Wesley Marshall
Seoul, South Korea
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
El Camino Community College District
Wesley Marshall is a Korean-American engineer, entrepreneur, and education advocate. He is the founder of WesOnSTEM, a platform focused on “helping students navigate the journey of higher education.” A former foster youth and first-generation college student, Marshall transferred from El Camino College to Stanford University, where he built a self-designed major in Engineering Design and Business Administration. He is known for his online social media presence, WesOnSTEM, helping thousands of students across the world. He is also known for his advocacy efforts for community college students nationwide, through his service as the Student Trustee of El Camino Community College District and his time on the Student Senate for California Community College Board of Directors.
Early life and education
Marshall is a first-generation, former foster youth born into a poverty-stricken household in South Korea. Given the birth name Yoo Jaemin (Korean: 유재민), he was separated from his family early in his life. He was later adopted and moved to the United States, where he showed an early interest in creativity and problem-solving through building with Legos, an interest that later guided his path toward engineering. He has described navigating the education system largely on his own, having to build his own path through higher education.
Marshall attended North Torrance High School and El Camino College in Torrance, California, before transferring to Stanford University. Marshall earned 11 associate's degrees at El Camino College, and created his own major at Stanford University (Engineering Design and Business Administration).
Career
Marshall's career has unfolded across three overlapping tracks: the growth of WesOnSTEM, student government advocacy, and his transfer to Stanford University.
Birth of WesOnSTEM
WesOnSTEM began in July 2023 as an article-based storytelling website, sharing stories of success through STEM in the California Community College System. In August 2025, Marshall relaunched WesOnSTEM as a company, expanding it into a content and consulting operation. Since transferring to Stanford, the platform's focus has shifted toward college admissions, supporting future students in their aspirations to attend top universities.
Marshall publishes content through WesOnSTEM across several platforms and provides private, affordable consulting for students who need support but cannot afford traditional consulting fees. The platform's mission is “helping students navigate the journey of higher education.”
Educational Advocacy
Marshall joined the El Camino College Associated Students Organization (ASO) in July 2023, when he was appointed to be a Division Council Member of Mathematical Sciences. He held this position until March 28, 2024, when he was confirmed by the ASO Senate to become Senator of Mathematical Sciences. Marshall's role within Mathematical Sciences focused on hosting events for students to build community, and working with Dean Marlow Lemons on developing the division to best support students when AB 1705 was initiated. Marshall served as the Senator of Mathematical Sciences until May 31.
During Marshall's first year of college, his boss told him, “I could see you as Student Trustee.” Those words empowered Marshall to run for the position of Student Trustee of the El Camino Community College District. He ran on the idea of the “Marshall Plan,” which involved advocating for:
- Inclusion of student voices
- More student events
- Better course scheduling
- Better dining options
After a long and contested election, Marshall officially won on April 18, 2024, and would take office on June 1, 2024.
Throughout Marshall's term, the district faced a massive budget deficit and was in the midst of reorganization. Marshall used this opportunity to innovate on the changes coming, hosting hundreds of office hours and talking to thousands of students to understand their concerns with the district. He also worked closely with the ASO Director of Academic Affairs to aid with the reorganization of academic divisions. While serving as Student Trustee, Marshall was elected to serve as the ASO Programs Chair, increasing event output by over 200% under his leadership.
In October 2024, Marshall was selected and appointed to serve on the National Student Trustee Advisory Committee through the Association of Community College Trustees, being one of eight Student Trustees on the committee. Then in January 2025, Marshall was elected to be the Student Trustee Caucus Chair of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, bridging divides between the 70+ Student Trustees in California, fostering collaboration, and authoring the resolution “Ensuring Student Trustee Rights and Equitable Pay.”
As Student Trustee, Marshall directly represented all students in the district on the Board of Trustees and advocated for policies to increase access to college. In February 2025, he met with the district's Congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the advancement of educational access. His leadership expanded statewide as Chair of the Student Trustee Caucus, representing 2.1 million California community college students, and he co-authored and passed a resolution citing the California Education Code, titled "Ensuring Student Trustee Rights and Equitable Pay."
Marshall rejoined the Student Senate for California Community Colleges in November 2025 as Legislative Affairs Director, and in February 2026 was elected Vice President of Finance.
Transfer to Stanford University
Marshall was admitted to Stanford University in May 2025 and began attending in September 2025, transferring from El Camino College and building his own major, Engineering Design and Business Administration. His stated aspirations are to become an engineering leader, building solutions at the confluence of technology and policy while creating communities that make education more accessible and equitable.
Non-profit leadership and affiliations
| Organization | Role(s) |
|---|---|
| El Camino Community College District | Student Trustee (2024–2025) Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee Member (2024–2025) |
| El Camino College Foundation | Board of Directors (2024–2025) |
| Student Senate for California Community Colleges | Vice President of Finance (2026) Legislative Affairs Director (2025–2026) |
| California Community Colleges | Academic Renewal Task Force (2025–2026) Fiscal Affairs Advisory Workgroup (2026) |
| Associated Students of Stanford University | Senate Associate (2025–2026) |
| Scouting America | Eagle Scout (2022) Adult Volunteer (2023–Present) |
| The Order of the Arrow | Vigil Honor & Founder's Award (2025) Adult Volunteer (2025–Present) |
Awards and honors
- JROTC Superior Cadet (1st award) — North High School JROTC, March 2021
- Eagle Scout — Boy Scouts of America, October 2022
- South Bay Regional Invention Convention Winner — Torrance Refining Company, April 2023
- Community Organization Award — Scouting America, May 2023
- JROTC Superior Cadet (2nd award, Bronze Lamp) — North High School JROTC, May 2023
- Dr. Albert Einstein Supernova Award — Scouting America, April 2024
- Vigil Honor — Order of the Arrow, June 2025
- Founder's Award — Order of the Arrow, August 2025
- The William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award — Scouting America, September 2025
- Stanford VPUE STEM Fellowship — Stanford University Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, February 2026
- Wood Badge — Scouting America, April 2026
Electoral history
2024 El Camino Community College District Student Trustee Election
| Slate | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Wesley Marshall | 144 | 49.3% |
| Red Ticket | Candidate 1 | 143 | 49.0% |
| Write-In | — | 5 | 1.7% |
2025 SSCCC Legislative Affairs Director Special Election, Region IV
| College | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohlone | Wesley Marshall | 4 | 66.7% |
| College 1 | Candidate 1 | 1 | 16.6% |
| College 2 | Candidate 2 | 1 | 16.6% |
2026 SSCCC Vice President of Finance Special Election
| Board Position | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAD IV | Wesley Marshall | 9 | 39.1% |
| Board Position 1 | Candidate 1 | 9 | 39.1% |
| Board Position 2 | Candidate 2 | 3 | 13.0% |
| Board Position 3 | Candidate 3 | 1 | 4.4% |
| Board Position 4 | Candidate 4 | 1 | 4.4% |
2026 SSCCC Vice President of Finance Special Election Run Off
| Board Position | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAD IV | Wesley Marshall | 14 | 60.9% |
| Board Position 1 | Candidate 1 | 9 | 39.1% |