Vaun Dole Born ’47 Memorial Scholarship Created Through the Foundation’s 90th Match Program

Vaun Dole Born ’47 Memorial Scholarship Created Through the Foundation’s 90th Match Program

The Vaun Dole Born’47 Memorial Scholarship fund was established at the University of Maine Foundation in 2023 for the benefit of the University of Maine, Orono, Maine with a gift from Vaun’s husband, James O. Born, son Douglas J. Born, and daughter Christine Born Johnson ’82. Vaun was born at home in Portland, Maine, in 1923. She was a 1941 graduate of Deering High School. She attended Westbrook Junior College in Portland for three years before serving in the Navy W.A.V.E.S. during WWII. After the war, her father encouraged her to continue her education at the University of Maine. She graduated in 1947 with a BS in Commercial Education. Vaun worked for several years in banking and at Maine Central Railroad, where she met her husband, James Born (Jim). Together, they raised two children in Westbrook, Maine, where she was an active community volunteer for many years. She took a special interest in working with children, serving as a leader in the Blue Birds, Camp Fire Girls, and Cub Scouts, teaching Sunday school, and volunteering with the local PTA and band boosters. She was also extremely interested in local history and family genealogy. She and Jim were charter members of the Westbrook Historical Society for which she researched and wrote a book about the mayors of Westbrook. After a lengthy retirement that included extensive world travel, she passed away in 2019 at the age of 96. The signing occurred on September 8, which would have been Vaun’s 100th birthday. Pictured are her husband, James, and her daughter Christine.

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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UMaine Foundation 90th Anniversary Match

UMaine Foundation 90th Anniversary Match

 University of Maine Foundation President Jeffery N. Mills has announced a matching gift program in honor of the Foundation’s upcoming 90th anniversary on June 9, 2024. The 25% match will encourage the establishment of new scholarship endowments and gifts to existing scholarship endowment funds for the benefit of the University of Maine.

This match is made possible by a generous gift to support scholarships from the Judith and Robert Blake Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Robert E. Blake was a member of the Class of 1962.

Donors Peter ’61 and Gail Berry ’61 were the first to respond to the matching challenge. They initiated a scholarship to support the education of new teachers from Washington County. Gail is one of three sisters, all UMaine graduates and teachers. “We are delighted to initiate a scholarship for Washington County students who want to pursue a teaching career,” stated Gail McLain Berry and Maj. Gen. Peter T. Berry (Ret.). “Teaching is a noble profession, critical to our country and democracy. We want to thank the Blake family and the UMaine Foundation for their support in this endeavor.”

Minimum gifts of $8,000 ($2,000 match) and maximum gifts of $80,000 ($20,000 match) will be matched per donor. Commitments may be paid over five years 2023-2028. New and existing endowed scholarship funds will be matched on the same basis. 

The entry-level to establish a named scholarship fund is $10,000. With this matching program, donors can create a fund with only $8,000. The matching gift offer will be in effect until June 9, 2024; however, there are limited funds available for the match. The Foundation reserves the right to discontinue the program at any time. Matching funds will be applied annually on December 31 of the year that the total gift is fulfilled. All gift installments must be received by December 31, 2028 to qualify for the match.

The last matching gift program created by the Foundation was completed in 2020 as part of UMaine’s Vision for Tomorrow comprehensive campaign, led by the University of Maine Foundation. That program raised over $3.8 million in new scholarship support in addition to the $1 million donation by an anonymous donor which provided the matching funds.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 90 years of successful fundraising and transformational giving,” says Mills. “Robert’s generous gift will be amplified by this program and ultimately, UMaine students will benefit from this collaborative effort for generations to come.”

The University of Maine Foundation was officially incorporated on June 9, 1934, but much preliminary activity dating back to July 1930, preceded the organization. The Class of 1909 has the distinction of making the first gift to the Foundation. They presented University of Maine President Dr. Harold S. Boardman a check for $1,000 that night, June 9, 1934, at the Annual Alumni Banquet, designating it as the first gift to the Foundation. The Foundation will celebrate its 90th anniversary on June 9, 2024.

More information about the 90th Anniversary Match is online at umaine.edu/90th.

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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$2 million planned gifts from UMaine alumnus will enhance Fogler Library digital resources and Maine Business School scholarships.

$2 million planned gifts from UMaine alumnus will enhance Fogler Library digital resources and Maine Business School scholarships.

Two planned gifts from a University of Maine alumnus totaling $2 million will greatly enhance the digital resources of Raymond H. Fogler Library and provide additional scholarship assistance to University of Maine business majors.

The University of Maine Foundation received the bequests from John Marshall Webber, a 1970 graduate who passed away on Oct. 24, 2022 at the age of 78. A Bangor native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Webber enrolled at UMaine following his military service and earned a bachelor’s degree in art.

Webber was an accomplished artist, investor, and lifelong learner who studied philosophy and enjoyed collecting Asian works of art. In 2007 Webber, a longtime member of the Friends of Fogler Library Advisory Board, worked with the University of Maine Foundation to establish the John M. Webber Digital Library Fund. He created the endowed fund to help Fogler Library enhance its ability to acquire and access to digital resources worldwide. He also committed an additional $1 million gift to the fund, to be paid by his estate upon his passing.

“Countless learners at the University of Maine and in the state of Maine will benefit from Mr. Webber’s vision, including interest in the arts and humanities, and in the value of accessing digital informational resources,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We deeply appreciate our alumni giving back to their alma mater and, in this case, to one of the pillars of our R1 university — the state’s research library.”

“We are very grateful for Mr. Webber’s tremendous and forward-thinking gift, which will support Fogler Library’s digitization efforts,” said Daisy D. Singh, UMaine’s dean of libraries. “We are Maine’s largest academic library and we are also open to the public. His generous support will allow us to reenvision that traditional divide by making academic collections and projects more accessible to all.”

Also in 2007, Webber worked with the University of Maine Foundation to establish another endowed fund, the John M. Webber School of Business Scholarship. It provides financial assistance to students enrolled in one of UMaine’s graduate-level business programs. Per Webber’s wishes, preference is given to students who are studying international business or finance, and who demonstrate their potential for career success following graduation.

“The generous bequest by John Webber to the John M. Webber School of Business Scholarship will enable many students to access world-class business programs at the University of Maine,” said Jason Harkins, interim executive dean of the Maine Business School. “This support will impact Maine for generations as it enhances the ability of individuals from a variety of backgrounds to use education to enhance their career success.”

“On behalf of our MBA students and alumni, it is with deep gratitude that I acknowledge the $1 million bequest from Mr. Webber to support our graduate students,” added Norman O’Reilly, dean of the university’s Graduate School of Business. “Thanks to his generosity, we will be able to further support students in our globally ranked MaineMBA program and attract and retain top talent in our great state.”

“The University of Maine campus was a special place to John,” explained Jeffery N. Mills, University of Maine Foundation president and CEO. “He was a frequent visitor to Fogler Library until late in life, when health issues made trips to campus difficult. His generous bequests reflect his deep appreciation for the transformative nature of higher education and the role that Fogler, as a research library, plays in student and scholarly success.”

Mills noted that Webber’s gifts continued the extensive philanthropic support for the university and community provided by his late parents, G. Peirce Webber and Florence (Pitts) Webber. A prominent businessman and civic leader, Peirce Webber led Webber Timberlands, which, under his leadership, became one of Maine’s largest private landowners. Peirce Webber, who died in 2001, had been a member of the University of Maine Foundation Board of Directors and served a term as its board chair.

The University of Maine Foundation was established in 1934 to encourage gifts and bequests to promote academic achievement, research and intellectual pursuit at the University of Maine.

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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Ken Olson Donates his Papers Alongside Estate Gift to Fund their Curation

Ken Olson Donates his Papers Alongside Estate Gift to Fund their Curation

Conservationist and author Ken Olson has donated his professional papers to Fogler Library at the University of Maine, complementing materials the state’s largest library holds relating to the environment, resource conservation and policy in Maine and elsewhere. He has donated an estate gift to the University of Maine Foundation to fund the curation of his papers.
To read more about Ken Olson and his collection, the full story is on the UMaine News Page. 

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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Foundation Facilitated Gift From the Goos Family Expands UMaine’s Ceramics Curriculum

Foundation Facilitated Gift From the Goos Family Expands UMaine’s Ceramics Curriculum

Rod Sparrow Photo

As far as art goes, ceramics are exceptionally bulky. Ceramics classes need space for clay, drying shelves, kilns and a variety of glazes. For university art programs, the equipment-heavy ceramics can often fall by the wayside, even if interest is high. 

Thanks to a generous donation from Sam and Sarah Goos, whose daughter Ariel studied studio art at UMaine and graduated in 2019, UMaine was able to open the Goos Family Studio. The new studio is allowing the ceramics program at UMaine to grow and giving plenty of space for students to be creative. Now that the program’s new class, Ceramics II, is wrapping up its first semester in the studio, students in the Department of Art and beyond are already seeing the impact of the gift and what it was able to achieve. The gift was facilitated through the University of Maine Foundation, with the aid of Philanthropy Officer Matt Mullen, who emphasized what an exceptional gift it was. To read more about the Goos donation, click here for the UMaine News article. 

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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UMaine alumni Phillip and Susan Morse donate $10M for new athletics arena

UMaine alumni Phillip and Susan Morse donate $10M for new athletics arena

Rod Sparrow Photo

Orono, Maine — University of Maine alumni donors Phillip and Susan Morse have committed $10 million for naming rights to the multipurpose arena that is part of the UMaine Athletics Master Facilities Plan.

The contribution is part of the private fundraising campaign underway to meet the $90 million challenge grant for UMaine athletics as part of UMS TRANSFORMS, funded by the Harold Alfond Foundation.

With the Morse donation, $13.2 million of the $20 million goal has been raised by the University of Maine Foundation.

“We are pleased to support UMaine athletics through The Alfond Fund and this landmark UMS TRANSFORMS project made possible by the Alfond Foundation,” says Phillip Morse. “Harold Alfond was an inspiration to me, and it’s an honor to contribute to initiatives that advance his vision for advancing Maine and the state’s Division I athletics program. He is an example of how one good, generous person can make a big difference for generations.”

The University of Maine System Board of Trustees authorized the naming of Morse Arena, one of the new signature projects of the master facilities plan. The 3,000-seat facility will be the home court of men’s and women’s basketball, and provide a venue for large-scale campus and community events. The arena will include a significant interior space that will be named for the Morses’ longtime friend Thomas “Skip” Chappelle, UMaine men’s basketball student-athlete and coach from 1959–62 and 1971–88, respectively.

This is the second major naming gift by the Morses, members of the UMaine Class of 1964, to the UMaine athletics portion of the $240 million UMS TRANSFORMS initiative, and the family’s fourth major gift to support athletics in the past 25 years.

“The generous support of Phillip and Susan Morse has made a lasting difference on the UMaine student experience and what Maine’s only Division I athletics program offers communities and fans,” says UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We appreciate their leadership and vision that will impact generations at their alma mater.”

Last December, Phillip and Susan Morse provided a $1 million gift to support the Athletics Facilities Master Plan. The gift also is part of the private fundraising for the Alfond challenge grant match.

Morse Field at Alfond Sports Stadium, a facility made possible by the generous donation of Harold Alfond and the Morses, opened in 1998. The Morse family pledged $1 million in 2007 to provide a significant upgrade to UMaine’s Morse Field playing surface at Harold Alfond Sports Stadium. In 2013, the Morse family presented UMaine Athletics with an $800,000 gift to be used to install the high-definition video scoreboard on Morse Field.

“Phil and Sue have been loyal supporters of the University of Maine for a long time and their gifts have had a lasting impact,” says Jeffery Mills, president and CEO of the University of Maine Foundation. “Donors at this level are making a significant investment in UMaine’s future and their leading commitment will inspire others. We are grateful for their vision and desire to make a difference.”

Phillip, vice chairman of the Boston Red Sox since 2004 and a partner since 2002, and Susan met at UMaine. They live in Lake George, New York and Jupiter, Florida.

At UMaine, Susan majored in education and Philip majored in sociology. Phillip also lettered in baseball and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

Upon her graduation from UMaine, Susan taught school in Darien, Connecticut and in Sudbury, Massachusetts. After she and Phillip married in 1966, they settled in Glens Falls, New York. She put aside teaching to raise their three daughters, Katherine (UMaine ’92), Shelley (Middlebury ’95) and Lindsey (UVM ’98). She served on the Glens Falls School District’s Board of Education for several years, and has long been passionate about education.

Phillip’s career achievements include founding North American Instrument Corporation in 1969, a company focused on the development, manufacturing and sales of the first transparent fluid delivery system for coronary angiography, the Morse Manifold. By 1994, the firm had grown into NAMIC U.S.A. Corporation, an 800-employee designer and manufacturer of a wide array of medical devices for interventional cardiology and radiology. Morse served as NAMIC’s chairman until its sale to Pfizer, Inc. in 1995. After more than 40 years, the Morse Manifold continues to be used in more than half of all cardiac catheterization procedures.

None of the information on this website should be considered legal or financial advice. We encourage you to consult with your own legal counsel or financial/tax advisor before deciding whether or not to proceed with a gift or change to your estate plan.

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