Members of the Manganaro family — front, center, Nicole D’Amore, Anthony Manganaro and Michele Manganaro — meet with several Torch Scholars at a recent reception. Photo by Craig Bailey

Torch Scholars Program receives $7.5 million gift

Family of alumni open the door to education for high-potential students

Inspired by the success of the first two classes enrolled in Northeastern’s Torch Scholars Program, alumnus Anthony Manganaro ’67, his wife, Michele, and their children, Todd ’95 and Nicole D’Amore ’97, have donated $7.5 million to support the program.

The Torch Scholars Program is a bold and innovative initiative that provides encouragement and means for individuals who possess great promise for future success in college, but who face significant life challenges that might otherwise preclude them from pursuing a degree at a private university such as Northeastern.

Selected from hundreds of applicants each year, the program awards full tuition, fees, and room and board scholarships for its Summer Immersion Program and eight subsequent semesters for undergraduate study, provided the scholar’s grades remain acceptable.

“Because of the Manganaro family’s extraordinary generosity, Northeastern University will continue to break new ground in the way universities identify and nurture students with leadership potential and special reserves of perseverance,” said President Joseph E. Aoun.

“The Torch Scholars Program shows that Northeastern can innovate and become more competitive, yet still honor our oldest mission of providing an education to students from less-advantaged backgrounds who have great potential.”
Although there are hundreds of college-entry and scholarship programs in the United States, the Torch Scholars Program is unique in many capacities, including its rigorous admission process.

A comprehensive leadership assessment weighs the candidate’s background and personal traits to consider how character and motivation will influence overall success. This process is becoming a national model for identifying and rewarding students with high commitment and high potential, and is encouraging other universities to think differently about predictors of college success. The admission process includes pre-screening, interviewing, testing, and examination of variables linked to leadership, maturity, potential for success, tenacity, resiliency, and a commitment to civic engagement. Oftentimes, grades and test scores alone would not qualify these students for admission.
Torch applicants are also asked to bring in mentors and role models who can speak to administrators on their behalf and highlight the students’ accomplishments.

“We know there are many first-generation students who have the drive and intelligence to succeed in college who are overlooked by the narrow evaluation of many universities,” said Anthony Manganaro, a civil engineering graduate.
“I am tremendously impressed with the progress this university has made and its continued commitment to the character of Northeastern students. We have a lot to be proud of in this school, and we need to show it with solid bottom-line support. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide more committed and motivated young people with an outstanding college education.”

In addition to financial support, Torch Scholars receive personal and academic support from the program throughout their undergraduate careers, including mentoring, workshops, and social events which maintain group identity and camaraderie. In the true spirit of Northeastern and its flagship cooperative education program, Torch Scholars are also given specially designed co-op assignments working with corporate or civic leaders in their chosen field.
It is expected that as Torch Scholars progress in their studies, they will become mentors for future Torch Scholars, and later remain involved as alumni.

This is the Manganaro family’s second contribution to the Torch Scholars Program. The first, in 2006, funded 10 extraordinary young scholars.

The Manganaro family also mentors scholarship winners and encourages upperclassmen Torch Scholars to do the same for the following class, advised on the program’s selection criteria and were involved in selecting the first class of scholars.

Northeastern has a long tradition of providing students of modest means educational opportunities, especially those whose potential is not easily assessed through traditional means. Anthony Manganaro’s personal and professional success is one example of a first-generation Northeastern graduate who has achieved great personal and professional success. He is chairman of the Siena Corp., a commercial real estate development company in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

“The Manganaro family’s support and commitment to this program from its birth has been a true testament to the difference dedicated alumni can make for generations of promising young people,” said Philomena Mantella, senior vice president for enrollment management and student affairs.

“They made it a family affair to see to it that this important program transform lives while challenging universities to face the complexity of assessing human potential by testing new structures and methods for assessing it.”
The university hopes to build endowment support that permanently sustains the program. Galvanized by the Manganaro family’s generosity, others have enthusiastically come forward to support the program, including Northeastern alumni, faculty and staff who have rallied to raise funds to support a Torch Scholar in each class. 
As the program welcomes more and more students, additional support will be needed. Donors can support individual students with a commitment of $125,000. Permanent endowed Torch Scholarships can be established with a gift of $500,000.