Elizabeth B. Strickler ’86 and Mark T. Gallogly ’86 have made a generous gift to Columbia Business School to establish a loan assistance fund in honor of Ms. Strickler’s mother, Ellen B. Strickler ’78.
Run through the School’s Social Enterprise Program (SEP), the Ellen B. Strickler ’78 Loan Assistance Fund encourages MBA graduates to pursue management positions in the public and nonprofit sectors by helping to alleviate the financial burden associated with repaying education loans. Typically, these sectors pay lower salaries than private industry but have unmet needs that Columbia graduates are able to address. Graduates working for microfinance organizations, low-profit limited liability companies (L3C), and social ventures that focus on low-income communities or create significant public goods are now also eligible for assistance, thanks to the endowment support.
The daughter of Danish immigrants, Ellen Strickler graduated from Smith College in 1957 with a degree in history and later pursued accounting, marketing, and finance at Columbia Business School. In her career, she worked in various positions in marketing with Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank. During that time, she recognized an underserved niche in the area of financial planning for individuals. In 1986, Strickler became a licensed Certified Financial Planner and developed a client base that primarily focused on women with limited experience in asset allocation and long-term financial planning. She ran an independent practice until her retirement in 2008.
From there, she continued her public interest work as a trustee and Chairman of the Investment Committee at Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. She currently serves as a trustee for the Keene Valley Library Association in the Adirondack Mountains. Strickler is also a member of the WellMet Group, an organization committed to expanding women’s roles in philanthropy through pooled resources.
“As a first-generation American, my mom has always been appreciative of the great opportunities available in this country,” said Elizabeth Strickler. “An entrepreneur herself, she values the American entrepreneurial spirit and has a deep respect for those with the drive to give back through public service.
The loan assistance fund makes this possible for Columbia Business School graduates who otherwise might not be able to consider taking on such roles.”Elizabeth Strickler and Mark Gallogly have long been avid supporters of the School. Gallogly, the managing principal and co-founder of Centerbridge Partners, a private New York-based investment firm, will speak at a special Worldwide Alumni Club Event on June 6. He has been a member of the School’s Board of Overseers since 2007 and also sits on the Campaign Executive Committee. In 2012, he served as chair of the Annual Dinner.
Elizabeth Strickler is retired from an accomplished career in the corporate sector and now devotes most of her time to the public interest, focusing mainly on education and the environment. She has been a member of the SEP Advisory Board since 2006 and the SEP’s Impact Sub-Committee since 2011. She also often serves as a mentor with the SEP’s Nonprofit Board Leadership Program.
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