I can honestly say that the work-life balance that came with Materials Science and Wrestling was a recipe for success.

Image: Courtesy Johns Hopkins Sports Information

Paul Marcello (left) in the national final at 141 pounds of the NCAA Division III championship meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Image: Courtesy Johns Hopkins Sports Information

Paul Marcello (BS 2013) wasn’t always set on being a Materials Science major at Johns Hopkins University.

“When I initially came to Hopkins, I wanted to be a BME.”

A setback prevented Paul from joining the BME program, but it offered him a chance to reassess the reasons he was interested in the program.

“I was particularly interested in learning what prosthetics were made out of, why they didn’t disintegrate in the body, if they were equally as strong or stronger than bone, etc. Once I took Materials Science Lab 1 with Dr. Wilson, I knew I was hooked.”

Through Materials Science, Paul found academic fulfillment. His favorite classes included Materials Characterization with Dr. McGuiggan, Biomaterials with Dr. Mao, and Nanoparticles with Dr. Wilson.

Like many Materials Science students however, Paul did not settle for academic excellence alone, participating in a number of extracurricular activities, including the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, Inter Fraternity Council, and Wrestling team. He was also employed with JHU Phone-a-thon and as a Sports Announcer with Game Operations. Greek life provided a sense of camaraderie and offered opportunities to give back to the JHU community, while on-campus employment nurtured Paul’s outgoing nature.

“I can honestly say that the work-life balance that came with Materials Science and Wrestling was a recipe for success. I won an award for best Senior Design Presentation from Dr. Orla Wilson and was number two in the country at 141 lbs. at the NCAA Wrestling Championship my senior year.”

Paul currently works as a Sales Engineer for Trane in South Florida, designing and selling air conditioning systems for commercial buildings. His commitment to an excellent work-life balance has not stopped: he currently takes an online business class and does Cross-Fit in his spare time.