Business pioneer and Northeastern alumnus Roger Marino has once again stepped forward to invest in his beloved university by making a multimillion-dollar gift to support the historic university's ambitious goals. Empower the campaign. His passion for Northeastern's experiential learning model and for its unprecedented momentum under the leadership of President Joseph E. Aoun is the driver behind Marino's latest gift.
“President Aoun has taken Northeastern to new heights,” Marino said. “The future of the university looks bright.”
He credited Northeastern's co-op program with giving him the confidence to succeed in the fast-paced business world. “I became very comfortable interacting with my colleagues because I knew how to act in a professional environment,” he said, noting his experiential learning opportunities with Raytheon and Sylvania Lighting. “The Co-op helped me understand the internal workings of different types of companies, so they weren't foreign to me when I graduated from Northeastern.” Marino's investment will help future generations of students experience similarly rewarding professional experiences through the partnership.
Marino graduated with a degree in electrical engineering in 1961. He received an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1996. and was named an honorary lifetime trustee in 2009. His $2 million investment is the latest from Marino, who is a staunch supporter of Northeastern's for the past 20 years, giving back to the university with initiatives focused on health and education.
“Roger epitomizes the impact Northeastern has had on many of our graduates,” said President Aoun. “Just as his education was transformative for him, Roger's enduring commitment to Northeastern has impacted countless members of our community.”
His gift in the early 1990s funded the Marino Recreation Center, which opened in 1996 on Huntington Avenue. “I was really excited when I saw it at night, lit up against the background of Boston,” he once said of his first visit to the Marino Center. “It was just amazing.”
Marino is also his benefactor Torch Scholars Program, a seven-year initiative that supports low-income, first-generation college students who demonstrate potential in non-traditional ways. Based on data from the first two graduating classes, 100 percent of scholars are either in graduate school or employed in their fields.
“I can't believe how smart these kids are,” Marino said. “They are excellent.”
Marino grew up in Revere, Mass., and arrived at Northeastern in the fall of 1956. His father immigrated to America from Italy in the early 20th century and worked as a tailor in a factory not far from campus.
Marino and colleagues College of Engineering Alumnus Richard Egan co-founded EMC in 1979, transforming the Hopkinton, Mass.-based global data storage company from a startup into a multinational company with 40,000 employees.
He retired from EMC in 1992 to pursue business activities related to his lifelong interest in sports and entertainment. He is the executive producer of five feature films and the former principal owner of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins.