UMaine alum establishes $2M fund to enrich students’ historical and political studies

Blaine Moores inducted into the Katahdin Society

University of Maine Foundation President/CEO Jeff Mills (left) and Associate Director Dee Gardner (right) presenting Blaine Moores (center) with his acceptance into the Foundation’s Katahdin Society during a meeting celebrating his tremendous gift.

ORONO, Maine: University of Maine alumnus Blaine Moores has donated $2 million to launch a symposium series that will bring nationally prominent figures to campus for presentations and classroom conversations on history and current affairs.

Moores, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history from UMaine in 1959 and a master’s degree in education in 1963, has established the Blaine D. Moores ’59, ’63G History Series Fund through the University of Maine Foundation. The fund will support the creation of a new symposium program, which will invite distinguished figures to speak on campus about historical and political topics, enhancing students’ academic experience and sparking dialogue.

The Moores series will include in-class visits by symposium presenters to history, political science and leadership studies courses. Reflecting Moores’ vision, the program aspires to attract presidential and political historians and analysts, as well as others whose insights and perspectives would engage students in wide-ranging subjects.

“I am deeply grateful to Blaine Moores for this remarkable and forward-thinking gift,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. “Thanks to his generous contribution, UMaine will be able to host nationally prominent campus speakers on historical and political topics, as well as in-class visits and related leadership studies courses.”

“Blaine understands the power of bringing history to life,” said Emily Haddad, dean of UMaine’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “The Blaine D. Moores History Series will ensure that UMaine students and the entire community can learn from and be inspired by some of the most influential voices of our time. By providing a path from the national stage to the classroom, his gift will enable leading experts and national commentators to engage directly with our history students, as well as those in the related fields of international affairs, leadership studies and political science. This is a profoundly important investment in fostering generations of informed citizens and perceptive leaders.”

A native of Springfield, Maine, who now resides in Kennebunk, Moores has a long history of philanthropy with the UMaine Foundation. Beyond this newly established History Series Fund, Moores contributed to the Class of 1959 Scholarship Fund in 2016 ahead of their 60th reunion. Moores generously offered to match all gifts to the class scholarship, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. As a result of Moores’ challenge, the fund’s balance jumped from $40,172 to more than $130,000, and currently sits at more than $153,000.

“Blaine has been a very loyal alumnus, who cares deeply about the future of the University of Maine and appreciates all that his education has provided for him over the years. His gift will provide a deeper connection to history for future Black Bears and expand their knowledge. We are grateful for Blaine’s leadership and generosity,” said Jeff Mills, the University of Maine Foundation’s president and CEO.

As a result of this gift, Moores was recently recognized at the Katahdin level of the university’s Stillwater Society, which honors donors of $1 million or more.

About the University of Maine Foundation: The University of Maine Foundation is dedicated to supporting the University of Maine by securing and managing private gifts to enhance the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Through the generosity of alumni and friends, the Foundation strives to ensure the continued growth and success of the university.

About the University of Maine: As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts.

New scholarship will support those with the greatest financial need

ORONO, MAINE: Financial hardship remains a significant roadblock to higher education for many in the state of Maine. Philanthropic investment in future learners can make all the difference. Brent West and Kristina “Tina” Christensen West have sought to counter the significant financial hardship of many Maine students with the establishment of the Brent and Kristina Christensen West ’77 Scholarship Fund with the University of Maine Foundation.

For those in need, varying methods of support are available, but often not enough to make attendance, and ultimately graduation, a reality. This scholarship will cover the cost of full-time attendance at the University of Maine, Orono, for two students per year who have zero expected familty contributions, who are graduates of a Maine high school, and who have a minimum of a 3.2 GPA. In less than two years, the scholarship has grown to more than $1 million.

This year, the Wests had the pleasure to meet Connor Goss, their inaugural scholarship recipient and a sophomore studying Economics with a minor in Business at UMaine. Brent shared this with Connor after their visit, “When we worked to establish this scholarship, we had in mind someone such as yourself – smart, personable, and grateful for the opportunity to study (and have a little fun!) at the University. Tina had such a positive experience in Orono that we thought it was only right to give back in a meaningful way to future generations of Black Bears.” Goss expressed that “being selected for this scholarship is a tremendous honor,” as “significantly alleviating the financial burden” allows him to “focus on studies and personal growth.”

Brent and Tina Christensen West are both devoted and passionate friends of the University of Maine. Tina graduated from UMaine in 1977 with a B.A. in Mathematics and enjoyed a career in Information Systems with the Unum Insurance Group from 1981 until her retirement in 2015. Brent holds an A.B. in Government and Economics from Dartmouth College, and an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth. He retired this past year after a career that included a range of leadership roles at Bath Iron Works. “Tina and Brent have been loyal supporters of the University of Maine for over 38 years. They aim to support students facing significant financial obstacles, making a degree from UMaine attainable,” said Dee Gardner, Associate Director at the University of Maine Foundation, who worked with the couple in establishing their scholarship fund. “I also admire their enthusiasm for mentoring their scholarship recipients professionally. After meeting Connor for the first time, they are eager to connect him with their contacts for potential internships. Their generosity is truly inspiring.” Goss is excited to learn from the West’s experience, and finds having them as mentors “an invaluable opportunity” as he continues to pursue his goals. Permanently endowed, the fund will continue to bring much-needed support to UMaine students for years to come.

Interested in establishing your own scholarship at the University of Maine Foundation? Funding a scholarship for UMaine students through the Foundation may be accomplished by making current gifts of cash, stock, land or personal property, or a deferred gift through a charitable trust, gift annuity, pooled life income fund or bequest. Learn more about connecting your legacy to UMaine’s future at How to Establish a Fund

About the University of Maine Foundation: The University of Maine Foundation is dedicated to supporting the University of Maine by securing and managing private gifts to enhance the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Through the generosity of alumni and friends, the Foundation strives to ensure the continued growth and success of the university. 

About the University of Maine: As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe – from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an enivronment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts.

$1 Million gift will ensure more engineering scholarships for Skowhegan Area High School Students

2015 Ferland Engineering Excellence Scholarship recipient Eben Lenfest (Above).

Orono, Maine – With a gift of $1 million, E. James “Jim” Ferland ’64 and Eileen P. Ferland have boosted the scholarship support available to Skowhegan Area High School (SAHS) students who plan to study engineering at the University of Maine. The E. James & Eileen Ferland Engineering Excellence Scholarship Fund at the University of Maine Foundation now totals $2.2 million.

In 2009, the Ferlands created this fund with the hope that students will apply their talent to solving society’s challenging problems, as Jim Ferland did throughout his career.

The Ferlands are both graduates of Skowhegan Area High School. Jim Ferland recieved a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at UMaine in 1964 and began his career as an engineer with the Hartford Electric Light Company, a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities in Connecticut. In 1967 he joined the initial operating staff of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station and in 1976 become a station superintendent, the same year he achieved an M.B.A. from the University of New Haven. He completed the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration’s Program for Management Development in 1977 and shortly thereafter was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Northeast Utilities (NU). He became NU’s president in 1983. In 1986, he was recruited by Public Service Enterprise Group as chairman, president and CEO, positions he held through retirement in 2007, making him the longest-serving CEO in the industry.

“Jim and Eileen’s support is life-changing for Skowhegan area students who wish to pursue a degree in engineering at UMaine,” said Maine College of Engineering and Computing Dean Giovanna Guidoboni. “This scholarship provides access and opportunity to students who might otherwise see the cost of education as a barrier to achieving their dreams.”

Distributions from the fund will support 16 annual awards of $3,500 each. Four awards will be given per class year to support students through their degree completion, as long as they remain academically qualified. Since the Ferlands established their scholarship fund in 2009 at the Foundation, 125 awards to 64 recipients have been made to SAHS graduates, 29 have successfully graduated and 18 are current engineering students.

To be considered for the scholarship, students must have strong academic potential, be enrolled as undergraduate students at UMaine with a major in engineering and graduate from Skowhegan Area High School. More information can be found through the guidance counselor’s office at the high school or by searching Scholarship Universe, UMaine’s online scholarship portal for accepted students.

Scholarship recipient Eben Lenfest (pictured above) graduated from Skowhegan in 2015 and earned two mechanical engineering degrees from UMaine: a bachelor’s degree in 2019 and a master’s degree in 2021. He works as a numerical modeling engineer at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at UMaine.

“Being a recipient of the Ferland Engineering Excellence Scholarship helped reduce the financial burden of attending college, allowing me to focus on succeeding in my classes. It also made the decision to attend UMaine that much easier, a choice that has set me up well for a career path I’m excited about in off-shore wind energy,” said Lenfest.

The Ferlands are also major benefactors of the E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, which opened in 2022 at UMaine. 

The University of Maine Foundation is dedicated to supporting the University of Maine by securing and managing private gifts to enhance the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Though the generosity of alumni and friends, the Foundation strives to ensure the continued growth and success of the university. 

UMaine Foundation receives $1 Million for Agnes Ann Walsh ’41 Chair

Orono, ME – The University of Maine Foundation recently received a $1 million gift from the Agnes Ann Walsh estate to establish a new named chair in the University’s Department of Modern Languages and Classics. In addition, Agnes Ann funded the Agnes Ann Walsh ’41 Scholarship to benefit students majoring in romance languages. These contributions are legacy gifts of the class of 1941 alumna who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 100.

“Agnes Ann Walsh’s bright spirit and passion for the University of Maine during her lifetime will now live on through her generous gift and the many students who will benefit from her generosity,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.

Born and raised in South Portland, Maine, Walsh headed north to begin her education at the University of Maine in 1937. Her heavy involvement in UMaine culture and the academic community included the Delta Delta Delta sorority, debate team, language club, student publications, sports and campus leadership group the Sophomore Eagles. Graduating in 1941 with a degree in romance classics, Walsh enjoyed a long career as a Latin teacher. She taught at Washington Academy in East Machias, Maine, Thorton Academy in Saco, Maine, and finally Winchester High School in Winchester, Massachusetts, where she taught for over 25 years.

Agnes Ann was incredibly dedicated to the University of Maine through her financial contributions, her involvement in the Alumni Ambassador program and her extensive work as a the correspondent for the Class of 1941. Walsh was awarded the 2015 Hilda A. Sterling ’55 Class Correspondent Award, was the 1990 recipient of the Black Bear Award, and was elected an honorary member of the University of Maine Foundation in 2007. In 2019, she was honored with a Stillwater Award at the biannual Stillwater Society dinner. “In 2019, at the Stillwater Society dinner, at nearly 100 years old, Agnes Ann gave one of the most heart-warming acceptance speeches I have ever encountered at UMaine,” said President/CEO of the Foundation Jeffery Mills. “Her contributions have benefitted numerous areas across campus, beyond this new fund, including the Buchanan Alumni House and the John Randall & Agnes Annie Walsh Scholarship. She was a loyal alumna who will be remembered fondly.”

“I share Agnes Ann Walsh’s confidence in the value of learning languages and am deeply grateful that she chose to leave her extraordinary legacy to support this purpose.” said Emily Haddad, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “The Walsh Chair and scholarship will create transformative opportunities for students of French and Spanish at UMaine. I look forward to working with the inaugural Walsh Chair, Professor Frédéric Rondeau, to realize the remarkable potential of Ms. Walsh’s gift.”

Prof. Rondeau joined the University of Maine faculty in 2013 and has served as director of the Canadian American Center on campus since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in French language and literature from McGill University. He is the author or co-author of four books on topics in Québécois literature and culture as well as 25 articles and chapters. He also edited or co-edited three other volumes. His book Le Manque en partage recieved the 2017 Jean-Éthier Blais prize for the best book of literary criticism in Quebec. He teaches courses on Francophone literature and regularly offers a May term travel course in Quebec. His plans as Walsh Chair focus on international and experiential learning opportunities for students.

The Agnes Ann Walsh ’41 Chair and the Agnes Ann ’41 Scholarship funds were established at the University of Maine Foundation for the benefit of the University of Maine, Orono, Maine, through planned gifts from Agnes Ann Walsh, a member of the class of 1941, in loving memory of her parents, John Randall Walsh and Agnes Annie Gough.

University of Maine Foundation announces $7 Million gift to support electrical engineering scholarships

Orono, ME – Jeffery Mills, president and CEO of the University of Maine Foundation, has announced a generous bequest of more than $7 million from Black Bear alumnus Norman B. Stetson ’62. The gift will significantly enhance the Norman B. Stetson ’62 Scholarhsip to which Stetson and his wife, Dorothea, contributed consistently. Norman Stetson passed away in May 2023.

“Norm Stetson’s legacy at our institution is one of profound generosity and commitment to education,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “This gift significantly increases the financial aid available to UMaine students pursuing electrical engineering degrees. The graduates of this program are in high demand by industry in Maine and beyond. We are honored to carry forward his spirit of innovation and curiosity.”

Stetson, a Freeport, Maine, native and resident of Lexington, Massachusetts, had a distinguished career in radio frequency technology as an inventor and entrepreneur. He and his partners founded Inframetrics, a company that produced innovative thermal imaging systems. The partners later sold the company to FLIR Systems, Inc., where Stetson remained as chief scientist until his retirement.

Stetson was an enthusiastic ham radio operator and helicopter pilot. He was inducted as a distinguished member of the Francis Crowe Society by UMaine’s College of Engineering (now known as the Maine College of Engineering and Computing).

“This extraordinary bequest will provide our students with the resources they need to excel academically and pursue their passions without the burden of financial constraints,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of Maine College of Engineering and Computing. “We are deeply grateful to Norm for his vision and generosity.”

Patricia Cummings, senior director of philanthtopy at the Foundation, worked closely with Stetson for many years.

“Norm’s greatest joy was meeting Stetson Scholarship recipients and helping young men and women to become electrical engineers,” said Cummings. “Norm wanted to lighten their debt so they could fully engage in college life. He revered his professors as mentors, and he always responded generously to the Dean and Chair to enhance UMaine’s engineering programs.”

The University of Maine Foundation is dedicated to supporting the University of Maine by securing and managing private gifts to enhance the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Through the generosity of alumni and friends, the Foundation strives to ensure continued growth and success of the university. 

Stetson Scholarship recipient Drew St. Jean

Stetson Scholarship recipient Sarah Glatter

Retiring University of Maine Professor, Dr. Sandra L. Caron, establishes Scholarship Fund

This year, ahead of her retirement, Dr. Caron established the Sandra L. Caron, Ph.D. Scholarship with the University of Maine Foundation. The fund aims to support promising UMaine students who graduated from Brewer High School in pursuing their academic dreams. The Foundation is honored to steward the fund in respect and recognition of Caron’s dedication to the University of Maine, a dedication which impacted (by her estimate) nearly 30,000 students enrolled in her classes over her tenure.

For 36 years starting in 1988, Dr. Sandra L. Caron, Ph.D. has been a member of the University of Maine faculty teaching and educating on matters of family relations and human sexuality. Responsible for two of the largest classes at the university – Family Interaction and Human Sexuality – her tenure also saw her personally establish and advise three nationally-recognized peer education programs: Athletes for Sexual Responsibility, Male Athletes Against Violence, and the Greek Peer Educator Program. 

Beginning as a faculty member, Caron was heavily involved in campus life and culture, including work in a Hancock Hall faculty-in-residence program, serving as a live-in advisor at the Pi Beta Phi sorority, and hosting “Sex at 7” question-and-answer sessions in residence halls during evening hours. Her teaching and advice on human sexuality expanded to include a weekly column, “Sex Matters,” in The Maine Campus newspaper that was syndicated in other campus papers nationwide, and her own WMEB radio show. She has gone on to have authored and co authored more than 50 scholarly articles and several books, including the latest “The Sex Lives of College Students: Three Decades of Attitudes and Behaviors,” a cumulative publication of her over 30 years of research.

Caron, a Brewer, Maine native, studied at the University of Maine beginning in 1975. In a time of sexual revolution such as the landmark Roe v. Wade decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Stonewall Riots in New York City, and the beginning of widespread birth control access, she looked to pursue a career as a sex educator. She completed a B.S. in Health and Family Life in 1979 and an M.S. in Human Development in 1982 from UMaine before pursuing her Ph.D. from Syracuse University.

In her retirement, Caron hopes to continue her work as a licensed therapist in private practice focusing on sexuality-related issues, and carry on in her involvement in numerous nonprofits that work to support the causes that shaped her career.

Give to the Sandra L. Caron Ph.D. Scholarship Fund

Read Dr. Sandra Caron’s full story on UMaine News