Recent BGSU alumnus credits academic, career success to Pay It Forward Scholars Fund

The support Jordan Mobley ‘23 received allowed him to stay in college and complete his degree

By Laren Kowalczyk ‘07

Bowling Green State University alumnus Jordan Mobley ‘23 recently started his career in construction management on a multi-million dollar renovation project at an NFL stadium, crediting the remarkable opportunity to generous support he received from others while at the University.

During his senior year at BGSU, Mobley, originally from Detroit, received assistance from the Pay It Forward Scholars Fund, which supports students experiencing unexpected financial hardships.

“I would not have my degree or this career if it weren’t for the support I received through the fund,” Mobley said. “It helped me get to where I am today.”

When Mobley’s financial circumstances unexpectedly changed due to a family illness, he started working two jobs. After about a year of balancing work and a full course load, Mobley said he began considering withdrawing from college until he was more financially stable.

Then, one of Mobley’s professors, Lisa Schaller, stepped in and recommended he apply for the Pay It Forward Scholars Fund.

“She knew I was dealing with a lot outside of school, and I think she could see the stress on my face,” said Mobley, who earned a degree from BGSU in construction management. “Receiving support from the fund eliminated all of my stress. It was literally gone in the blink of an eye.”

Schaller, an assistant teaching professor in the BGSU School of the Built Environment, said building connections with her students is key to helping them succeed.

“I have an open-door policy, and Jordan was one of my students who felt comfortable coming and talking to me,” Schaller said. “I knew his story, and I paid attention. I recommended the Pay It Forward Scholars Fund because I knew it would help him succeed. It changed his life. His smile could not have been bigger when he walked across the stage at graduation. This fund, thanks to its generous supporters, is such a gift to the students who receive it.”

The Pay It Forward Scholars Fund was founded by C. Raymond Marvin ‘60, ‘17 (Hon.) after a series of events left him without the resources to afford tuition.

When word of Marvin’s plans to take an unplanned gap year reached a pair of BGSU deans, they helped with a grant that allowed him to keep attending school and graduate on time. Marvin never forgot the gesture and created the Pay It Forward Scholars Fund to help students in similar situations.  

The idea behind the fund is that recipients receive the help they need in college, go on to future success and then contribute to the fund for future generations of students in similar circumstances, thereby paying it forward.

Mobley, a project engineer with Gilbane Building Company, a global construction management firm, said he’s eager to give back to the fund that was a transformative part of his BGSU journey.

“This scholarship is truly amazing,” Mobley said. “It literally exists to help students through hardships. Whether students are in a situation similar to mine or are facing another kind of challenge, I am so thankful I’m in a position that will allow me to pay the generosity I received forward.”