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ALBANY, Sept. 19, 2006- If a strange yet fitting combination of theology, wisdom and expletives can be heard pouring out of one of the many classrooms on campus, then it is probably the class of one of the college’s most respected professors.  Jeffrey Marlett, an associate professor in the Religious Studies department here at the College of Saint Rose has become one of the most esteemed members of the faculty and a favorite of students of all majors.

            Marlett has an unmistakable teaching style that incorporates humor and a casual atmosphere with professionalism and higher education.  This style creates a unique connection with students that fosters a lasting relationship. 

 “I never had a teacher that actually spoke to us like we were real people and not just there to sit and be still and learn. But instead be engaged in our own learning,” said Deborah Burns, a senior at the College of Saint Rose and a Religious Studies minor as she recounts her first of many experiences with Marlett.

            Faculty members too admire Marlett, but not just for his teaching style.  Still only in his mid 30s, he has become an expert in his field. 

 “There are probably only a handful of people in the country with his level of expertise,” said Bruce Johnston, a 30-year veteran of The College of Saint Rose and a senior member of the Religious Studies department.

            Even though Marlett’s humility prevents him from boasting about his accomplishments, his credentials speak for themselves.  In 2002 he published a book which sold out of a bookstore on the first day.  In 2005, on the day Roman Catholic Pope John Paul II died Marlett appeared on three different local television programs in addition to writing an op-ed article for Newsday. Recently he has delivered guest lectures in two of the most prestigious Catholic universities in America: the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University.

            In addition to his teaching duties, Marlett is also the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative and a representative on the Faculty Committee.

            Marlett arrived at Saint Rose in 1998 after a difficult search for his first long term position, applying to more than 75 different schools all over the United States.

            Before coming to Albany, Marlett obtained his PhD from St. Louis University, and his master’s from Vanderbilt.  Marlett earned his undergraduate degree from Wabash College in Indiana.  It was at Wabash that Marlett realized he wanted to become a college professor. 

“All the different teaching styles you see in me come from professors I had a Wabash,” said Marlett about his alma mater, a place he clearly has a deep affection for.

            After spending the first semester of graduate school in Rome, Italy around the Vatican, Marlett converted to Catholicism.  This was prompted by his attraction to the church’s presence and its diversity that he had never experienced before, having lived most of his life in the Midwest.

            Marlett was born in Nebraska, but grew up in Mt. Vernon, a small town in southwest Missouri.  His mother was a schoolteacher and his father was a Presbyterian minister.  Marlett credits his childhood surroundings for his interest in religion and theology, “I grew up in the Bible Belt.”

            When he is not on campus socializing with past or present students or rooting for the Golden Knights at a Saint Rose sporting event, Marlett is most likely spending time with his wife and three children, or perhaps listening to classical music on NPR.  Still a relatively new resident of upstate New York, he also enjoys experiencing the region’s rich national history.

  Marlett has no immediate plans of leaving The College of Saint Rose.  He likes the close and personal atmosphere of a small school and admits he is assimilating into the local culture and community and has become a part of the Saint Rose family.  But he still admires his Midwest sports teams, “I love the Cardinals!”