Strengthening the Future of UMass Amherst
Image above, from left to right: Janice Poole and Retired Army Lt. Col. John (Jake) Poole ’75
Donors who create estate gifts help ensure a brilliant future for the university and its students.
What do you love about UMass Amherst?
Is it the faculty, staff, or coaches who supported you during your time on campus? Is it the opportunities you had to delve into a subject you were passionate about and prepare for life after graduation? Maybe it’s the friends you cultivated and remain in contact with to this day.
Whatever aspect of the UMass Amherst experience means the most to you, you can strengthen it for succeeding generations through a legacy gift.
Gift planning options can support today’s students, tomorrow’s leaders, or both. But whatever form they take, these contributions make a difference in more than just one life. Read on for stories of generosity and impact from recent gift planning donors.
Retired Army Lt. Col. John (Jake) Poole ’75 remembers how joining the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Beta Kappa Phi Fraternity at UMass Amherst brought him out of his shell.
After graduation, Poole spent 22 years stationed all over the world with the Army and later became invested in helping postsecondary students succeed. In multiple roles at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he recognized that not everyone was set up for success and that unexpected financial hardships could derail a student’s progress toward a degree.
That’s why Poole and his wife, Janice, chose to create a gift in their estate plan for the UMass Amherst Student Care Emergency Response Fund (SCERF). The fund provides financial assistance to students experiencing economic insecurity or unexpected expenses.
“If you’re one of those kids who falls between the cracks, what do you do? If you’re a student, you’ve got to get home right now, you don’t have any cash, and you can’t drive home, you need help,” says Poole.
During his time in higher ed, Poole helped spearhead programs similar to SCERF. “I’m totally convinced this is the best place for our money to go to impact students if they really need it,” he says.
Ken Lloyd ’73 is passionate about leveling the playing field for all students, regardless of background or socioeconomic status. That’s why he has made a gift in his estate plan to provide future support for the College of Engineering’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.
But Mr. Lloyd knows that change can’t wait. He also provides current support for two important programs at UMass Amherst: The Leadership Academy summer program and the College of Engineering’s Revolutionary, Inclusive, Sustainable Engineering (RISE) Scholars.
Leadership Academy participant Katherine "Kat" Nilov
The Leadership Academy is an online professional development program for students who have historically been excluded from technology and engineering. The academy helps students build a support network, learn critical skills, and network with tech and engineering professionals from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds.
RISE offers students a variety of unique academic and social opportunities, including arranged meetings with faculty, current students, and alumni mentors, as well as workshops, lectures, and symposiums.
“We are grateful for Mr. Lloyd’s partnership in helping us to recruit and support talented students with enormous potential,” says Dr. Paula Rees, assistant dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Engineering.
The late Dr. Meredith Bragg Raymond, emeritus English faculty, spent almost half a century teaching, from elementary classrooms to graduate courses. She believed that her legacy would live on in the students she instructed and wanted to find a way of supporting them in perpetuity.
Prior to her passing in 2018, Dr. Raymond established an endowment at UMass Amherst through a bequest that provides annual scholarship support to an English major—undergraduate or graduate student — specializing in English literature in any period prior to the 20th century.
Rowshan Chowdury, the latest recipient of the Meredith B. Raymond Scholarship Endowment, is a Ph.D. candidate from India. Due to the rules of her visa, Rowshan’s prospects are limited for work and scholarship opportunities. But the Raymond Scholarship has given her financial stability during a worldwide pandemic and the opportunity to travel for research.
In the summer of 2023, Rowshan visited the American Antiquarian Society and the Library Company of Philadelphia, where she conducted some archival work for a chapter of her dissertation.
“Being an international student, visiting these archives without financial support like this would have been impossible for me,” says Roshawn.
English Department Chair Donna LeCourt emphasizes the difference Dr. Raymond’s scholarship has made in the lives of doctoral students. “These funds have allowed students to graduate ahead of schedule, prepare essays for publication, and find success on the job market.”
For more information on gift planning opportunities at UMass Amherst, contact Joseph Jayne at jjayne@uma-foundation.org
