Anthony R. Manganaro, a first-generation Northeastern graduate who served on the university’s Board of Trustees, and a versatile entrepreneur who rose to the heights of the horse racing world, died Aug. 20 in Saratoga Springs, New York. He was 79.
A compassionate leader who drew from his blue-collar upbringing in Everett, Massachusetts, Manganaro was an active investor in his defining belief that dreams can come true when community support is combined with opportunity.
Manganaro and his family were the founders and lead supporters of Northeastern’s Torch Scholars program, which he helped fund to identify and offer educational opportunities to highly motivated first-generation students who have overcome significant obstacles. The program eliminates barriers to admission created by difficult life circumstances while offering experiential learning and faculty…