Return on Investment: Lifetime Partnership Begun at Brockport Leads to Business Department Scholarship
By David Mihalyov ’87/’03 A campus tour for incoming students more than 40 years ago ultimately led to one of the most generous donations The College at Brockport has received in recent years. Bob and Nancy (Beatty) Marino, both of the class of 1969, have donated $102,250 to the College to support the Robert J. and Nancy B. Marino Business Leadership Scholarship. The scholarship is to be used for the purpose of providing undergraduate student awards in the Department of Business Administration and Economics at The College at Brockport. The couple originally met on the Brockport campus when Bob was serving as an orientation tour guide for incoming students, one of which was Nancy. She had graduated from Nassau Community College and was transferring to Brockport. This chance meeting turned into a partnership that would last a lifetime. From Brockport, Bob went on to a highly successful career in the telecommunications industry, but remembered the lessons he learned as a student. “Brockport helped me learn the importance of not only winning, but winning fairly,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what career you’re in, take the high road and do your personal best. Don’t leave anything in the locker room.” The inaugural recipients of the Robert J. and Nancy B. Marino Business Leadership Scholarship are Kyle Amendola and Kristin Sickels. Amendola is a senior from Cheektowaga, NY, and is majoring in finance with minors in economics and
communication. Sickels is a senior from we spoke, she was looking forward to a Spencerport, NY, who is majoring in November 23 competition in Tempe, AZ. finance. Ironman triathlons consist of a 2.4 mile “This award means so much to swim, a 112-mile bike ride, followed by a me. Seeing that alumni are willing to 26.2 mile run. Obviously, perseverance is contribute to the success of current an important attribute to her. students means a lot,” said Amendola, “I am continually impressed by the who also is the current Brockport Student generosity of our alumni,” said Roxanne Government president. Johnston, vice president of the Division of According to Bob, Kyle’s experience in Advancement for the College at Brockport. BSG is important to creating a successful “It is friends of the College such as Robert business career. “I like to see people and Nancy Marino who have helped to in the business environment learn the provide the resources necessary to offer importance of working with and getting the quality and breadth of educational things done through people,” Bob said. opportunities at Brockport. A scholarship “Communication is so important to being such as this makes it easier for our best a good manager.” students to continue their educations.” Bob shared the impact one Brockport The Marinos have not been back to teacher, Visiting Professor Orme Phelps, Brockport in many years, but hope to had on his success in business. “He be on campus later this year for the class impressed me with economics not only of 1969’s 40th reunion. Maybe it was being a lot of math, but he taught the those thoughts of milestone memories psychology and sociology of business. that spurred the Marinos to grant their I really enjoyed the philosophy of economics, “Brockport helped me learn the importance of not only why people behaved the winning, but winning fairly. It doesn’t matter what career way they did. I tried to you’re in, take the high road and do your personal best. Don’t combine that with the leave anything in the locker room.” College’s old motto of ‘Let each become all they’re capable of being.’ ” donation. “I wanted to see the results of He spent his entire career in the being in a position to help those with telecommunications field, beginning with financial needs,” Bob said. his first job at Rochester Telephone. He That gesture is appreciated, as Amendola also held senior management positions at so aptly summarized, “It feels great to Houston Cellular Telephone Company; know that some people really want to see Nextell Communications; Compania de Brockport students succeed.” Radiocomunicaciones Moviles in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sprint Corporation; and as group president of Convergys. He is currently chairman of the board of Syniverse Technologies, located in Tampa, FL. Nancy, who also received her master’s degree from Brockport in 1972, was both a guidance counselor and teacher in the Rush-Henrietta School District. She now spends her time training and taking part in ironman triathlon competitions. When
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