Mike McKay ’78: In Memory
Remembering and honoring a beloved leader in the SSP International community
Advocate, leader, friend
We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Mike McKay ’78, Chair of SSP International’s Board of Directors, on July 22, 2026. His loss will be deeply felt throughout the SSPI community for years to come.
Mike leaves behind an extraordinary legacy at SSPI and beyond. We are profoundly grateful for his decades of service, leadership, generosity, and friendship. Our heartfelt condolences go to Mike’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him. We encourage those who knew him to leave a tribute in his memory.
Announcement and memorial from SSPI’s Board of Directors and CEO Frank Steslow
July 27, 2026
We are deeply saddened to share that Mike McKay ’78, Chair of SSP International’s Board of Directors, has passed away.
From his time as a participant in 1978 to a legacy that spanned nearly five decades, Mike’s heart never truly left the Summer Science Program. Since 2002, he devoted his time and leadership to SSPI in numerous roles, serving as a dedicated Board member, Treasurer, Chair, and long-standing member of the Admissions Committee. He helped guide the organization through important periods of leadership transition, strategic growth, and expansion, always bringing careful judgment, tremendous energy, and a deep commitment to the program and its community.
Mike often credited the Summer Science Program with helping him realize that he was not meant to be a scientist. For him, the experience was transformational not because it confirmed the path he expected to follow, but because it gave him the clarity and confidence to pursue a different one. He truly believed the program could have that same lasting impact on other young people, whether it led them toward science or helped them discover another path.
Mike went on to earn his BA in Economics from Harvard College and his MBA from the University of Chicago, where he received the Mayer Prize as the top graduating student and the Brown Prize as the top marketing student.
Mike was outgoing, sociable, and always happy to stop and talk. He was deeply curious about other people and especially loved hearing the stories of fellow alumni, including what the Summer Science Program had meant to them and where their lives had taken them.
He built a distinguished career in business and investing. Mike spent more than 30 years with Bain & Company and was a founding partner of the firm’s Private Equity Group, advising investment funds on strategy and due diligence. He also spent several years as a principal investor, served on the boards of multiple companies, and taught MBA courses as a Senior Lecturer at Brandeis University.
As accomplished as Mike was professionally, his credentials capture only a small part of who he was. Mike had a vivacious personality and a genuine love of life. He was outgoing, sociable, and always happy to stop and talk. He was deeply curious about other people and especially loved hearing the stories of fellow alumni, including what the Summer Science Program had meant to them and where their lives had taken them.
Mike brought that same enthusiasm to his many interests. He was an avid cyclist, skier, and golfer who approached physical challenges and personal growth with remarkable discipline. Cycling, specifically, became both a personal passion and another way for Mike to help others. In May, he completed what he called his “Annual Crazy Bike Adventure,” riding from Boise to Portland along the Oregon Trail to raise funding for cancer research.
That combination of adventure, optimism, and generosity was characteristic of Mike. He was always looking for ways to challenge himself, encourage someone else, support a cause, or strengthen an organization he believed in. He spoke about noticing when someone might need support, making time for a conversation, and helping people find a way to keep moving forward. For Mike, caring for others was not separate from leadership—it was central to it.
He was always looking for ways to challenge himself, encourage someone else, support a cause, or strengthen an organization he believed in. For Mike, caring for others was not separate from leadership—it was central to it.
Mike never stopped looking ahead. While he cherished the Summer Science Program’s history and traditions, he was just as excited about its future. He was especially enthusiastic about the STEM Learning Institute and had planned to attend this summer’s teacher training to meet the inaugural teacher cohort. He loved seeing new ideas take shape and was eager to explore how SSPI could build on its strengths to deliver even more programs that would strengthen STEM education and expand the organization’s impact.
Throughout his career and personal adventures, Mike remained deeply committed to SSPI. He gave generously of his time and resources, participated in alumni programs, supported students through the admissions process, and worked to ensure that future generations could experience the Summer Science Program.
Mike understood that the program’s impact can take many forms. It can introduce a young person to a lifelong calling in science, but it can also help someone recognize a different path with greater confidence and self-knowledge. His own life reflected the breadth and lasting power of that experience.
We are profoundly grateful for Mike’s decades of service, leadership, generosity, friendship, and unmistakable joy in connecting with others. His loss will be deeply felt by the Board, staff, alumni, and the many people whose lives he touched through his work, teaching, mentorship, philanthropy, and constant desire to help.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him.
Remembering Mike
Mike touched countless lives through his friendship, leadership, generosity, and joyful commitment to our community. We invite you to share a memory, reflection, or message of condolence in his honor.
What a shocking loss! As a fellow 1978 SSPer, I remember Mike well as one of the nicest people you could meet, just as thoughtful and caring at that age as apparent later in life–and I was totally unsurprised at his eventual leadership role in SSP and how unstintingly he gave of himself. One personal moment crystallizes his character for me: Though it had been many years since I participated in any alumni activities, and certainly had done nothing to keep me in his mind since that long ago summer, I did join the town hall-type zoom call presentation which he led to discuss the transformative Franklin Antonio gift. Practically the moment I joined the call, when someone else would have been preoccupied in their role leading the large online meeting, he welcomed me as if it had been only months since we’d seen each other, instead of 44 years. I was touched! And felt a twinge then and now that I had missed out on having him as a friend all these years. Bless you, Mike. Heartfelt condolences to his family.
What I’ll remember most about Mike is his generosity. He was generous with his time, his encouragement, and his belief in other people. He made people feel seen, valued, and worth investing in. Mike approached life with an infectious enthusiasm that I will miss.
I feel fortunate to have known Mike and to have worked alongside him for many years. His kindness, generosity, and love of life left an impression on so many of us, and I know his absence will be felt for a long time.
Mike McKay played a critical role in sustaining and growing SSP through many crucial transitions. He brought a strong moral compass to the stewardship of SSP, keeping a focus on what makes SSP special, the care and love for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the entire SSP community. He made a difference in the lives of so many, some directly and others behind the scenes. Mike was a gem of a human being that we are richer for knowing — and poorer for his passing. May his memory be a blessing.
As Executive Director of SSP until 2023, I worked closely with Mike for two decades in his successive roles as Treasurer, then President, then Board Chair. He was always steady, reliable, supportive, wise, and hardworking in support of our mission. He’ll be missed by me and many others.
I had the honor and privilege of working with Mike in his leadership role with SSPI. His ability to listen carefully, synthesize respectfully, and respond with understanding and clarity was impressive. His humor and grace in the face of tasks and challenges always made them seem achievable. His positive view and unwavering commitment to the mission of SSPI were the backbone of our meetings and impressed so many to join him in his service. He will be sorely missed and will always be deeply appreciated.
My first years as an SSP Site Director in New Mexico were filled with many challenges. I often found myself on the phone with Richard Bowdon, trying to figure out how to solve one problem after another. I had no idea Richard had shared those experiences with the board until Mike wrote me the most touching note.
I still remember how his thoughtful words gave me a moment of rest and reassurance, along with the strength to carry on. Seeing this beautiful memorial page brought tears to my eyes, reminding me how selfless and generous Mike was with both his time and his encouragement. His kindness made a lasting difference in my life.
I have always admired Mike as a father, especially the love, dedication, and confidence he showed in raising Ian, who has autism. So many of Mike’s wonderful qualities live on in Ian: his kindness, calm and sweet nature, intelligence, ability to listen, be present, and his commitment to his health. Mike believed in Ian’s abilities and knew he could thrive in a supported home, and he worked hard to make that possible. Today, Ian is doing wonderfully and has become a beloved and familiar member of his community, just like his father. Mike’s love, guidance, and unwavering belief in Ian will always be part of his legacy.
Professor McKay was one of the most influential professors I had at Brandeis.
Beyond teaching some of the best finance courses I’ve ever taken, he selected me to represent Brandeis in the 2018 CFA Institute Research Challenge and entrusted me with leading the team. As an international student, I always felt he treated every student with fairness, kindness, and genuine encouragement.
Years later, I still revisit the LinkedIn recommendation he wrote for me whenever I find myself doubting my abilities. I always thought I’d have the chance to thank him in person and let him know I never gave up.
Thank you, Professor McKay. Your belief in your students continues to make a difference long after graduation.