The Family Philanthropy Roadmap

Gifts of all kinds increase the power of our Northeastern community

We encourage each student to create their own path to success; sometimes the journey will look like an interstate highway, while other times it will look like winding back roads. To that end, we want our Husky families to experience their own journey, from Convocation to Commencement. Here is a sample roadmap for your philanthropic relationship with the university.

YEAR ONE

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Make an initial gift to the university to become a Family Fellow, and take advantage of all the benefits of being an active Husky family. Parents who are interested in volunteerism can explore ways to provide co-op opportunities, host events for other families, and become advocates for Northeastern.
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PNT'24

John and Kendra Malloy

$125,000 to The Department of Chemical Engineering

John and Kendra Malloy, whose son Liam earned an engineering degree in 2024, generously gave $25,000 to the Department of Chemical Engineering during their son’s freshman year to support opportunities for student growth. Their support enabled students to attend a prestigious Chemical Engineering conference to compete in the Chem-E-Car competition. Then, during Liam’s sophomore year, they pledged an additional $100,000.

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PNT'16, '23

Ellen DeSanctis
$32,000 to the Marine Science Fund; $1,000,000 to fund an assistant professorship; $100,000 to fund a Research Co-op Fellowship

“My two daughters got a first-class education from Northeastern that changed the path of their life for the better. I am grateful and that’s why I give.” – Ellen DeSanctis, PNT ’16, ’21

Ellen DeSanctis, mother to Anna, D’Amore-McKim School of Business Class of 2016, and Mia, College of Science Class of 2021, MS in Biotechnology Class of 2023, has given generously to the College of Science over the years. In 2013, Anna’s Freshman year, she began giving to an endowed family fund, culminating in $1,000,000 which was dedicated to establishing the Foley Family Assistant Professorship. Then in 2018, Ellen gave an additional $32,000 to support faculty research in the Marine Science Center. In 2022, to support undergraduate research in the College of Science, Ellen created the DeSanctis Family Research Co-Op Fellowship with a gift of $100,000.

YEAR TWO

Explore Your Family’s Passions

Work with the Family Philanthropy team to explore your interests and passions. Meet with faculty and university leaders to deepen your engagement. Make an investment in the programs that are meaningful to you where you can see the impact of your giving.
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PNT'26

Anonymous Family
$160,000 to establish the Learning Disabilities Program Endowed Scholarship

In recognition of the strong support their son received from the Learning Disabilities Program, the family of a student in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences generously pledged $160,000 and established an endowed scholarship for students with demonstrated financial need in this program.

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PNT'26

Soojin and Ji Hong Min
$100,000 for Korean Studies

Soojin and Ji Hong Min, parents of Henry, College of Science class of 2026, generously pledged $100,000 in their son’s second year to establish the South Korean Initiative Fund benefitting Korean studies and programming at Northeastern.

YEAR THREE

Realize your impact

Explore opportunities to honor your student’s legacy by creating an endowed fund, capital commitment, or special project related to your interests. Consider getting involved further by donating your time and contributing your talents to the university.
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PNT'23, '26

Charles Ryan

$1,000,000 to The Doherty Chair in Marine & Environmental Science

Charles Ryan, father to both Charles Murphy Ryan, College of Science class of 2023, and Theodore Ryan, Class of 2026, generously pledged $1,000,000 during his elder son’s third year, to fund a Chair in the Marine and Environmental Science department to address the precarious state the world’s oceans are in.
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The Snider Foundation

$250,000 to the Global Resilience Institute

The Snider Foundation generously gave $250,000 to the Global Resilience Institute, on the recommendation of Craig Snider, PNT’26, to support the institute’s national and international work in raising awareness of critical infrastructure risks and advancing resilient solutions.

YEAR FOUR AND GRADUATION

Continue the Relationship

As your student’s time on campus begins to wind down, consider including them in the philanthropic conversation and making a gift in honor of their graduation.
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PNT'22

Joyce Cheung and Chun Lun Li 
$100,000 to The Asian American Center

“It is an honor for our family to support the AAC, an amazing resource that highlights the Asian American experience and its challenges.  We hope the AAC will continue to provide a space where APIDA students can find inspiration, self-development, and empowerment.” – Joyce Cheung, PNT’22

Having joined the Family Fellows in their son’s sophomore year, Drs. Joyce Cheung and Chun Lun James Li, parents of Kevin Li, College of Social Sciences and Humanities class of 2022, committed $100,000 to endow the Li Family Fund for the Asian American Center during Kevin’s senior year.

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PNT'23

Kelli and Steffan Tomlinson, PNT’23
$300,000 for first-generation and low-income students

In honor of their daughter Cate’s graduation from the College of Arts Media and Design, Kelli and Steffan Tomlinson generously pledged $300,000 to fund three years of the CAMD F1RST Scholars Program, which supports first-generation and low-income CAMD students.

The journey beyond commencement

Northeastern will continue to support you and your student throughout your lifetimes—through networking opportunities, career support, and more. We encourage you to remain involved as a Husky family.

Our university is consistently growing and adapting to meet the needs of our alumni and their future employers. Your continued investment and involvement allow us to stay at the forefront of innovation in higher education, enabling our students to be bold, independent thinkers who help shape the future.

Whether your roadmap is a highway or a less direct path, we hope it will always lead you back to Northeastern.

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PNT’21

Roxanne Donovan and Tom Scarangello
$105,000 for the Doreen Hodgkin Student Emergency Fund

Shortly after their son Anthony graduated, Roxanne Donovan and Tom Scarangello decided to establish a student emergency fund for Khoury College of Computer Science students in honor of retired Associate Dean Doreen Hodgkin, who said she always kept a bit of “emergency money” in her desk drawer for students who suddenly found themselves in need of support. They endowed the fund two years later.

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PNT'18, '21, '23

Sally and Joel Hughes
$100,000 to the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams

Sally and Joel Hughes, parents of alumni Andrew (COE 2021) and Peter (DMSB 2018) and current student Caroline (KCCS 2023), began their philanthropic relationship with Northeastern in 2016, becoming Family Fellows in 2018. At the end of 2021, they pledged $100,000 to be split between the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams with the goal of supporting additional coaching staff.
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PNT'23

Leslie Dolce
$1 million to support veterans and service members at Northeastern

Leslie Dolce, mother of Alex, DMSB’18, and Eric, generously pledged $1,000,000 through the Dolce Foundation to establish the Dolce Family Endowed Scholarship for Veteran and Active-Duty Service Members and to enhance the Dolce Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Service Members.

Ready to start your philanthropic journey? 

Contact us!