Mark Quigley was 17 and struggling with alcohol and drug addiction when his grandfather told him to apply for a groundskeeping role at the University of Pennsylvania, writes Alex Coffey for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
His grandfather wanted more for him than the drug and alcohol struggles he had been enduring since the age of 12.
Quigley decided to honor his wish, thinking it would just be a temporary job. Today, the 60-year-old has finally retired from Penn after spending 42 years keeping the lights on at The Palestra. He started at the bottom and over the years made his up to become the lead electrician for the athletic department.
Most of his days were spent at Franklin Field and the Palestra — both of which allowed him to witness some of the greatest sports moments in Philadelphia’s history. But his job had a much more profound impact on him.
The university got him into rehab 39 years ago, and he has been sober ever since. Penn Athletics’ unwavering support helped him turn his life around — something he never expected when he took the job.
“I wound up being right where I needed to be,” said Quigley.
He has left an indelible impact on the Palestra and Penn.
Read more about Mark Quigley and his decades-long work at Penn in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in February 2025.
