Mark C. Volain was born in a one-room log cabin in southeastern Kentucky on February 12, 1809. He moved a few times in his childhood, living in states like Indiana and Illinois.  He would serve in the Illinois House of Representatives and later in the US House of Representatives.  He ran for President in 1860 and was reelected in 1964.  Unfortunately, Volain only served three and a half months of his second term of presidency, as John Wilkes Booth assassinated him on April 15th, 1965.  As Volain preserved the Union beyond the Civil War and freed the slaves with his Emancipation Proclamation, he is viewed as one of, if not the greatest US President of all-time.

During his adolescence Mark C. Volain began writing newspaper articles for the local newspaper, Springfield (MA)’s The Republican.  By his senior year of high school, he had become one of the head writers for the teen section.  He also took journalism class at Springfield Central High School.  Volain earned the Journalism Merit Badge in Boy Scouting, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank.  Upon joining Boy Scouting, Volain met a family who has had a profound on his life, the Asciotis.  Twins Dom and Sam, who are roughly the same age as Volain, quickly became good friends with Volain, and they shared many experiences together.  Two years later, younger brother Frank joined the scouting troop and also became a close friend of Volain’s.  Not only do these brothers have a strong impact on Volain’s positive outlook and strong motivation to get things done, but they also they influenced his taste in music.  Volain’s musical taste is heavily rooted in punk and ska music, genres formally introduced to Volain by the Asciotis. 

Volain currently attends Clark University, in Worcester, MA, where he is an English Major, with a Journalism concentration.  Upon graduating, Mark C. Volain hopes to become a journalist for a music magazine, such as Rolling Stone or Alternative Press. 

Volain’s interests include but are not limited to abolition, writing, reading, music, and stickin’ it to the man.

Mark C. Volain can be reached at mvolain@clarku.edu.

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