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Marty Wall, BA ’72, is a professional career coach who has made it his mission to ensure political science students at OHIO are well-prepared for life after graduation. Through a combination of direct coaching and financial support, Wall has played a pivotal role in the Political Science Department’s career advising efforts, giving students the tools and real-life insights they need to succeed in the professional world.

Between earning his bachelor’s degree in government from OHIO and retiring in 2015, Wall served in numerous health care association leadership roles. But retirement hasn’t meant slowing down: He’s spent most of the last decade as a career coach working with both students and professionals in the nonprofit sector. His coaching program for OHIO political science students offers a semester of one-on-one guidance to help identify and navigate career paths, refine professional skills, and gain confidence to enter the job market—all free of charge.  

“I didn’t want to do it for money; I wanted to do it to help other people who were struggling to find their way professionally,” Wall said. “When coaching professionals, in the back of my mind was always working with students, given my own experiences at OHIO.”

Wall generally coaches up to four students per semester. Leadership of the Political Science Department, with input from department professors, invite juniors and seniors to apply, focusing on students who have not firmly committed to attending law school. (Wall believes the Center for Law, Justice and Culture already offers robust advising for those with a clear intent to pursue a legal career.) 

Wall reviews applicants’ reasons for seeking coaching, basing his selections on the information provided. He meets with coachees biweekly via Zoom.

The focal point of the coaching process is developing and addressing a student’s post-graduate career goals.

When working with coachees, Wall begins with several assessments addressing their values, personality traits, strengths and interests, then assigns action items to be completed between each of their biweekly sessions. He uses a step-by-step, organized framework that encourages students to explore their interest areas and passions and relates them to relevant career settings and job functions. Students then work on developing career tools such as updated resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles.

“What’s most gratifying is watching where students start and finish,” Wall said. “They tend to feel better about themselves, more self-confident, and often identify multiple career post-graduate career options to consider. The students today are truly amazing,”

Graduate student Alyssa Manning received coaching from Wall while earning her bachelor’s degrees in political science and global studies. She graduated cum laude last spring.

“I truly don’t think I would be where I am today without Marty Wall’s guidance and support,” she said. “His career coaching not only gave me the confidence to take the next steps after graduation, but he also helped me explore opportunities I hadn’t even known existed.”

Sabina Hordinski, BA ’24, saw similar benefits while working with Wall and in the time since.

“He not only helped me clarify my goals in a way that aligns with my interests and priorities, but also worked with me to build the skills needed to help achieve these goals,” Hordinski said. “I’m deeply grateful for the experience with coaching and for my relationship with Marty—it remains meaningful to me to this day.”

In addition to one-on-one coaching, Wall’s financial contributions have expanded opportunities for all political science students at OHIO in the form of a and support for an experimental new career guidance class, POLS 3914.

Recognizing that real-world experience and professional networks are invaluable, the department further leverages Wall’s philanthropy to regularly invite alumni to campus to share insights with students, participate in curriculum discussions and offer feedback on student portfolios.

“The best way for our students to familiarize themselves with different possibilities is to connect them with practitioners, like with our alumni who are in those jobs, each of whom followed a distinct career path,” said Nukhet Sandal, political science professor and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Mr. Wall’s gift for career advising made that possible.” She and Wall began working together to offer free coaching and support alumni visits in 2021.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner,” Wall noted. “If it wasn’t for Professor Sandal, this whole thing wouldn’t have started.”

Through his dedication and investment, Wall has helped breathe new life into OHIO’s political science department career advising. His support ensures that students gain the knowledge, practical guidance and professional connections necessary to launch successful careers. For OHIO’s political science students, Wall’s impact will be felt for years to come.

“Mr. Wall recognizes the excellence of our political science department,” said Sandal, “and he wants to continue to make a difference.”