Going the Distance: Dickinson Alum Funds New Scholarship Through NYC Marathon
Soon after his marathon, Holcombe Green '92 speaks with Dickinson students interested in careers in finance during a Jan. 26 event at Lazard in NYC. Photo by Joe O'Neill.
First-time runner turns personal milestone into opportunity for NYC students
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
Some of the most impactful legacies arise from unexpected sources. For Holcombe Green ‘92, it was a fitness kick that led him to give back to his alma mater in an out-of-the-box way.
Green, the global head of private capital advisory at Lazard, is a new runner who recently ran his very first marathon. The funds he raised through that experience are unlocking a new Dickinson scholarship for students from New York City.
Getting into step
Green had never been a runner, but after shedding some unwanted pounds a few years ago, he decided to give it a try. Working out with a personal trainer, he started slowly, increasing his running distances over time. And by spring 2025, he’d grown in strength and endurance. A marathon seemed a natural next step.
And if he were going to do that, he was going to go big.
Green had six months to get ready for the New York City Marathon—a signature event for the city and the largest marathon in the world. So he and his trainer got to work.
‘The cause is always Dickinson’
Established in 1970, the New York Marathon takes runners through all five New York boroughs, across more than 26 miles. Approximately 55,000 runners reach the finish line each year, and millions of spectators gather to see them.
In years past, Green was often in the crowd, and he enjoyed the high spirits and camaraderie. Now it was his turn to participate more directly. And, like many marathoners, he planned to use the experience to benefit a worthy cause.
“For me, the cause is always Dickinson,” says Green, a trustee and loyal supporter of the college who recently visited campus to recruit students for a Lazard program. Green called on roughly 45 friends and clients to support his Dickinson fundraising effort. Every one of them agreed.
Now all he needed to do was reach the finish line on the big day.
Catching the wave
Race day began early—very early—on a bright and sunny autumn morning. Tens of thousands of runners reported to Staten Island well before sunrise to check in. Each was assigned a “wave” and a color, indicating when it was their time to kick off.
Five hours after his arrival, it was Green’s time to shine. He and his group ran from Staten Island to Brooklyn to Queens, then into the Bronx, passing numerous iconic landmarks—and millions of cheering onlookers—along the way.
“The crowds were the best part of the race,” says Green, noting that the large, boisterous crowds in Brooklyn were particularly uplifting.
The final leg was in Manhattan, where family and friends had gathered to applaud and cheer for him, with a finish in Central Park. Green, who’d been pacing himself for hours, picked up his speed on the park’s easy, level pathways. His final time—4:46—was significantly faster than his goal.
Turning passion into opportunity
In the end, Green gifted $600,000 to Dickinson through this effort. The result is a new scholarship for aspiring Dickinsonians from Green’s home city. It’s a perfect complement to a previous scholarship that Green, originally from Georgia, established in honor of an influential Dickinson professor, benefitting students from Southern U.S. states.
“I think giving to scholarships is very worthwhile, because it’s an investment in the future as well as the college,” Green says. “It’s amazing to think that my marathon will allow some kid 5, 10, 50 years from now to go to Dickinson.”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published February 12, 2026