The Dr. Dennis K. Cox University Singers Fund was established in the University of Maine Foundation for the benefit of the University Singers. With a $500,000 endowment goal, the annual challenge of fundraising for tours will be greatly diminished and the group will be able to focus on its primary mission of making music. 

As a member of UMaine’s faculty and Director of Choral Activities since 1978, Cox developed and inspired a generation of choral musicians and teachers throughout Maine and the nation.  Cox almost single-handedly turned the choral program at UMaine into one that garners national recognition and respect.  The loyalty of the members of his famous University Singers is legendary – it is truly one of the strongest alumni families at the University of Maine.  Cox remains a friend and mentor to hundreds of former students who often join him on stage to sing the group’s signature finale, “Jabberwocky” and the “Maine Stein Song”.

Cox and the Singers tour the Northeastern United States for one week each spring and tour abroad once every four years. Special performances have also included appearances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City. Additionally, they perform regularly with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and for special events and activities both on and off campus. Their performances combined with their widespread exposure make Cox and the Singers effective ambassadors for the University, showcasing UMaine’s quality and excellence.

If you are interested in making a gift in honor of Dr. Cox for the Dr. Dennis K. Cox University Singers Fund, please visit the Foundation’s Online Giving page.

Dr. Hardy served as an Associate Professor at The University of Maine from 1987 – 2014 and is beloved by generations of University students from across all disciplines who came to her theatre classes because of her candor, her discipline, her artistic eye, and most of all, her great care for all who sought it. She was their teacher, mentor and friend.

Dr. Hardy directed more than eighteen main stage productions at UMaine. She took three shows to the regional finals of the American College Theatre Festival, and many of her students have gone on to work in professional theatre, television, and film. Some of her most notable productions include: “Pump Boys and Dinettes”, “Kiss Me Kate”, “The Crackwalker”, “Cabaret”, “Noises Off”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “Bent”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Hedda Gabler”, and “Grease”.

Dr. Hardy conducted workshops in acting and the teaching of acting throughout Maine. She directed children’s dramas, puppet shows, and outreach projects; – as an education specialist, she loved touring the public schools of Maine, doing so with “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and “Broadway Nights”.

Dr. Hardy obtained her Ph.D. from New York University and taught thousands of students in courses on acting, directing, and literature of the theatre as well as Drama in Education. She is a published scholar of Henrik Ibsen, the great Norwegian playwright who reminds her of her own heritage.

If you are interested in making a gift in honor of Dr. Hardy for the Sandra E. Hardy Theatre Scholarship, please visit the Foundation’s Online Giving page.

“I cannot begin to describe the importance of these scholarship dollars to our students,” says Marrs, “without the generosity of these donors, many of our students would not get past the financial hurdles of attaining a college degree.

Scholarships are awarded through Marrs’ office based on financial need, scholastic merit, leadership skills, academic discipline, and a variety of other criteria as established by individual scholarship fund descriptions for funds held at the Foundation.

“The Foundation is proud to partner with very generous donors in an ongoing effort to provide UMaine students with the financial support they need to realize their goals. We have learned that the scholarship dollars provided by Foundation funds make a significant impact in the recruitment and retention of good students at UMaine.” says Mills.

The University of Maine Foundation offers three pathways to scholarship support; the Today and Tomorrow Annual Scholarship, Endowed Scholarships and Distinguished Endowed Scholarships. Donors often choose to celebrate a significant milestone or memorialize a loved one with a named scholarship. Scholarships can be funded with gifts of cash, stock, land, personal property, or through a charitable trust, gift annuity, pooled life income fund or bequest.