Kenneth L. Marsi
Faculty 1975-1997
Dr. Kenneth L. Marsi was born in Los Barnos, CA in 1929. H was the first of his family to attend college. Marsi graduated from California State University, San Jose in 1951 and then received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Kansas in 1955. Afterwards, worked as a chemist for Sherwin-Williams Paint Co. and then as a Chemistry professor at Fort Hays State College in Hays, Kansas.
In 1961, he accepted a teaching position in the Chemistry department at Long Beach State College, later, California State University Long Beach. Dr. Marsi was Chairman of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry from 1975 until his retirement in 1997. Two years after being named Chairman, he established the Chemistry Advisory Council to act as a liaison between the department and local businesses. The most visible sign of the success of the Council was the high rate of CSULB Chemistry graduates getting jobs in the private sector.
Following his retirement, Dr. Marsi taught in the FERP program until 2001. He passed away in August of 2005.
He has been praised by former students as an instructor with the rare gift of making challenging and complex science easy to understand. His former students include those with careers in medicine, aerospace, petroleum, environmental protection, and as university professors.
The College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics expresses gratitude to all scholarship donors who continue to enhance the quality of education students experience at CNSM.
Impact
During his college years, Dr. Marsi was helped in so many ways by the professors who took a personal interest in him. Because of this, Marsi wanted to aid those who also loved chemistry and biochemistry and need assistance to succeed. The Kenneth L. Marsi Endowed Scholarship was created at the time of Dr. Marsi’s retirement by faculty, students, friends and family in tribute to his successful and cherished career as a Chemistry teacher, a mentor to students at CSULB, and his twenty-two years as Department Chair. This scholarship is open to any undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry or Biochemistry.
Scholarship
Dr. Kenneth L. Marsi Endowed Scholarship