A Farewell from the Board of Beacon College
By Lucas Mautner
Beacon College President George Haggerty & Eileen Marinakis
Recently, Eileen Marinakis stepped down from her position as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Beacon College, which she held for five years. Marinakis was appointed to the Board in 2007. She first served as the Board’s Secretary for three years until assuming the position of Chair. “I look back at who I was in 2011, when they said, ‘You take the chairmanship!’ I said, ‘Me?’ I don’t think I’ve got it. I don’t have the experience.’”
During her tenure as Chair, Beacon College has been recognized for its 83.3% graduation rate, as well as the soaring enrollment numbers. Located in Leesburg, Florida, Beacon College is the nation’s foremost institution dedicated to the undergraduate education of students with learning disabilities.
“I didn’t realize how much of the job was interpersonal,” Marinakis said. “Getting the support of colleagues, getting the support of staff. This job was not as hard as you think. Laborious—yes. But it was a labor of love. Look at the kids we’re serving. Do you need any better motivation than those kids or their families? These issues don’t just affect the kid. It affects the entire family: the siblings, the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles. Everybody is watching, waiting, trying to make a difference. So I thank you all. It has been a joy and a pleasure.” #
