A former pupil from Barry Boys Comprehensive and Barry College has been appointed as Associate Vice President of Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple Health, an internationally renowned research facility and hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Having completed a BTEC in Business and Finance at Barry College in 1993, 54 year-old Marcus Sharp went on to study a foundation degree in nursing at the University of Glamorgan before starting his nursing career in paediatric oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Wales in Cardiff in 2002. He relocated to Auckland in New Zealand in 2005 prior to Brisbane, Australia then taking senior operations roles Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
Marcus joined Northern Arizona Healthcare in Arizona from 2015 then became Clinical Administrative Director of Oncology Services for Banner Health at the University of Arizona Cancer Centre in 2019. As Associate Vice President for Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies at Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple Health, Marcus is now overseeing clinics, infusion and transplant services across three hospitals and specialised facilities throughout Pennsylvania.
Married with two children, Marcus has a sister with family still living in Barry. He said:
“My nursing career has taken me all over the world, but Barry will always be my home and I come back as often as possible. I often reflect on my journey and have fond memories of my school days in Cadoxton Primary and Barry Boys. However, it was my BTEC from Barry College that gave me my grounding in business and the opportunity to get into nursing school. Without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“I also enjoyed my time working for Camilleri Roofing before I went to college. It was a great experience and I still keep in touch with some of my former workmates. Life has taken me in a different direction but all that I have done has led me here and I am now very proud to be at the forefront of Fox Chase Cancer Centre and Temple Health as an internationally renowned research facility and hospital.”
Geraint Evans is Chair of the Cardiff and Vale College which was formed following the merger of Barry College and Coleg Glan Hafren in September 2011. He lives in Barry and is a proud advocate of further education.
He said:
“Marcus is one of many of our alumni who have gone on to develop highly successful careers and lead global organisations across a range of different sectors. We are hugely proud of them all and the positive impact that they are having on our economy and society at large.
“Further education is integral to creating well-paid jobs and promoting a prosperous Wales. By equipping our young people with essential skills, we are cultivating a skilled workforce, fostering innovation and driving economic growth. That’s why we are investing in our facilities and our resources, including the creation of two new transformational campuses in the Vale at a cost of over £100 million.
“It might be over 20 years since Marcus did his BTEC at Barry College but our focus on creating skilled and employable people hasn’t wavered. We’re a skills machine at the heart of the local community, continuously adapting and innovating to deliver the best possible career pathways for our young people. Marcus is a wonderful example of what can be achieved by studying vocational qualifications and I hope that his story inspires others to do the same.”
Cardiff and Vale College is part of CAVC Group, the largest college group in Wales and third largest in the UK. With an annual turnover more than £130 million, the Group also includes ACT Training and ALS Training.
