Fond Farewell: Business Administration Major Marshall Neumann

Junior Marshall Neumann, a business administration major, passed away April 3. He was 21.

Born October 30, 1998, he graduated from Paradise High School in 2017 where he was an accomplished member of the wrestling team and named Student of the Year by his graduating class.

At Chico State, he made a similar impression on his faculty, bringing enthusiasm, curiosity, and creative thinking into his classrooms. As he looked forward to completing his degree next spring, his dream was to eventually own his own business.

Management professor Ghadir Ishqaidef described Neumann as a promising student with a bright future ahead of him. He was a good team player, always vibrant and engaged when working with his classmates.

“Marshall entered my MKTG 305 class this spring and I knew immediately that he was special,” said marketing professor Katie Mercurio. “He always had a huge smile on his face and was excited to contribute in the classroom.”

She said Neumann continued to impress her with his active class participation and his thoughtful contributions to discussions, whether considering how consumer culture influences buying behavior or exploring target markets and consumer culture.

“One of his teammates for the final group project, Eric Mattson-Prieto, described him as ‘a good man and very funny,’” Mercurio said. “To me, the highest compliment you receive in my class is that from your teammates—it shows that you contribute and help others along the way.”

Neumann joined Phi Kappa Tau in fall 2018, and his fraternity brothers remember him as someone who was always smiling, constantly helped others, and had a deep appreciation for music. He lived life to the fullest, they said, inspiring them to make T-shirts in his memory that say “Live Like Marshall.”

“Personality-wise, Marshall was the most energetic, caring, and outgoing person I’ve ever met,” said his fraternity brother and fellow business administration major Tristan McCutchan, noting they met when Neumann first joined Phi Kappa Tau. “He always knew how to hold a conversation and make people feel at home, even if he just met them.”

Neumann is survived by his mother, Stephanie, father Andy, siblings Bryan, Adam, and Heather, and girlfriend Anna. His mother is planning a celebration of life for this summer, and we will share details when we learn of them. Phi Kappa Tau is supporting the family with a GoFundMe.

The University flag will be lowered on April 13 in his memory.