Nathan Marohn, 2021 Significant Challenge College Scholarship Second Place Recipient
Years of treatment and multiple surgeries did not stop Nathan Marohn, a graduating senior from Stevensville, Michigan, from fulfilling his role as a community leader. With a motivation to transform lives, he resiliently met the challenges of his medical condition to advocate for the Ulcerative Colitis community. Richie’s Spirit Foundation recognizes Nathan as the Second Place Winner for the 2021 Significant Challenge Scholarship.
Nathan was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in middle school which led to six years of an extensive battle with his medical condition. Despite the physically and emotionally difficult time he faced, Nathan adopted a positive mindset that made him a proactive and respected individual among his community. His teacher shares, “his compassionate leadership, personal resilience, and steadfast commitment to excellence have inspired his peers and his teachers alike… [H]is peers intuitively looked to him for guidance and insight.”
From actively seeking opportunities to spread awareness through his story, to fundraising for UC research, Nathan’s advocacy has impacted at least 30,000 people and raised over $25,000 on behalf of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. A t-shirt project made this all possible after creating the “No Colon, Still Rollin” Slogan alongside his cousin. It was an immediate success, and his contribution provided funds for research purposes.
His dedication to finding a cure goes beyond his attempts to raise awareness for Ulcerative Colitis. Nathan has decided to pursue a career in medicine to further his impact. He shares in his award-winning essay, “my goal is to be a pediatric colorectal surgeon thus helping children manage their UC struggles...I aspire to develop surgical procedures that are less invasive, thus minimizing patient pain and recovery time.”
Outside of his professional and UC-related goals, Nathan’s high school history teacher explains how he exemplifies what it means to be an involved student leader through his participation in the “Lakeshore’s Varsity Soccer team, his coaching of a youth soccer team, his role as Class President, and his active membership in the National Honor Society, YoungLife, and Lakeshore’s Peer Mentoring Program.”
Richie’s Spirit Foundation congratulates Nathan Marohn and wishes him the best of luck as he attends college in the Fall.