Heatherjean MacNeil ’02 Joins Trustees

“I am immensely grateful that I found Marlboro,” said Heatherjean MacNeil, who returned to join the board of trustees in May. “It was the ideal place for me to explore my diverse and myriad intellectual and career interests, and meet like-minded and inspiring people that are still part of my life today.”

Since graduating from Marlboro with a Plan of Concentration in Biology, specifically ethnobotany and sustainability in Ecuador, Heatherjean has had a wealth of valuable experiences. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, worked on corporate social responsibility for Eileen Fisher, founded her own ethical fashion business called Proxy Apparel, and consulted on business development for non-profits. She is currently co-founder and global director for the Babson College WIN Lab, an award-winning business accelerator for high-growth, women-owned companies.

“I have an entrepreneurial background with strong strategy, operational, and marketing skills,” said Heatherjean, who received her MBA and Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Simmons School of Management and is pursuing a PhD in management at University of Massachusetts. “As a trustee I would like to contribute to the college’s efforts to amplify the Marlboro brand and value proposition—so that others may live the one-of-a-kind Marlboro experience.”

Heatherjean asserts that today’s students are changing what it means to be an education consumer, and are looking for an immediate return on their investment to the college experience. She knows from first-hand experience that Marlboro builds independent thinkers, leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs like herself through academic rigor, self-guided study, and intensive Plan experience.

“Marlboro students learn how to pave their own path, or know how to pursue careers that foster their passions. This is a rare offering in the current college landscape.”