Macklin Business Institute at Montgomery College Turns 25
Back in 1999, business headlines included the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s historic closing above 11,000 for the first time. That same year, the Roth IRA was introduced by U.S. Senator William V. Roth Jr. Locally, news of the historic $1.26 million gift by Gordon and Marilyn Macklin to Montgomery College made waves. Then, it was the largest gift to a two-year college in Maryland history. That gift established the Macklin Business Institute at Montgomery College.
In October, the College recognized the Macklin Business Institute’s 25th year, the initial gifts made by Gordon and Marilyn Macklin, and the Macklin Foundation’s ongoing philanthropy. Macklin family members, MBI alumni, current students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Rockville Campus to celebrate the program’s numerous successes and innovations.
Events included a Friday night alumni networking event; Saturday morning programs including two MBI alumni panels and tours of Montgomery College and the MBI Cafes; a Saturday afternoon program honoring Gordon and Marilyn Macklin and the Macklin Foundation that included a plaque unveiling that will be displayed outside of the Macklin Finance Lab; and an evening alumni-only dinner along with several Macklin family members. More than 100 MBI alumni participated, along with 22 current Macklin scholars.
“MBI always challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and try new projects, try new experiences. When I moved to the United States, my resume was a blank paper, and within the two years I was involved at MC and MBI, I was able to not only to fill it out, but I had a hard time choosing which activities to put on there, which is amazing.”
—Dena Bassiri ’19
“One of the things that makes the program great is that we honor the legacy of Gordon and Marilyn Macklin and their vision of what they intended for MC students. Our MBI alumni all say the program changed their lives,” says Steve Lang, MBI director. “We’ve had students transfer to top business schools directly from Montgomery College, and many continue their education at top graduate programs, including the Harvard MBA program.”
Including the initial gift, Gordon and Marilyn Macklin and the Macklin Foundation has given a total of $5.3 million to the College. Most recently, a gift of $1.22 million resulted in creating the Macklin Finance Lab. This state-of-the-art lab provides students with a hands-on learning environment so that they can gain exposure to various tools and skills beneficial to both their educational and career paths.
Gordon Macklin, the former president of the National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. (NASD), helped create the Nasdaq stock exchange in 1971. Marilyn Macklin was an alumna of Montgomery College. The Macklins envisioned the institute as a place where the values of education, business, and civic responsibility would come together in a creative way to facilitate educational and career successes for talented students. In addition to providing financial resources and a wealth of experience, Gordon Macklin personally met with students in their seminar classes, sharing his extensive industry knowledge and advice.