Each student has their own journey to find their path through higher education. For junior Brooke Martin, Seton Hill wasn’t her first step, but she is glad to be here now.

Brooke is a first-generation college student from Youngwood and attended high school just 10 minutes away at Hempfield, but her path to the Hill took a few turns. As a high school senior, she committed to Clarion. Brooke then chose Westmoreland County Community College for its affordability and the ability to transfer credits down the road and completed two years at WCCC with plans to pursue an English degree in the future. Two years later, she was ready to continue her pursuits but had rethought her direction.

“I had a friend who attended Seton Hill and I saw how involved she got in her career field with internships and clubs and how quickly she landed a job after graduation,” Brooke said. “I could tell simply by the way she spoke of the University how committed the school was, and I did not get that vibe from any other school.”

The two gap years she took changed Brooke’s perspective and goals. She chose the Communication - Integrated Marketing & Public Relations major because it combined analytics and creativity.

Brooke has found support in her advisor Dr. Catie Clark-Gordon, the faculty in her major, her fellow students and the staff of the Career and Professional Development Center. She and another transfer student in her major, Bara-Serene Mason, connected quickly and went outside of their comfort zone this spring when they took part in a marketing hackathon as part of a collaborative, entrepreneurial clinic in Bellevue called VueFWD. Brooke and Bara-Serene were able to take what they had learned in the first year of their classes on the Hill and – together with a student from Point Park – use their skills to win the competition.

“I had a friend who attended Seton Hill and I saw how involved she got in her career field with internships and clubs and how quickly she landed a job after graduation...I could tell simply by the way she spoke of the University how committed the school was, and I did not get that vibe from any other school."

“I would say I’ve had a very non-traditional route to Seton Hill, but thanks to how open and welcoming the school is, I found a fit very quickly. I was able to jump head first into many projects, knowing I have the support of all the professors and students around me,” Brooke said. “There is so much value in the type of education you receive at SHU, and I find it important to really use all the tools the University has for you to find your forward.”

Brooke is applying her skills in graphic design and social media marketing as a work-study with the Student Athlete Well-Being program and a freelancer helping companies such as Greensburg’s Beeghly & Company Jewelers craft their content, and is starting a new role as an intern with the Greensburg Business & Professional Association. Additionally, Brooke has also maintained her role as a shift leader for the Greengate Chick-fil-A where she has worked since she was 15.

“My time at Seton Hill has been extraordinarily rewarding as the school is so dedicated to their mission and pillars; it shows in everything the school does,” she said. “I love being involved in my community through service projects at Seton Hill, and I appreciate every student and professor that has welcomed and helped guide me every step of the way.”

Brooke's story is part of feature article in Seton Hill's Spring/Summer 2025 Forward Magazine titled "Success Starts Here." Read it online here.