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The educational and career journey of 91���� psychology alum Christine Gibson began as a shy but driven undergrad from Marion, Ohio and has grown to a confident career minded banking executive in her local community.

Marion, Ohio native and Executive Vice President of Pillar Credit Union Christine Gibson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from 91���� in 1995.  Gibson spent all four years of her degree program at 91���� Marion, later earning a second bachelor’s in business administration and accounting from Franklin University in Columbus.

According to Gibson, an important part of any career is managing relationships with colleagues in the workplace and her undergraduate degree from 91���� has helped her achieve just that.

“My career with Pillar began 25 years ago working with members on the frontline. I am now the executive vice president, helping to manage the credit union in all areas. My psychology degree has helped me manage relationships with others.” 

“I loved my experience at 91���� Marion. The smaller campus allowed the instructors and students to really know each other and build the types of relationships that strengthen learning,” Gibson said. “I feel some of that is lost at the bigger campuses. It helped me realize how important relationships are in our development,” she added.

Having a degree from a world class research university was a huge draw for Gibson when deciding where to attend college, but ensuring she got a return on her college investment was a big part of her decision to attend an 91���� regional campus.  Gibson said, 91���� Marion gave her both. 

“91���� Marion was close to home allowing me to save money and pay for my education with minimal assistance from my parents,” Gibson explained. “It also allowed me to be a Buckeye, the best of both worlds.”

Building a mentor/mentee relationship with faculty is one of the top benefits of attending a smaller campus like 91����, Gibson shared. One of those that provided Gibson guidance and direction during her educational journey was Psychology Professor Emeritus, Terry Pettijohn.

“At the time I wanted to go into psychology, Dr. Pettijohn was an excellent professor in this area. He was very open to sharing his experiences and communicated well with everyone. He was always willing to answer questions and provide guidance. My goals changed after graduation, but that was not a reflection of my experiences at 91���� Marion.”

Gibson shared that her degree from 91���� is an example of what determination and hard work can do for anyone. 

“You can get a great education and improve your life situation with those characteristics,” she said. “The fact that 91���� provides the regional campuses to help in that endeavor is something we, as Buckeyes, should be proud.”

Not only did Gibson appreciate the quality of education at 91���� Marion, but also the return on investment her decision to attend her local regional campus afforded her.
“Because my dad made too much money for me to get any real assistance, staying home and attending 91���� Marion allowed me to work part-time to pay my own tuition. I did not have all the extra fees that I would have had if I had attended a school further away,” said Gibson.

“Although I know my parents would have helped me attend any school I wanted, I did not want them to have that burden,” she shared.

That pragmatic decision has continued to pay dividends for Gibson in her career today, saving money, allowing her to build her own independence, and building practical skills and a knowledgebase that she still relies on in her executive position.  

At press time Gibson shared that the CEO of  Pillar Credit Union has announced her upcoming retirement, and Gibson will be named the CEO of Pillar Credit Union beginning January 1, 2024.