Life Lessons Go Beyond Football

Name: Marcus AprahamianPosition: Teaching Fellow, Program in EducationYears at Duke: 3 months

What I do at Duke: I talk to students about the Program in Education and tell them about all the kinds of programs we offer. I just graduated from Duke, so I can relate to the students in many ways. 

One of my big projects for this year is planning a trip to New York City for our secondary teacher preparation program and elementary teacher preparation program. In past years we have gone to India for two weeks and that is what I did when I was in the secondary teacher preparation program. We will be visiting New York City for one week in January and when our students return, they teach in the Durham Public Schools. I handle a lot of logistical stuff, like making hotel reservations, booking flights, and the day-to-day of what we'll be doing there. We will go to a different school each day, meet with teachers and administrators, and, ultimately, consider the challenges of teaching in a globalized and diverse world.  

If I had $5 million, I would: I'd find a way to give it all away because I'm satisfied with the things I have now. Having too much money can contaminate who you are and that amount can make a lot of change in this world. I work in the Oxford Manor neighborhood through my church, which is underprivileged and many kids don't have school supplies. That's one group I'd want to help and promise I'd have their college education paid for so they'd have more hope to make it to college.

My first ever job: I was a golf caddie when I was probably 12 or 13 years old. I loved golf, but it was not a very fun job because you spend four hours carrying heavy golf clubs and have guys yell at you. One time a guy was putting and I dropped his bag, so he ended up tipping me $2 for four hours of work. 

While a student at Duke, Marcus Aprahamian played on the football team and counts lessons from head coach David Cutcliffe as important in his development as a player and person. Photo by Jason Roberts.

My dream job: I really love football and played on Duke's football team, so if I could do anything, it would be a college football coach. Being a coach is like being a teacher, so I think I'd do a good job teaching football skills, even though football is so much more than a sport. There are many life lessons to learn. When you put work into something with a team, there's always going to be a good outcome. 

The best advice I ever received: On the football team, we only had one rule: be where you're supposed to be, do what you're supposed to be doing and do it to the best of your ability. It's a rule you can apply to your entire life. Even in my current job at Duke, I implement it as my only rule. It's all you can ask from anybody in life.

When I’m not at work, I like to: Do anything with my wife, Lauren. My favorite thing to do outside work is spending time with her. We were in a long-distance relationship for two years and now I cherish all the time we get together. We go hiking and we like fishing, too. I'm also a coach with the JV football team at Jordan High School, so she comes to support me.

Something most people don’t know about me: I had cancer when I was young and I only have one eye. The other is a prosthetic. I'll tell someone if they ask about it, but it's something most people don't know about me. It doesn't restrict me in any way, but it is a fun fact.