On Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, the University of Maine Foundation held their Annual Luncheon where it was announced by the UMaine President Susan J. Hunter and UMaine Foundation President Jeffery N. Mills that UMaine and the Foundation have moved into the final public phase of the Vision for Tomorrow campaign, which has set a fundraising goal of $200 million.
In an article published by the University of Maine, President Hunter said, “Vision for Tomorrow is a bold fundraising campaign that will enable us to make an even greater difference in the lives of students, and to conduct our critical work statewide and beyond. Throughout UMaine’s history, donors have demonstrated the importance of giving to a successful university to make it more successful. We look forward to partnering again in our Vision for Tomorrow.”
This campaign has been in a quiet phase for a few years due to the development of the project, and during this time, around $121 million has been raised, according to the article.
Donors to this campaign include the Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, the Emera Astronomy Center, the Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center, and the Kenneth W. Saunders and Henry W. Saunders Professorship in Engineering Leadership and Management, the Savage Challenge Fund to support men’s ice hockey and the Edward Sturgis Grew Earth Sciences Endowment.
“The success of the campaign celebrates UMaine’s past, while paving a way for the brightest possible future,” Mills said in an article published by UMaine. “Central to the Vision for Tomorrow campaign are two major interests — immediate needs and endowed support to benefit UMaine students and faculty. Nothing is more important than making sure students receive the most affordable, highest quality education we can provide.”
The Vision for Tomorrow Campaign has four major areas: “Fostering Student Success, Ensuring Access for All of Maine, Catalyzing Maine’s Economy, and Accelerating Discovery to Impact,” according to UMaine’s website. These all aim for student success with some emphasis on scholarships and endowments to aid faculty and student learning. By giving endowments to faculty and students in all colleges across the campus, student engagement is enhanced and learning facilities can be updated and more useful to students.
UMaine has seen success throughout the years, with record-breaking numbers of incoming first-year classes.
“Given that UMaine just welcomed its largest class ever, and seeks to expand its reputation for research and community engagement, Vision for Tomorrow stands out as a timely, worthy initiative that will benefit not only Maine’s flagship university, but the entire state,” Mills said in an article published by the University of Maine.
Those who are interested in staying up to date or who wish to donate to the Vision for Tomorrow are encouraged to visit the website at umaine.edu/visionfortomorrow.
