When a program was suddenly canceled and students were dropped from their courses, Maren McKellin made sure they weren’t left behind. 

“Maren went back, without complaint, and made sure every student was re-enrolled,” said Ida Hagman, who started working with McKellin in 1994 and helped promote the Special Tactics Course. 

That quiet determination was at the core of who McKellin was. A beloved COD staff member in the Field and Experiential Learning, Study Abroad and Global Education programs who passed away on April 7. 2026. McKellin built a 35-year-long career defined not just by leadership, but also by the lives she changed along the way. 

Maximizer, Positive, Adaptive, Empathetic and Arranger—these were the strengths that defined McKellin, a certified Gallup Strengths coach for over a decade who believed in helping others grow. 

Maren always said, “I lead with Maximizer, which contributes to my ability to move someone or something from good to great,” Hagman said. “I love to see people develop, achieve and grow. I enjoy celebrating others’ accomplishments. Their success is my success.” 

In her professional career, McKellin dedicated 35 years to the college. At first, she was a student who served as a staff writer and managing editor of the Courier, where her curiosity and passion for storytelling were already present. 

After graduating from COD, McKellin earned a degree in print journalism from Roosevelt University and worked as a reporter for the Daily Herald. Eleven years later, she returned to COD, becoming manager of the Field and Experiential Learning, Study Abroad and Global Education programs. 

While building her career, McKellin also earned a Master’s degree in higher education administration from DePaul University. Her leadership played a key role in COD being ranked No. 1 in students sent abroad, according to the Open Doors Report by the Institute of International Education. 

McKellin’s passion for global learning was evident even in her early work. In a Dec. 8, 1989, article for The Courier then writing under her maiden name, she explored holiday traditions around the world, interviewing students from Colombia, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Israel, Poland and Venezuela. She also covered campus news, including blood drives, board meetings, student issues and faculty strikes.

Her influence extended beyond her work and into the lives of those around her, including her younger sister, Ingrid Bridges, who worked alongside her at The Courier.

“Maren was three years older than me, and at the time, I was so impressed to see her in such a big role,” Bridges said. “I knew that if Maren could be part of this role, I could do anything too.”

Bridges also remembered her sister’s passion for her work.

“Maren was one of the few people who truly felt passion about her job,” she said. “She loved to interact with people and valued face-to-face connections.”

McKellin was widely known not only for her professional achievements but also for her personality. Colleagues described her as humorous, charismatic and deeply caring.

During the April 16 Board of Trustees meeting, colleague Julia diLiberti reflected on McKellin’s love for her family. 

“Maren never failed to share the full force of the love and fierce protectiveness she had for family members,” diLiberti said, recalling stories McKellin often shared about her father, siblings and even the pets she cared for—including a cat named Frances T. Farmcat and a squirrel she affectionately called Little Ryan Newman.

Coworkers emphasized McKellin’s ability to connect people and build relationships across campus.

“I would describe Maren as a people person,” said Sue Kerby, coordinator of the Study Abroad program, who began working with McKellin in 2008. “She was amazing at connecting the people that needed to be in the room to do amazing things. She built relationships across campus that made all of our success possible.”

That same dedication was reflected in the way colleagues described McKellin’s presence on campus. 

“She was positive — a bright light and a ray of sunshine,” said Lynn Dudzik, program specialist of Operation who worked under McKellin beginning in 2011. “That was my experience with her, and it’s something I miss already.”

But McKellin’s impact went far beyond her colleagues. For many students, she was not just a supervisor but a mentor who shaped their confidence and future paths. 

Isamar Mata, a former student worker and now a journalist in Israel, credited McKellin with helping shape her future.

“For me, working in the field studies program helped me fulfill my dream of becoming a journalist,” Mata said. “Maren never doubted that I would go places. She had that certainty in me, and it inspired me.”

Mata stated how McKellin’s leadership will be a quality she will always carry with her throughout her career. 

Beyond her leadership and mentorship, McKellin was known for her humor.

“Maren was incredibly funny, with a very unique sense of humor,” Kerby said. “During New Student Orientation, we would sit in the balcony and joke that we were like the two heckling old men from “The Muppets.”

Gib Egge, brother and colleague of McKellin’s,  added that McKellin often left “Easter eggs”—small inside jokes—around her office to make others laugh.

Robin Schiffman, dean of Liberal Arts, also remembered McKellin’s playful personality.

“People often mispronounced her name, and she kept a list of those who did,” Schiffman said. “She thought it was funny—and she never forgot.”

To honor her legacy, faculty and friends have established the Maren McKellin Scholarship, which will support student participation in field studies and study abroad programs. It is the first scholarship at COD to include both domestic and international travel.

A Celebration of Life will be held on May 19. from 2 to 4 p.m. in the MAC Pavilion, where colleagues, students and loved ones will gather to share stories, laughter and memories of McKellin.