Mariko Wilcox ’99: A Legacy Through Philanthropy

Mariko Wilcox has reimagined her life in meaningful ways over the years, demonstrating an impressive level of creativity and courage. “This has been possible because I am scrappy. And every time there was an opportunity put in front of me, I took it—and I’ve asked to bend the rules,” she says. Mariko credits Conn with not only allowing her to bend some rules but also in helping her develop the confidence to ask for what she wanted and pursue a path that hasn’t always been straightforward. Mariko also possesses a deep commitment to others, a hallmark of her experience at Conn and since she graduated.

It was serendipity that brought Mariko to Conn in the first place. She grew up in Colorado, the daughter of a single mother who had emigrated from Japan. Shortly before the end of high school, she was on an airplane wearing a Williams College sweatshirt (her uncle had graduated from Williams) and found herself seated next to a Williams alum. “For some oddball reason, he was like, have you ever considered Connecticut College?” She told the fellow passenger she actually hadn’t heard of the college, but the conversation stayed in her mind.

A few months later, Mariko and her mother drove from Colorado to the Northeast to visit colleges. They had extra time on the way home and drove close to Conn. “And I said, ‘Stop, it’s the next exit.’ ” The admission fellow Mariko met that afternoon made all the difference. “He was a wonderful guy, and we had a great talk. He was African American, so I knew he and I could talk about diversity.” It was such a positive visit that Mariko decided to apply Early Decision and was accepted. Remembering the importance of that interaction, Mariko worked as an admission fellow herself.

As an undergraduate, Mariko majored in economics and studied abroad in Japan and Vietnam. Mariko went on to earn a master’s degree in library science from the University of North Texas and worked in the field for a decade, ending her career as a librarian at the San Francisco Public Library. Ready for a change, Mariko considered an area that had always interested her. “I love personal finance. Growing up with a parent of limited means, I’ve been very money aware since I was small. As an immigrant, my mom was unfamiliar with the system—so I would have to read official letters and explain, this means this, you can throw that one away, it’s not important, [or] this is from the IRS.”

Now, as a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual, Mariko says she has discovered her passion. “I love it,” she says. “I especially love working with women who are 50-plus because they’re just a bit older than I am, so I can help them through retirement and in their first years of retirement. I decided to focus on long-term planning and make myself an expert in that.”

In addition to being a consistent donor to Conn for many years, Mariko has also stayed engaged as an active member of the Alumni Board and by participating in programs at the College including Fast Forward, a week-long intensive college-to-career preparation workshop led by alumni professionals, where she has worked with many international students and students of color. She emphasizes that participation like this is a great way to give back, especially for alumni who are not in the position at a certain point to donate money.

“One tool that helps young people start to build financial security is whole life insurance because if you are young and healthy, the financial commitment is modest. Since the price stays the same through one’s whole life and it builds equity, it’s a great philanthropy tool as life unfolds and one decides on a legacy goal. I named Connecticut College as the beneficiary of mine. Conn is guaranteed to receive the legacy amount, determined during life, so I was able to notify them about the amount of the bequest. It’s also flexible as goals expand and change.

“I’m very honored to be in the Rosemary Park Society, but I hope that I look a little bit different than perhaps a typical member as I don’t have heirs. I hope that some other people see themselves in me. And so that’s why I’ve chosen philanthropy as my legacy, and it’s very, very important to me.”