Alan D. Tobin, BA'52, H'94
On why he chose to attend Northeastern: “They had the co-op program, and you could work your way through school if you were on co-op. You could even save some money.”
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On the size of Northeastern’s campus when he was a student: “When I went to Northeastern, we had Richards Hall and the student center building. The quad wasn’t complete, and I think in my junior year we built the science building. And we had the YMCA—that was it.”
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On Roger Hamilton, Dean of the College of Business, being a good professor but strict disciplinarian of tardy students: “We had to go by streetcar [from Mattapan] … and mostly it took about a half hour, but sometimes it took longer … I ran from the streetcar at Mass. Ave., all the way to get [to class]. If I came two minutes late, I had to recite for 15 minutes. So, any day that I had economics, I made sure I got there very early!”
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Roger Hamilton, Dean of the College of Business, was both a professor and an advisor to Alan.
On his co-op at a Boston accounting firm: “Originally, my first job on co-op, the firm had this very big client, a huge supermarket chain. I was 18 or 19, and I could carry this big briefcase and go in with a suit and a tie, with the supervisor of the account. One of my first jobs was to reconcile cash checking accounts, and this huge table … was filled with checks.”
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On life after graduating from Northeastern and passing the CPA exam: “After Northeastern, I went into the army. After I came out, I went to law school, and I was working full-time in this same accounting firm … I became a partner in the accounting firm. It was really a result of Northeastern and the co-op program.”
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On his students in a graduate tax course that he taught at Northeastern: “They were just brilliant. It was a very competitive program to get into, and they were just brilliant. Ninety-five percent of them were successful in public accounting.”
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Professor Joe Golleme, who was a mentor to Alan in his time at Northeastern.
On his relationship with Professor Joe Golemme, a mentor through his years of involvement with Northeastern: “I received an honorary degree from Northeastern in 1994, and Joe Golemme hooded me. He was the greatest guy … I had the honor and the privilege of having three of his children in my graduate class.”
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On involvement with Northeastern University Corporation: “I spent a lot of time at Northeastern, after I graduated and on the governing boards. I met some remarkable, gifted people who gave enormous amount of time … We had outstanding people.”
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On organizations that his philanthropy supports: “My favorite and my most important one is Northeastern, because if I didn’t go to Northeastern, I wouldn’t have been successful in doing what I’ve been doing.”
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This interview is available in its entirety in the Northeastern University Archives. Photos: the Cauldron yearbook and University Library Archives and Special Collections Department. Compiled by Jessica Melanson.
Biography
Graduating in 1952 with a degree in business administration was only the beginning of Alan Tobin’s lifetime involvement with Northeastern. He’s been many things to his alma mater throughout the years: professor, Board of Trustees vice chairman, lifetime trustee emeritus, honorary degree recipient, and enthusiastic supporter of its students, faculty, and programs.