George Makris
Director of athletic development emeritus George Makris, B’48, and his wife, Helen, have donated $250,000 to support student athletes at Northeastern.
This is the second major donation in support of athletics given in recent months by a longtime university employee. Last May, Jack Grinold, associate athletic director and director of sports information, gave $1 million.
Says Makris, who spent thirty-two years as a Northeastern employee, “I hope my act will inspire other alumni to follow Jack’s lead so that the next generation can benefit as I did from a world-class education combined with athletics excellence.”
The new gift will support the George P. and Helen C. Makris Family Scholarship Fund, which annually assists an outstanding student athlete on the varsity football or baseball team.
“George and Helen Makris are institutional icons, and their gift illustrates the passion our alumni and employees have for this university,” says President Aoun. “We are enormously grateful not only for this gift, but for their many decades of service and commitment to Northeastern.”
Makris earned three varsity letters in football during the 1940s. Elected captain by his teammates in 1947, he won several all-star accolades that season. He also earned one letter each in baseball and hockey. He was elected to the Northeastern University Hall of Fame in 1983.
After working for the Electrolux Company for twenty-five years, Makris returned to Northeastern in 1975, first as Varsity Club president, then as treasurer.
In 1977, he became the university’s first director of athletic development. He has also led campaigns to raise funds for Matthews Arena, Parsons Field, and Solomon Court; organized campaigns for athletic scholarships; and started the Fight to Educate program, a black-tie event featuring amateur boxing that, after eighteen years, has raised nearly $1 million. The George Makris Varsity Club Room at Matthews was named in his honor.