Marion County Historical Society's new director is proof it's never too late for a change in life

Feb. 5—FAIRMONT — Susan Cook has proven it's never too late for a career change.

Cook, who has filled a plethora of uniforms in her professional life, said her new role is a testament to the fact that it's never too late to pursue a new career, even if it takes a new degree.

Cook was recently hired as the Marion County Historical Society's museum coordinator, a position that functions as director over the organization. However, her road to the position perhaps began in the 1980s when she was in her late 20s and worked as a stringer for the Clarksburg Telegram.

"I had to hound [the publisher] to hire me," Cook said. "He finally hired me as a stringer and I was paid 75 cents an inch and five dollars a picture."

That was 1986, and she stayed there for 10 years, traveling all around West Virginia covering everything from political races to events and council meetings.

"It was difficult for me to figure it out, but I figured it out," Cook said. "I was getting paid a little bit of money, but after that I landed a job as editor for the Shinnston News."

Cook only remained there for a year before traveling to California for several years before returning to West Virginia. Without a lead for a job and needed financial stability, she got a job working with the North Central Regional Jail as a corrections officer in the year 2000.

She stayed there for another 10 years until she decided to go back to school at Fairmont State University.

By this point, she's in her 50s and between raising her two kids and holding down various jobs, returning to school became something that just wasn't possible.

"I ended up stopping because I didn't have time and just ended up putting it off," Susan said. "After that, I always kept [getting my degree] in the back of my mind, but it always seemed like it was just something that was out of reach."

She spent most of the 2010s doing labor jobs, always keeping in the back of her mind that she intended to go back and finish her degree and fighting her self-doubt about her ability to finally get it done.

After her kids were grown and out of the house, she made the commitment and returned again to Fairmont State to major in museum and folklore studies. She graduated in 2018 with her bachelor of arts at age 57.

"I was never sure how I was going to finish school, I was getting older, it seemed like a lot but I did it," Cook said. "Then I heard about the AmeriCorps program through one of my classmates."

After earning her degree, Cook traveled around West Virginia working for AmeriCorps, a nonprofit that pays to send recent college grads to local areas where they can earn experience and help out communities in need.

Cook worked in creating databases, organizing events and doing really just about whatever needed done.

Her work in AmeriCorps helped prepare her for the position she now holds with the historical society. Society Board President Dora Kay Grubb said Cook came highly recommended from her previous employers.

"Susan has quite a good reputation for being thorough in her research and she came highly recommended from other agencies," Grubb said. "She's always coming up with ideas and she's already coming up with new ideas for displays in the museum."

After being on board a month, Cook is taking her new position and the museum to new heights. She already has plans for encouraging new membership and interest in the organization and is excited for what 2022 will bring.

Reflecting on her career path up to this point, Cook encourages others to always remember that it's never too late to pursue something close to the heart.

"Going back to school I was afraid I'd feel out of place. I was getting older, I was in my 50s and I was afraid there would be all these young people that would look at me sideways," Cook said. "That turned out not to be true, there were a lot of students my age and older and that really helped me past that fear."

Now at 61, Cook has found a new drive and a new passion she would have never guessed 30 years ago.

"Follow your dreams until the day you die, that's it," Cook said. "I wanted to finish my degree and that's what I did. I love books, I love material culture and I followed that love and this is where it brought me."

Reach David Kirk at 304-367-2522 or by email at [email protected].