From DJ to Derby Diva

Often a turning betoken inwards one’s life comes yesteryear only answering a aid wanted ad. And when the lay beingness advertised is at an historic Louisville venue then, equally inwards the illustration of Marigene Witten, it takes y'all from college admissions counselor to manager of The Mansion, the privatest of individual spaces at Churchill Downs.
By Lucy M. Pritchett



Photos yesteryear Patti Hartog





But let’s start out at the beginning. Marigene (her shout out is a combination of her mother’s as well as father’s names) majored inwards communications, theater, as well as comparative literature at Indiana University. While at that topographic point she was a DJ for the college radio station WIUS. After graduation she moved to High Point, North Carolina to operate inwards marketing as well as sales at a radio station as well as hence became admissions counselor for High Point University. She moved on to give-up the ghost assistant manager of admissions alongside Transylvania University inwards Lexington as well as and hence associate manager of admissions at Guilford College inwards Greensboro, North Carolina.

       

“I traveled a lot inwards the Northeast as well as Midwest as well as Puerto Rico going to high schools, college fairs, as well as coming together alongside prospective students as well as their families,” she says almost those years. “I loved working alongside high schoolhouse students as well as helping them through the college admissions procedure — guiding them inwards preparing their applications as well as for interviews.”

Eventually, later raising her boy as well as daughter, she moved dorsum to her hometown of Louisville as well as was working equally part-time assistant manager of admissions alongside Northern Kentucky University exactly due south of Cincinnati.


“I was looking for approximately other part-time lay as well as idea it mightiness last fun to operate at Churchill Downs. I had been to several Derbies — at my initiative of all i I saw Secretariat win inwards 1973 — as well as beingness a Louisvillian, I had an immense amount of pride for what Churchill Downs has done for the metropolis as well as Kentucky.”

As it happens, Churchill Downs was looking for a someone to fill upward a lay inwards invitee services. Marigene replied to its online posting. “It was 2005 as well as a novel section, the Finish Line Suites, had exactly opened as well as I became concierge for that venue. I mean value it was because I could pronounce concierge (con reckon airzh) correctly that I got the job,” she says alongside a laugh.

When The Mansion opened inwards 2013, Marigene stepped into the lay of manager. The Mansion is typically solely available for the Oaks as well as Derby as well as provides its guests alongside the ultimate — as well as pricey — Churchill Downs experience.

Entryway to The Mansion -- guests aren't allowed to direct maintain photos when they enter. 


And exactly equally she catered to her college-seeking students as well as their families, Marigene coddles her Derby Day as well as Oaks Day clients. She shows finesse: she in i trial arranged for the right-sized hotel bed for a invitee at 11:30 the nighttime earlier Oaks. She is a expert juggler: each Derby, i invitee ships iv or v hats direct to Marigene which she as well as hence delivers to the woman’s hotel. And utter almost courage? She had to plough away 6-foot-4 New England Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady at the door. He was looking for friends but didn’t direct maintain a ticket to The Mansion. So sorry, Tom. You can’t come upward in.

Turning from college campuses to Churchill Downs has proven to last a gratifying deed for Marigene.

Marigene stands on the balcony of The Mansion. 


“I create await for opportunities as well as am willing to give-up the ghost into an adventure,” Marigene says. “Doors direct maintain opened upward for me throughout my life. And I am willing to endeavor something new. I endeavor to remain receptive to alter because I don’t know what it mightiness bring.”

Find out how a auto ride turned into a turning betoken for this woman
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