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Librarian who treasured UConn experience makes bequest to support University library

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Grace Merritt

2 min read

For Nancy Baker ’72 (CLAS), going to college was a big deal. Her parents had wanted to go but never got the chance because they had come of age during the Great Depression. When she arrived in Storrs and began taking classes, she was truly captivated.

“For me, going to college really threw me into being in an environment of ideas. English, philosophy, and art history do that for you,” Baker says. “I remember thinking after I got to UConn, ‘Well, this isn’t like high school anymore.’ It was very special for me.”

So special that Baker devoted her career to higher education—as an academic librarian. And so treasured that she decided to put UConn in her will. She and her husband, Jim, are leaving a bequest that will benefit UConn’s libraries.

“Nancy and Jim know first-hand the library is an invaluable partner in the success of students, faculty, and researchers,” says Anne Langley, Dean of the UConn Library. “Donations like these make it possible for us to provide the services our community of learners needs.”

Baker, who grew up in Ohio, has fond memories of her days at UConn. 

“What I remember the most there is the quality of the classes, the interest from the faculty, and the intellectual environment in the place. I just loved it, and I made some good friends there. I was sad when it was over.”

Baker went on to spend her life working in libraries on college campuses all around the country. After earning a master’s in library science at the University of Michigan, she started her career at the SUNY Binghamton library. She moved on to work at Middlebury College, the University of Kentucky, and Washington State University, eventually moving up into more administrative library jobs.

She capped off her career at the University of Iowa, where she directed all the university’s libraries. She and her husband, an environmental lobbyist, retired about 10 years ago and now live in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

During her long career, Baker says she watched academic libraries evolve from being book repositories to bustling hubs that provide students with a sense of community and access to omnichannel digital resources. Recognizing this, she decided not to restrict her planned gift to a particular program or area to give UConn’s future librarians more flexibility.

“I want them to be able to use it in whatever way will be most pertinent to make the biggest difference to students and faculty at the University,” she says. “The library serves everybody, so if you give a gift to the library, whatever that library looks like in the future, you’re benefiting everybody,” she explains.

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A New ‘Promise’ for Hartford Scholars

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Tiffany Ventura Thiele

3 min read

Endowed law school scholarship a first for Hartford Promise students

Since 2016, the Hartford Promise scholarship fund has helped open doors for hundreds of Hartford students to attend college.

Now, thanks to Rick ’78 (LAW) and MaryEllen Thibodeau ’85 (LAW), a new scholarship will help these scholars pursue a graduate degree from UConn’s School of Law.

The couple, School of Law alums and longtime Connecticut residents, recently established the Richard E. Thibodeau and MaryEllen Thibodeau Scholarship Fund. It is the first UConn graduate school scholarship that will primarily benefit Hartford Promise scholarship recipients. The first year for eligible recipients for law school will be in the 2018-19 academic year.

“We feel very strongly that certain institutions and professions that provide a public service, such as the armed forces, government, and law, should generally reflect the population that they serve,” MaryEllen said. “We hope our gift will give some young men and women the ability to attend the UConn School of Law, to have a successful career in Connecticut, and provide future opportunities for the generations to follow.”

The Thibodeaus set up their endowment via an IRA charitable rollover, combining convenience with tax advantages. Donors who are 70½ and older can make a gift that fulfills their required minimum distribution, but is not treated as taxable income. Even donors who don’t itemize can benefit from this opportunity. Donors can distribute up to $100,000 a year to a charity.Learn More

This gift could help make a difference for Hartford Promise scholars. A recent report by the National Association for Law Placement shows a slow pace in growth of diversity among law firms. Additionally, the School of Law notes that pipeline programs, which provide access to students who might not otherwise consider law as a profession, and financial support are critical in opening doors for underrepresented students.

“We want young people to understand that it is possible to get through high school, go to college, and thereafter enroll in law school,” said Karen Demeola, Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Students, UConn School of Law and President, Connecticut Bar Association. “Removing barriers to success, in particular the financial obligation, is so important to students’ academic achievement.”

“We’re deeply grateful for Rick and MaryEllen’s most generous support of the School of Law,” said Dean Timothy Fisher, UConn School of Law. “This scholarship will help Hartford students further their education as they prepare for a lifetime of fulfilling service in the legal profession. We thank Rick and MaryEllen for their transformative gift, and look forward to welcoming recipients.”

Rick and MaryEllen have given to UConn for more than 30 years, inspired by their parents’ example of paying it forward.

“While neither of our parents had much money, they gave what they could of both money and time to the organizations that were important to them and we observed that,” Rick said.

The two credited the School of Law as the foundation for their successful careers. Rick owned his own tax and investment services practice for almost 20 years, and MaryEllen worked as a transactions lawyer for several Connecticut companies.

“I enjoyed the intellectual challenge and rigorous academic atmosphere, and learned the importance of considering various points of view and the need to be prepared,” MaryEllen said. “UConn Law opened up the opportunity for me to have a challenging and interesting career.”

Rick and MaryEllen enjoy the opportunity to help future legal scholars and hope others will follow their lead.

“We would encourage potential donors, whether a UConn Law graduate or not, to reflect on the importance of having a first-class state University with a first-class law school,” Rick said. “Education is the door that opens opportunities and breaks down barriers to success.”

Inspire Future Legal Scholars

For more information about the Hartford Promise scholarship program, visit www.hartfordpromise.org.

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UConn Receives Second Largest Gift in its History

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Tiffany Ventura Thiele

3 min read

Philanthropist Peter J. Werth Commits $22.5 Million to Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The UConn Foundation has received a $22.5 million commitment from Peter J. Werth, ensuring a legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship for generations of students to come.

“Peter’s transformative and historic commitment cements his legacy as a most generous friend to UConn,” said Josh Newton, President and CEO, UConn Foundation. “As a steadfast UConn supporter for many years, Peter has previously given very generously to our athletic programs. We’re grateful that his generosity has expanded to include academics, especially into an area that supports the economy of our state: entrepreneurship and innovation. We hope he will inspire others to follow his lead.”

Announced today at a press conference at NextGen Residence Hall on the main campus in Storrs, Werth’s commitment is the second-largest in University history, behind Ray and Carole Neag’s $23 million pledge in 1999.

$2.5 million will be paid over the next five years to establish the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Institute, under University leadership, will bring together student and faculty programs fostering entrepreneurship and innovation that potentially has commercial application and can be used to create new companies. In addition to nurturing innovation, the Institute will facilitate entrepreneurship speaker forums and host an entrepreneur-in-residence to instruct students.

The remaining $20 million is an estate gift, providing ongoing support for the Werth Institute in perpetuity and ensuring Werth’s legacy at UConn for generations to come. In recognition of this historic commitment, the NextGen Residence Hall will now be known as the Peter J. Werth Residence Tower.

“An investment in UConn is an investment in the University’s spirit of innovation,” said Werth, CEO, President, and Chairman of ChemWerth, Inc. “While I didn’t attend UConn, I have come to believe in its mission, and see the importance of creating opportunities for innovation at our state’s flagship university. I’m delighted and honored that I could make this gift in support of young entrepreneurs, as they create innovative solutions for today’s unique challenges.”

rendering of the Peter J. Werth Residence Tower

Peter earned his bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University in Kansas and his master’s degree from Stanford University, beginning his professional career as an R&D scientist in the early 1960s. Working from a room above the garage in his Woodbridge, Conn. home, he established ChemWerth Inc., a full-service generic drug and development and supply company, in 1982.

His vision was to produce U.S. FDA-quality active pharmaceutical ingredients in China, which would make generic drugs more accessible and affordable. He immersed himself in the local Chinese market and worked alongside manufacturers to achieve the necessary quality of ingredients. Today, sourcing active pharmaceutical ingredients from China is an industry norm, providing a significant cost savings on medication for millions.

His dedication to improving the lives of people through affordable generic medicine is matched by his most generous philanthropic spirit. Werth’s previous commitment provided the lead gift for the Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center, a world-class facility for the UConn women’s and men’s basketball teams. In addition to his numerous charitable donations to UConn, he is the president of The Werth Family Foundation, Inc., which was established in 2001 to support Connecticut communities, with a focus on higher education, children’s services, human services, the arts, and the environment. Werth is also a 2015 honorary Doctor of Science degree recipient from UConn.

“Words cannot express how thankful we are to Peter for his extraordinary gift,” said UConn President Susan Herbst. “This incredible gesture will transform student lives, supporting their entrepreneurial spirit as they create the businesses of the future. Peter is a remarkable individual and wonderful friend to UConn. We are deeply grateful for his generosity.”

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Students Inspire Alum to Give Scholarship

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Grace Merritt

2 min read

During a recent visit back to UConn’s School of Engineering, Russ St. John ’80 (ENG) ’85 MBA met several remarkable students he supported with a scholarship donation.

One in particular stood out.

“I remember a young lady who said she wanted to help provide clean water in Latin America. She was talking about taking her education and using it to help lots of people. It was inspiring,” he said.

Russ was so impressed, he decided to give a permanent scholarship to the School of Engineering as part of his legacy. With help from the UConn Foundation, he arranged to leave a gift to the School of Engineering to create the scholarship in his will.

“What better a way to leave a legacy?” he said. “It really attached to my heart right away. I decided this is what I want to do.”

photo of Russ St. John ’80 (ENG), ’85 MBA takes a break while hiking in Nepal
Russ St. John ’80 (ENG), ’85 MBA takes a break while hiking in Nepal

Russ, who was raised in Southington, Conn., was the first in his family to go college. He didn’t receive a scholarship and paid his way through school, balancing his heavy academic load with weekday jobs in a University lab and weekend shifts at a local Howard Johnson’s restaurant. His scholarship will pave a smoother path for other promising engineering students for decades to come.

When he first decided to leave a gift to the University in his estate, he wasn’t sure how to do it. He said the UConn Foundation staff was helpful in outlining his options and explaining the tax benefits of planned gifts, such as IRAs.

“I’d also encourage anyone who is thinking about it to go to the school they graduated from for a tour. Go meet the students and talk to them. It’s inspiring,” he said.

Russ double-majored in mechanical engineering and material science and immediately got a job designing jet engines at GE, where he worked for 21 years. He was then recruited for a job in Minneapolis for Katun, a technology provider for the printing industry. He later joined Entrust Datacard as chief marketing officer.

In their free time, he and his wife, Elaine, a nurse, like to volunteer at a local alternative high school, helping students earn their GEDs. Russ also makes time for travel. In April, he enjoyed a two-week trek in Nepal, hiking up to 15,300 feet in the Himalayas.

“It was quite strenuous,” he said. “It was just a great experience, meeting Buddhist monks, spending time with kind and loving people, and just living very lean.”

Wherever he has gone, his UConn education has been a great passport to success, he said.

“UConn is a great enabler because it offers a superb education that’s cost-effective. But there are students who still need help. Scholarships provide the assistance they need,” he said.

Learn More about Planned Giving

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Harry Hartley Leads New Scholarship Initiative With Gift (UConn Today)

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Jennifer Doak-Mathewson

< 1 min read

When the UConn Foundation announced its $150 million student-support fundraising initiative this past year, former UConn President Harry Hartley’s longstanding sense of devotion to the University prompted him to lead the charge. Through a planned bequest, Hartley has designated a gift of $250,000 in support of undergraduate and graduate scholarships specifically for students in UConn’s Neag School of Education. The gift will be made in his name and in that of his wife, Dianne.

“My parents were both teachers, so I’ve always seen the value of education,” Hartley says. “And if we can turn out better teachers, better administrators, counselors, et cetera, I think it’s a net benefit to the state of Connecticut and to the country.”

 

Jonathan at an event in Hartford CT
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