Early in her career, Marion worked with Head Start, which included many high-needs families.
When she decided to return to school, she discovered a program through Western Washington University that allowed her to get her degree in human services, which focuses on community service and advocacy. All her studies were on the internet—a surprising opportunity, considering it was the late 1990s. Marion was the first person to graduate from Western entirely online.
Later, she had the opportunity to expand her education and gain even more knowledge about working with at-risk children and their families. She earned her master’s degree from Capella University online in December 2004.