Who motivates the motivator to motivate? Marquita Rockamore, motivator, educator, mentor

Some people are called to teach, and in the case of Marquita Rockamore, Director of Health Industry Solutions at Cuyahoga Community College, teaching is more than just a job, it’s an opportunity to empower individuals by sharing some of the valuable lessons she has learned throughout her career.

Within the health industry solutions department, training classes, and certifications are offered and available to those who have an interest in open enrollment classes as well as contract classes. There are also fast track certification programs that last under 6 months. Many of the programs that fall under the umbrella of the health industry solutions department all encompass potentially life-altering career and financial opportunities for the students who attend these classes and complete the training and certifications. Having an individual with the passion for people and the desire to see them succeed is imperative. One of the programs. The certified Community Health worker programs, taught by Mrs. Rockamore, has median wages reporting as high as 68,350.00.

When asked about her journey and origin of her passion for ensuring individuals receive the best possible training and start to their careers, she shared some of her own personal experiences, which allowed her to give back to the people she has the opportunity to inspire. Mrs. Rockamore, who is a Cleveland native, graduated from the University of Akron. After graduation she began attending law school, working at night while going to school and working during the day. “I attended a class that was actually more competitive than collaborative.” This was not what she was seeking and while she had interest in the law, she did not approve of the competitive nature.

Staying true to her vision, she opted to discontinue law school and continued with behavioral health. “I wanted to find creative ways to help people’s lives become more manageable,” says Rockamore. It was then that she returned to Huron Hospital before Cleveland Clinic took over. She started a role conducting group therapy sessions and she loved it. She also began conducting family sessions to improve the condition of the individual’s relationships with their friends and families.

Not every experience that taught her valuable lessons were positive. One experience in particular, showed her the value of having options in your career. This is a message that she passes on to her students. “Always have a plan A, B, and C and not just for childcare,” she says. “You must always be in control of the choices you make and the places you are in so that you don’t ever have to work scared.”

Earlier in Mrs. Rockamore’s career, she worked in an environment that eventually became very toxic, along with her relationship with her boss. The stress from working in that space eventually took a toll on her physically, compromising not only her health, but the health of her unborn child. She was pregnant with her first born at the time. “I learned to never work in fear again and to always have options. I was working scare, because I did not have a plan B.”

She eventually left the company and stayed home to raise her children for a few years but did eventually decide to return to the workforce. She went to an organization with the City of Cleveland that helps individuals find jobs. Upon the start of her process of seeking employment, they saw her as a prospective employee for their own organization and after completing their application process, she was hired. From there, she stayed on the path of workforce development, working to adequately prepare individuals for the next steps in their career.

Educators who inspire others have often had the opportunity to be inspired by others. They develop the ability to observe and learn from the people they work with and know and share the jewels that have been given to them.

While working for an organization that assists veterans and the elderly, one of her colleagues embodied traits that Mrs. Rockamore not only values, but utilizes in her own interactions with her students. “She exuded a grace and kindness, and helped people in many ways. People would just come into her office and she would just be there…listening,” says Mrs. Rockamore. In the past. Mrs. Rockamore stated that when clients came to see her, she would quickly begin finding resources, but by the time her sessions with her clients were over, they may have the answers, but they wouldn’t feel better, they would actually be more stressed. “I learned from her, the value of letting people be felt and heard and shown that compassion first is necessary.”

In addition to learning about the importance of having compassion for others, individuals working in the service of others, must have compassion for themselves. This was a lesson that she learned during a very stressful time doing case management. Her former pastor welcomed her with open arms to talk to him. “He guided me in so many ways. There are so many things that I learned from him that I teach that I learned from talking to him. When your output is more than your input, then your upkeep becomes your downfall, she explained. Learning, internalizing, and practicing these values transformed her life and career, but sharing these values allows her to transform the lives of others.

In addition to an educator, she is a wife, a mother, and a mentor to many of all ages. Her work at Cuyahoga Community College has proven invaluable to not only her students, but the professionals that she engages with, through the many professional affiliations she has formed.

For more information about the Community Health worker program please visit: https://www.tri-c.edu/workforce