Supporting the Binghamton Fund
Donors increase their commitment to students
Newman, a retired CEO, majored in economics and minored in accounting at Binghamton. He said he planned to go to law school but needed a summer job after Commencement. That job ended up being with a national accounting firm.
After completing some more accounting courses to sit for the CPA exam and earning an MBA in financial management from Pace University, Newman became the controller and later the chief financial officer of DRS Technologies Inc., a defense technology provider his father founded. Newman ultimately ran the company as its chairman and CEO before retiring in 2012.
“I did that (MBA) degree at night and became a CPA without ever receiving an accounting degree,” he said. “Without a doubt, SOM holds a special place in my heart.”
His educational journey and career success help explain why he and his wife, Sharon, chose recently to significantly increase their giving through the Newman Family Foundation Inc. to Binghamton Fund accounts for the School of Management and for Harpur College of Arts and Sciences.
Through their foundation, the Newmans also made a substantial commitment to add to the Mark S. Newman ’71 Scholarship, which provides full tuition and fees support to cover a four-year curriculum for selected Harpur recipients.
“I established this scholarship because after paying for my own children’s college education, I thought it would be nice to continue the tradition with deserving students,” he said. “It is such a delight to be able to take the financial weight of paying for college off the shoulders of these special young people. Meeting them at the onset of their college journey and following them through their four years is a true blessing."
Binghamton Fund impact
A strong Binghamton Fund supported by annual giving enables the University to respond quickly and strategically to opportunities when they arise.
