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A Man On the Move

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Jul 02, 2008

When Eric Marquardt walked across the stage to receive his Associates Degree from Lincoln College in Normal, IL this May, few who know him were surprised. A driven and determined young man, Eric has been reaching and achieving his goals, despite personal obstacles, for years!

Born prematurely, Eric could not breathe without the help of a ventilator for the first eight years of his life. In fact, Eric lived in at Children’s Memorial Hospital until he was four years old. When he was finally well enough to come home, Eric held the distinction of being the 9th child in Illinois to come home while on a ventilator and his homecoming was celebrated in the local news media.

Since that time, Eric has packed a lot of learning and adventure into his life. A graduate of Elim Christian School, Eric always held the goal of attending college. After his graduation from Elim, Eric completed an internship, working in the Costuming Department at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and living independently with some co-workers.

After returning home, Eric enrolled at Bloomington College where, in December, he earned an Associates degree in Liberal Arts. Throughout his tenure at the college, Eric earned excellent grades, even occasionally using his knowledge to help confused classmates. He especially enjoyed his writing classes, particularly those involving reading and creating stories.

Following his graduation, Eric is excited to be returning to Disney for a second internship. He explains, “I like the atmosphere, the people I work with, and that I get to go to the parks for free on my days off. When I’m there, I’m going to see what kind of permanent jobs are available. I never wanted to leave the first time!”

Eric credits much of his success to his educational foundation at Elim and is quick to praise a former teacher saying, “Pete Post was a very good influence on me. He prepared me for my college classes and kept me enthusiastic. He even helped me get my first job!”

Congratulations, Eric! We’re so proud of your accomplishments!