A New Horizon

As a young boy in Venezuela, Enrico Marino ’16 and his friends would watch American movies in awe of how different everything looked; how nice the schools, roads and homes were. Envious of the life he did not have and the place he might never go, Marino focused all his attention and energy into baseball, the thing at which he was great and might secure his future.

“Baseball was my life in Venezuela for many years. Where I’m from itʼs the national sport,” explained Marino. “Young men with athletic ability have two choices, you quit school and try to become a professional baseball player at 15 or 16 years old, or you stay in school. There’s no option to do both.”

With the infrastructure and economy of his South American home country in steady decline, Marino and his mother searched for something better. They heard about colleges in the United States where you could play baseball and go to school on an athletic scholarship.

Marino’s journey to UPIKE was not a straight shot from his coastal hometown. In fact, his first stop in the U.S. was Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. Through a network of coaches, he was introduced to the baseball coach at UPIKE and later offered a scholarship.

After transferring to UPIKE, Marino pitched for a year before hanging up his glove and deciding to step away from the sport to focus on academics.

“It was very hard to come from another country, being away from family and friends and living somewhere that is so different. It was a big challenge for me, with responsibilities that I wasn’t mature enough to handle at the time,” admitted Marino. “In the long run, focusing on school was the best decision for me. I developed a passion for learning and realized I didn’t need to rely on baseball to have a happy life.”

After graduating with his bachelorʼs degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting and management and a minor in sociology, Marino went to work for Community Trust Bank in Pikeville as an auditor, where he met his future wife Kellie Varney ’20. The two were married a year later, then Marino began the lengthy, threeyear process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

“My last visit to Venezuela in 2014 was eyeopening. Seeing how bad things had gotten was so disappointing and so sad. I knew I didn’t want to go back,” said Marino. “I went home, but it wasn’t home anymore. The place I left was no longer there.”

The dream that began when Marino was just a boy was finally realized in January 2021, when he was finally sworn in at a ceremony in Frankfort.

“The best thing is the relief I feel now that I’m finally a citizen. When you grow up in another country, you grow up knowing that itʼs different in America,” explained Marino. “People here exist in a place where things have always been ok, peaceful and safe. Once I became a U.S. citizen, the fear of somehow messing up and being sent back was gone.”

Even though Marino’s dad was a mechanic and successful businessman, who provided a comfortable middle-class life, it was hard sometimes for the family to get basic needs met that people often take for granted. With his home country in crisis, there was scarcity in food and medicine at times, and long lines to wait in for certain goods.

“I left right before it got really bad, but it was still pretty rough when I was there. Being here is great because I know I can work to make money, be who I want to be and take a walk anytime without worrying that I’ve placed myself in danger,” said Marino. “When I was 5 years old, my family could get a taxi and go somewhere with no problems. By the time I was 7 you couldnʼt do that without risking your life.”

It wasn’t easy for Marino’s mother to kiss her son goodbye and watch him leave to start a new life on another continent at the young age of 17. She knew leaving was best for him and he works hard each day to make her proud.

“I’m grateful for the sacrifices my family made that allowed me to pursue my dreams in the States,” said Marino. “I tried so hard and I couldn’t let myself fail because getting my education means that my mother’s sacrifices weren’t in vain.”

Working as the staff accountant for the City of Pikeville since 2018, Marino is responsible for handling payroll, reviewing tax documents, financial management of grants, and reconciling accounts and bank statements for the city. He credits his UPIKE education and helpful professors with preparing him for his career.

“You can’t learn everything in a classroom, so through the business simulations we engaged in with other schools. My professors exposed me to situations that helped prepare me for real work scenarios,” said Marino. “They also encouraged me to hone my interview skills, use everything I learned and turn it into practical applications I could use on the job.”

UPIKE Associate Professor of Business Brenda Maynard, M.S., Marino’s former academic advisor, recalls meeting him for the first time.

“I remember when I first met him several years ago. I thought wow, he is a leader and will be quite successful,” said Maynard. “I’m so proud of Enrico. He has always had goals and knows how to achieve them. He is a true inspiration.”

Marino is grateful for the many people, too many to name, throughout his journey who helped him get to where he is today. At UPIKE, there’s an important lesson he learned about himself — there is no substitution for hard work.

“It doesn’t matter where you start, what your name is or where you are from,” Marino said. “If you show up to class on time and study, you’ll pass. If you show up to an interview determined and prepared, you might get the job. It’s all about putting in the work.”

By Amy Charles