FEATURE STORY
Dr . Marsha Smalling
Living Out Loud with Purpose , Passion , Perseverance & Patience
When Winston Churchill wrote , “ Success is not final , failure is not fatal : it is the courage to continue that counts ,” he appropriately described Dr . Marsha Imghard Smalling . She is an alumnus and current Principal of Glenmuir High School . Having gained her Ph . D . at 37 , she is one of Jamaica ' s youngest to accomplish this achievement . Since being diagnosed in 2003 with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus , Marsha has faced each day with purpose , passion , and perseverance . Dr . Smalling is the author of the recently published book , Powered Up : Leveraging 6 Pillars to Live out Loud , where she shares her personal journey in hopes of helping others cultivate greatness .
Marsha grew up with her maternal grandmother and both her parents . They demonstrated some attributes that she embraces and lives with her today --- compassion , forgiveness , and the value of education . She speaks especially about her grandmother , who epitomizes compassion and care . Her consistency in exhibiting these
Marsha intentionally strives to always become a better version of herself to drive her purpose of elevating , educating , and empowering others . She is very conscious about that , and she is committed to doing it . Marsha believes strongly in God , offering with confidence and conviction , “ I am not the holiest among them , neither am I the most righteous . I love the Lord because I have proven Him so many times in my life . I am convinced that when we commit our plans to Him , He makes them successful . ” Thoughtfully , she continued , “ So when I tie in my belief in God , my confidence in myself with my purpose , which is also driven and destined by Him , I find that I can serve others in the way that I always dream about . In a way that can be impactful for others .” She is confident that If we don ' t identify our purpose , we tend to be all over the place . While Marsha hastens to point out that she is not perfect , she declares , “ I am striving really hard to ensure that everything I do is definitely in alignment with my purpose .”