Supporting EnTERPreneurs Across Generations: Evan Shubin MFA ’97

There is no single path to entrepreneurship, as Evan Shubin MFA ’97 can attest. After a successful career in marketing and leadership, Shubin pivoted full-time to the startup world seven years ago—and never looked back. Now, he and his family (his wife Michelle Shubin ’91 is also a Terp) are paying it forward for the next generation of enTERPreneurs with a gift to the Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship.

The Center, part of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, is an award-winning hub for entrepreneurship that connects students with resources and mentorship to help turn their business ideas into reality. Shubin’s $50,000 gift officially established the Shubin Family and Candlelight Partners LLC Dingman-Lamone Center Current-Use Program Support Fund in Business to grow the Dingman Advising program, a personal passion of Shubin’s and a way to help more students find their own paths to business ownership.

“Dingman Advising is a particular area where I feel like the sky's the limit,” says Shubin. “I've seen firsthand the positive rewards for both the advisee and advisor, and for current students and alumni.”

Since becoming a mentor himself, Shubin has advised more than 300 Terps through the program. Some of his mentees have gone on to launch successful businesses, becoming CEOs and COOs themselves. Many keep in touch, whether to ask for more advice along the way or to share their successes.

“It's one of the most valuable things that I do with my time,” Shubin says.

In addition to volunteering with Dingman Advising, Shubin is an at-large member of the Alumni Association Board of Governors and an avid basketball fan. One of his favorite Maryland moments was seeing the Terps win the 2002 national championship in Atlanta.

More recently, Shubin has found opportunities to give back through his time on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council and by speaking at the Alumni Association’s EnTERPreneur Conference in March 2026. The conference welcomed alums back for a day of connection and learning from Shubin and fellow business leaders like Brett ’95 and Mary Schulman ’97.

“Helping people pitch better for Pitch Dingman, being a guest lecturer in business classes, being part of the Alumni Association board—all of those experiences have been truly rewarding and gratifying,” says Shubin. “And I feel like I'm one drop of oil in this incredible engine. It's extremely rewarding to be part of it.”

With his gift, Shubin hopes the entrepreneurship ecosystem at Maryland, and especially Dingman Advising, can reach and impact even more students and alums.

“It’s about increasing visibility and volume,” Shubin says. “[Dingman Advising] is such a strong program now, and I think it can become even stronger.”