational speaker, creative director, and a youth success coach. Through this, his goal is to form collaborations that’ll help strengthen the way people perceive things in their everyday lives, and helping people reach their maximum potential.

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