Marc Tyrey grew up in Durham, North Carolina, where he attended the local public school system through the tenth grade. Yet, his ambition to earn admission to a reputable college that could prepare him for a successful career in the practice of law urged him to consider enrolling in a college prep school program. He and his parents decided to have Marc complete his last two high school years at Blue Ridge School. In September of 1989, Marc arrived, moved into his dorm room, unpacked his belongings, and began to meet the challenges that would launch his hopes and dreams.
Marc quickly plunged into his studies by taking full advantage of the evening study halls, where he spent two hours each weeknight completing his homework assignments. He found that these evenings provided him the opportunity to quietly focus his attention by, as he put it, “adjusting my compass” and “taking a reset.” This approach worked well. Marc’s grades improved significantly throughout his junior and senior years.
However, life for Marc at Blue Ridge was not just a matter of classes and homework. He was a spirited athlete who enjoyed varsity football and basketball – both of which he excelled in. He contributed to earning a season record of seven wins and two losses in football during his senior year, and Marc was always ready to take to the court when his basketball coach called for him.
Yet, it was his role as a Prefect that earned Marc such considerable respect from both students and faculty. This respectfulness was in large part the product of the way in which he interacted with his peers and the younger boys whom he treated with kindness and respect. There was not a trace of cockiness or arrogance in his approach to leadership. There were from time-to-time incidences where the boys living on his hall could challenge and protest, but Marc could hold the line and uphold the rules and expectations without escalating the situation. This degree of maturity and character usually won out and calmed tensions down and restored peace and calm on the dormitory floor. Marc learned that his time at Blue Ridge “provided a chance to lead by example and to build my own self-confidence.” On graduation day, Marc remembers his father taking him aside, following the awarding of diplomas and the packing of the car for the trip back to home, saying to him, “I dropped a young boy struggling to find himself and now he is leaving as a confident young man.”
During his senior year, Marc began to seriously consider which college he most wished to attend. He had a number of options. Should he focus on big universities or take a close look at smaller colleges. His experience of being a part of a small school community had been a positive one, so, when it came down to it, he chose to apply to Guilford College in North Carolina. This had the advantage of being close to home as well as benefitting from smaller classes and a closer connection to his professors. He majored in political science along with classes in justice and policy studies. His experience in this line of scholarship convinced Marc to undertake graduate studies in the practice of law at Campbell University in North Carolina, from which he graduated with honors in 1997. With his graduate law degree in hand, he then opened a private practice in which he handled cases involving criminal law, Constitutional issues, and commercial litigation.
While actively practicing law in North Carolina, Marc also took the time to serve as a visiting lecturer at Guilford College, a youth coach, and a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
In December of 2019, Governor Roy Cooper appointed Marc to take the open seat available at the Guilford County District Court. Following the governor’s announcement, Marc stated, “I’m humbled that Gov. Cooper has the confidence in me to serve as a District Court judge. I am grateful to the local bars and the community leaders who sponsored my nomination. I look forward to serving this community and working with other judges to ensure a fair, impartial, and diligent judiciary for all.”
For all of the faculty and students who shared time with Marc during his years at Blue Ridge, we take great pride in his appointment knowing that a remarkably good man has become a member of our nation’s judiciary.
