Michael J. Marocco ’81 has built a distinguished career in finance—but it’s his passion for the arts that shaped a remarkable gift to USM. As the founder of InSitu, a 28-acre sculpture garden within 300 protected acres in Connecticut, Marocco has created a place where art and nature engage in quiet, powerful conversation.
In May 2025, he opened InSitu to the Kate Cheney Chappell ’83 Center for Book Arts, hosting its inaugural artist retreat. For six USM student artists, the experience offered rare time and space to create, explore, and connect—with their work and with one another.
A longtime USM supporter and Foundation Board member, Marocco sees the arts as transformative. His generosity made that transformation tangible. At InSitu, there were no deadlines, just the hum of the garden and the freedom to make.
By welcoming USM into his creative sanctuary, Marocco helped extend the university’s mission beyond the classroom—and offered a lasting reminder that inspiration begins with space to breathe.
