Madeleine Jacobs, BS ’68, HON ’03, executive director and CEO of the American Chemical Society, was on campus recently as a member of Columbian College’s National Council of Arts and Sciences and as a panelist in the Women in Philanthropy Forum. We caught up with her to learn about what drives her philanthropic work, why she’s excited by her recent appointment to GW’s Board of Trustees, and how her degree in chemistry launched her remarkable career—a career that includes positions with the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Smithsonian Institution, and as the first female editor-in-chief of the Chemical & Engineering News magazine. (Jacobs pictured with Columbian College Dean Peg Barratt, left.)
How did your experience as a student at GW help launch your professional career?
I am eternally grateful to GW for launching me on a very successful and diverse career path.
As an undergraduate, I had great mentors. My professors gave me highly personalized and professional attention, especially in chemistry, but also in my English courses, which I loved as well. My full tuition scholarship allowed me to take as many courses as I wanted, in all sorts of fields, and that enabled me to have breadth as well as depth to make me successful in a complex world. And, of course, the campus, being so centrally located in Washington, D.C., enabled me to explore all the riches this great capital city has to offer. GW nourished all my many interests and enabled me to be successful at all stages of my career.
How has the field of chemistry evolved in the past 40 years?
The field has changed enormously in the past four decades, and I have been a witness to that change. While the job situation has fluctuated with the economy over the past years, the Great Recession of 2008-2009 was a reset event. The new normal is that fewer people are being hired by chemical and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. than in the past. Although unemployment for chemists is still quite low compared to the national average, it is higher than it has been in nearly half a century. So there are challenges in the job market.
What advice would you offer chemistry graduates entering the work force today?
New graduates as well as seasoned professionals must be flexible, creative, and innovative. Jobs exist, but they are not necessarily in the large companies. Employers are looking for problem solvers and critical thinkers. All employers seek that. So chemists have those skill sets and they need to deploy them in many ways. People need to think about working in smaller companies, start-ups, and even starting their own companies. And I always advise students to follow their passion. If they do, they will be successful. There's a Cole Porter song titled, "Experiment." Absolutely good advice!
How do philanthropists drive social and economic change?
Give your talent, time, and treasure to important causes that truly make a difference and where there are metrics for success. This is why I target my philanthropy. I have my own metrics of success and can see the outcomes of my contributions, whether they are in young people's careers or in a symphony orchestra. I believe it is important to give back to society if you have been blessed with success. I came from a modest family, but we were taught to give to others despite our modest income. Now that I am in a position to help others, I take enormous pleasure in doing so, but I do want to see outcomes.
Why is it important for you to stay engaged with and give back to your alma mater?
I had a fantastic education at GW that enabled me to do some really important things in the world-through my jobs and through the philanthropic contributions that my success enabled. Higher education today is very expensive and out of reach of many people. I want to do whatever I can to help GW help others like me, who could not have afforded a great education without a scholarship. I want to take the message of GW's Promise and Power to other alumni and even non-alumni to help realize the vision that President Knapp and the Board of Trustees have. I want to see GW's prestige grow and grow. The new Science and Engineering Hall is enormously exciting and I can hardly wait until it opens.
Anything else you would like to add?
I am deeply honored to have been elected to the GW Board of Trustees. I hope to make a real contribution and bring my background in science, public affairs, and diversity to the Board's discussions. This is truly a highlight of my life!