College in Georgia. His coaches there served as his mentors, encouraging him to become a leader on the basketball court. They even made him a co-captain in his freshman year. “Keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you’re getting,” his college coach told him. This is another way of saying that people who are dedicated and work hard will achieve more in life. Those who sit back, complain, and don’t put forth the necessary effort will have fewer opportunities. Mr. Allen left college early for professional basketball, playing briefly for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and then for a number of years in Europe and Latin America. However, he didn’t let go of his desire to finish college. After injuries forced him to retire from basketball, he went to Temple University and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He also earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Phoenix. Before taking his new job at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mr. Allen was the chief executive officer at ACHIEVEability. The group assists low-income and homeless families with education, hous- ing, financial literacy, and employment. In the process, the parents can free themselves from poverty, he says. Their children benefit as well. Marcus Allen Motivating people to create a better future for children It is important to know your purpose in life—and go after it. Marcus Allen sees his purpose as taking care of young people. That’s why he made the difficult decision in early 2013 to leave an organization he deeply respects for one where he believes he can make an even greater impact on children’s lives. Mr. Allen helps nearly 4,000 children in his new role as head of Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania. His organization pairs up children with supportive adult mentors who give them the opportunity to be the best young people they can be, he says. His motivation to help young people comes from his own experiences, Mr. Allen says. He lived in a tough housing project in Atlanta and was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. But even at age 10, he knew he wanted to go to college. He pursued that dream by earning academic and athletic scholarships to attend Paine