Robbie Marsden is a proud alumnus of Pennsylvania Epsilon at Dickinson College. He currently lives in Springfield, Pennsylvania, and serves as a teacher of African American history and the head football coach at Vaux Big Picture High School in North Philadelphia. While he joined Phi Delta Theta as a freshman at Dickinson, his Fraternity experience became a truly invaluable part of his identity during his time as a leadership consultant with Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters from 2015 to 2017.
What is your most memorable experience or moment from Phi Delta Theta?
The most memorable experience I’ve had with Phi Delta Theta is having had the privilege of serving as a traveling leadership consultant for two years. I knew I wanted to be a teacher and coach in the Philadelphia area for the rest of my life, so when some relationships I had built at GHQ approached me about the opportunity to work with Phi Delta Theta undergraduates across the country for a fixed, two-year term came about; after some convincing, I made the best decision I’ve ever made. Building relationships with undergraduates, alumni, and GHQ staff members from across North America opened my eyes to how big our network truly is. Many of these people are close friends and mentors of mine to this day. It is this experience and these relationships that are single handedly my biggest point of pride as a Phi Delta Theta member.
Who from your Fraternity experience has inspired you? Have you ever told them that?
A few people come to mind from various chapters of my Phi Delta Theta experience. Early on, there is Andrew Fink. He was a senior captain on my football team, and took a lowly freshman under his wing when he didn’t have to. I admired how he was respected across campus, how important family was to him, and how he treated everyone with respect—regardless of age or role. I came to find out he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and I wanted to be associated with him, so I followed his lead. He never even had to “recruit” me, per se. The rest is history.
Throughout my undergraduate experience, there is Riley Dickson. He was a part of my Phikeia class, and we did not have a relationship previously. At a time when Phi Delt at Dickinson was not as impactful or efficient as it could have been, Riley sunk his teeth into any leadership opportunity he could and eventually became the chapter president that got us out of debt, in good standing with GHQ, and also in good standing with the campus and local community. Riley showed me what real fraternity could be, was an unwaveringly loyal friend, and also empowered me as a leader.
Lastly, from my time as a leadership consultant, there are former director of chapter Services Mike Wahba and current executive vice president Sean Wagner. They are the two most influential bosses of my professional career, and two of the most impactful mentors in my life. They saw potential in me, encouraged me, equipped me, and ultimately led me on the path to becoming the greatest version of myself—corniness intended. I often think back to their leadership styles when navigating my own career in education, coaching, and teacher leadership.
What accomplishments or career milestones are you most proud of, and how do you attribute them to your experience?
In 2022, I received Pennsylvania’s sole James Madison Fellowship, which fully funded my master’s in American history, complete with a four-week residency in Washington, DC to collaborate with teachers from across the country and complete required coursework from Georgetown University.
In spring 2021, yes, amidst the pandemic; I started a football program from scratch in North Philadelphia with little to no resources. It has been an arduous path to get to where we are, but after some wins and being named a Philadelphia Eagles Coach of the week in fall 2022, the Vaux Cougars are in as healthy a position as ever.
I believe my fraternity experience, both as an undergraduate and consultant, taught me how to lead by example, take initiative to pursue what you want in life, and to build a robust network of mission-aligned individuals that can help you along your journey.
