Generosity Creates Three New Funds

UMUC is honored to announce that Evelyn Bata '68, a UMUC faculty member in the European Division, has made a generous gift of $100,000 to her alma mater to create three new funds: the Dr. Evelyn Bata Fund for Excellence-Asian Division, the Dr. Evelyn Bata Fund for Excellence-European Division, and the Dr. Evelyn Bata UMUC Stateside Scholarship Fund. All are endowed funds. Very special thanks and gratitude go to Bata. Bata and UMUC have strong ties. She received her bachelor's degree in English from UMUC and, after receiving an M.Ed. and Ph.D. from University of Maryland, College Park, she joined UMUC's faculty. A published writer, Bata has taught English, speech communication, and counseling psychology. Bata's leadership gift is a significant component of UMUC's drive to achieve its potential as the preeminent adult education provider in the world. Bata says she feels strongly that her gift is "just the beginning," for herself and for other supporters. UMUC President Gerald Heeger has said, "Dr. Bata's gift will provide resources that can be used strategically to expand and enhance the university's services at a critical time in our history. Just as importantly, it will elevate the sights of others who are considering gifts. The latter may prove to be the greatest legacy of Dr. Bata's contribution."

Massey Scholarship Exceeds $135,000

One of UMUC's most popular and fastest growing endowment projects-and one that certainly can benefit from the state's matching funds (see article on page 14)-is the T. Benjamin Massey Endowed Scholarship Fund. Established in early 1999 in honor of the president emeritus of UMUC, the fund has received enthusiastic support from many donors. This spring, alumni responded in unprecedented numbers to a special appeal for this scholarship. Members of UMUC's Board of Visitors and UMUC staff also have shown their strong support. Gifts to the fund now total more than $135,000.

"When Dr. Massey's retirement was announced, people wanted to give gifts in honor of his tenure here," says David Cooper, former assistant vice president for development. "A scholarship fund is a wonderful way to recognize and continue Dr. Massey's work. He was committed to making higher education available to working adults, and for many the costs of education are the number-one obstacle they face. A scholarship fund helps them overcome this challenge."

The endowment is slated to fund its first scholarships in fall 2000, after it begins producing investment income. The scholarships will provide tuition assistance to needy students enrolled at any of UMUC's worldwide sites.

If you wish to honor Massey through a contribution to this scholarship fund, contact Priscilla Savary by mail at Institutional Advancement, University Boulevard at Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20742, by phone at 301-985-7154, or via e-mail at psavary@umuc.edu.

Alumni Help Break Scholarship Record

Alumni and friends of UMUC were responsible for scholarships being awarded to 169 students for the 2000 academic year. These scholarships, totalling $180,000, came from various named endowed funds and gifts given to UMUC's annual giving programs.

Scholarship resources have risen steadily over the last 10 years as more and more donors to UMUC have designated their gifts for this purpose. Scholarship support is the most common designation of philanthropic gifts to UMUC. On behalf of the students who have been helped, thank you to those who gave!

Pepsi Commits $30,000 to Partners in Progress

As UMUC's Partners in Progress program moves into its ninth year, we are pleased to announce that PepsiCo Inc. has made a three-year, $30,000 commitment to the program. Pictured are Pepsi representative Rose Bollman, center rear, and, from left to right, 1999 Pepsi Scholars Suzanne McCrary, Sauntia Warfield, and Kristol Hayes.

Partners in Progress provides scholarships to UMUC for graduates of Northwestern High School, a school located in Hyattsville, Maryland.

UMUC Faculty/Staff Campaign a Success

UMUC launched its first faculty/staff campaign this fall, which raised $273,726 for scholarships and other important UMUC programs. This phase of the campaign, which predominantly involved stateside staff, began September 28 and ended October 15. Two-hundred forty-three stateside employees participated in the campaign.

"There is no higher form of flattery for a university than when an individual with an intimate knowledge of the institution makes a donation," says UMUC President Gerald Heeger. "The success of the faculty/staff campaign provides a powerful platform from which other philanthropic commitments can evolve."

Fourteen percent of the funds from the campaign was designated for Improving Lives, UMUC's newest scholarship program. Improving Lives is a partnership between UMUC and Goodwill Industries that will provide scholarship and mentoring support for individuals who recently left public assistance and have entered the workplace. The program will give them the skills and credentials they will need to earn a living wage for themselves and their families. "This is the first time UMUC has entered into a philanthropic partnership with a national organization," said Vice President for Institutional Advancement Pat Madden. "The partnership truly takes advantage of what each organization does best: Goodwill's expertise in mentoring and social services, and UMUC's expertise in educating working adults."

The faculty/staff campaign supported other programs like Partners in Progress, which provides scholarships to needy students from a high school near UMUC's headquarters in College Park, Maryland; and contributed to the T. Benjamin Massey Scholarship Fund, which honors UMUC's president emeritus.

Institutional Advancement is currently developing plans to continue the campaign by including faculty and staff within the European and Asian divisions and stateside faculty.

PEPCO Gives First Gift to Shady Grove Fund

A recent gift of $100,000 from Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) has established a major new endowment fund to benefit the University System of Maryland's Shady Grove Center. About 65 percent of the people enrolled at the Shady Grove Center are UMUC students.

"There is a continuous need to expand and update the technology in our classrooms and labs to meet the expectations of our students and instructors," says Shady Grove Center Director Harley Cloud. Proceeds from the fund will be used to underwrite upgrades in the center's technology resources.

Pepco, a longtime friend of UMUC and the Shady Grove Center, stepped forward to be the first major donor to this project. "Strengthening the community's educational infrastructure is critical to the health and vitality of our community," says Pepco chairman, president, and CEO John Derrick. "Obviously, upgrading technology is an ongoing challenge for any institution. Pepco is pleased to be part of a long-term solution for the Shady Grove Center through this fund."

UMUC will continue seeking gifts from corporations and foundations interested in the Montgomery County area to augment this initial investment by Pepco.

State Earmarks $750,00 for Matching Donations to UMUC

The state of Maryland has allocated $750,000 in matching funds for charitable donations made to UMUC between fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2004. The state will match, dollar for dollar, the first $250,000 in do- nations; after that, UMUC will receive 50 cents in matching funds for every dollar in donations. Thus, to collect the full $750,000, UMUC must raise $1.25 million.

"We're really excited about it," says David Cooper, UMUC's former assistant vice president for development. "We have five years [to reach the $1.25 million goal], but we anticipate accomplishing it much more quickly than that."

According to Cooper, the state will only match new or increased donations (if, for example, a donor gave $50 to UMUC last year and $150 this year, the state would only match the $100 increase), and the gift must be earmarked to establish or grow an endowment.

Endowments, Cooper explains, are funds held by The University of Maryland Foundation and invested. The proceeds from the investments go to fund scholarships and other academic programs.

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