Many people take on the titles son of Marshall or daughter of Marshall and wear it with great pride. This could not be truer for Susan Bruhin, who is the current assistant director of the Higher Education for Learning Problems (H.E.L.P.) Program.

Bruhin is primarily responsible for recruitment efforts that go towards increasing enrollment within the H.E.L.P. Center, as well as promoting the program nationally and providing support with students in the surrounding community.

Before she came to Huntington, Bruhin was a high school senior from Mooresville, North Carolina, deciding where to swim in college. She had never heard of Marshall University before receiving a suggestion from Joy Brown, her high school biology teacher and Marshall alumna, to give Marshall a visit before making her final decision. She had the desire to go out of state and decided to swim for Marshall after visiting Huntington.

Bruhin swam at Marshall for four years, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. It was during her years as a student that she met her future husband, John Bruhin, who played football for the Thundering Herd. Both she and her husband had to endure back surgery at the same time during their sophomore years, which enabled him to have six years of eligibility. This allowed Susan Bruhin to receive her master’s degree in Reading Education, which is where she became connected with the H.E.L.P. Center as a Graduate Assistant.

A vast majority of Susan and John Bruhin’s wedding was comprised of Marshall athletes, students from the H.E.L.P. Center and alumni of the university. They were even married by Marshall football’s team reverend.

“When people who say that they bleed green, for John and I, we bleed green,” Susan Bruhin said. “We’ve both been fortunate enough to be part of the Marshall athletic family and now I have been fortunate enough to be part of the staff at Marshall. For us, Marshall holds a special place and we are eternally grateful for Marshall and all it has done for us.”

Susan Bruhin was fortunate enough to stay on at the H.E.L.P. Center after graduating with her master’s in December 2012. The position she acquired was the reading specialist role for the program, because of the master’s degree she received. She was a part-time employee until the summer of 2012 where she was granted full-time employment at the center.

She was promoted to assistant director July 2014, and has been collaborating with the other directors to better the program, promote the work of the program and to bring in support from alumni and donors.

“She has pretty much kept me afloat at Marshall,” said Matt Walker, sophomore nursing major. “Without her helping keep my school stuff organized and straight, I would not have the GPA I have now.”

Susan Bruhin is invested in the future of the H.E.L.P. Center and will do whatever she thinks is the best for the center. She also keeps close relationships with multiple students who participate in the H.E.L.P. Center. She has worked with college and medical students from around the community, and has kept in touch with many of them for several years.

John Fauss can be contacted at [email protected].