A University’s foundation is not found in its buildings or in its programs, but in its people – specifically those who commit to our mission, translate it into action and, most importantly, invest in that mission. The extraordinary financial support of Founders Society members provides a critical foundation from which the University continues to advance toward greater excellence.
The Founders Society recognizes the University’s most generous donors who provide transformational support for UD’s faculty, staff, students and campus by committing $1 million or more cumulatively during their lifetimes.
Recognizing Generosity
An engraved granite paver located on Founders Walkway
An exclusive membership proclamation box and pin
Exclusive invitations to presidential and Society-only events
Recognition in appropriate donor listings and publications
Communications with updates on the meaningful difference donors make at the University
Exclusive updates on University happenings and other Society-specific communications
Direct access to the Donor Relations team. Email donor-relations@udel.edu for guidance or with any questions.
“My journey of supporting students at the University has had a tremendous impact on my life. We all know that helping someone obtain their dreams can never be underestimated, especially when they are improving society at large. And to quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘To know that even one life has breathed easier because I have lived. That is to have succeeded.’”
-Donna M. Fontana, BE85
Founders Society Member
FOUNDERS SOCIETY IMPACT includes:
Current-use support to establish innovative programs and centers
Facility support to transform campus
Endowed funds to sustain support for UD’s people and programs in perpetuity, including scholarships, graduate fellowships, professorships and more
Founders Society Members
FOUNDERS SOCIETY MEMBERS
Frank E. Acierno Sr. and Annette B. Scarborough
Ann Yelland Adornetto '88 and Michael Adornetto
Holly Shertzer Aldrich '65
Charles C. III '71 and Barbara N.* Allen
Carol A. Ammon '11H and Marie E. Pinizzotto M.D. '08M '19H
Carol Leefeldt Anderer and David G. Anderer
Gregory W. Antal '79 '86M
Sondra J. Arnsdorf '69 '71M
Michael J. Axe
Mark P. Bendett '81M '85PhD
Barry J. '78 and M. Therese Bentley
Keith A. '80 and Corinne P. Bentley
Andrea LeNoir Blankenship '73 and George P. Blankenship
Neil W. '99 and Sharon Book
Sharon L. Brittingham '70 '09EdD
Donald B. Brown '72M
Bernadette D. Buccini
Christopher F. Buccini
Robert E. Buccini
Sandra L. Burgoon
Teresa C. Byrne '79
Marianne Williams Carney '63
R. R. M. III* and Stephanie C. Carpenter
Daniel L. Chester
Mary C. Christman '79M and Robert E. Palmer '80PhD
Patricia and John Cochran '25H
Morton '58 '15H* and Donna K. Collins
John R. Collins '80 and Margaret Pierce Collins '80
Achilles Constantakopoulos
Gerret V. '22H and Tatiana B. Copeland '22H
Howard E. Jr. '70M '18H and Joyce O. Cosgrove
Sarah Doelp '82 and Robert Quinn
Stephen F. Esser '85 and Dana L. Dortone
Catherine Eliades Faller '58 and James G. Faller '62M '67PhD
Wayne A. Fenton '67
Ronald M. Finch '56
Claudia G. and Richard B. Fischer
Donna M. Fontana '85
William L. '58M* and Mary Kay Friend
Francis E. Jr. '62 and Mildred W.* Gardiner
Michael S. '80 and Rosann F. Geltzeiler
Charles A. '70 and Patricia Genuardi
Frederick B. Getze
Sarah Ives Gore '76M '23H
Donald L. Gouge Jr. '80
Stuart M. and Suzanne B. Grant
Thomas L. '60 and Kipp T.* Gutshall
E. Thomas Harvey III '75 and Robin Adair Harvey
Eva-Maria Hauck-Grasselli
Pierre du Pont Hayward and Martina Combs Hayward '74
Constance LaRoe Helwig '73 and David R. Helwig '73
Thomas W. '73 and Katherine M. Hofmann
Mary F. Holahan '74M '78PhD and Luigi Caporaso
David E. and Kathleen A.* Hollowell
Charles W. '75 and Patricia A. Horn
Howard E. Hudson Jr. '63 and Patricia Coyne Hudson '63
Marilyn Perry Jacobsen '72 and Raymond A. Jacobsen Jr. '71
Terri Connor Kelly '83 and John B. Kelly '83
Carolyn Cochrane Kent '66M
Dorothea Kakavas Klapinsky '60 and Raymond J. Klapinsky '60
Ann M. Koontz '62 and Vincent L. Smeriglio
Michael J. and Hannah G.* Koziski
William M. '85 and Melissa G. Lafferty
Mark Samuels Lasner
Arthur '69 and Anne T. Layton
Rama S. '72M and Sashi Marda
Jack L.* and Kathryn Moore Massau '57
Brigid Hawk McVaugh '74 and John B. McVaugh Jr. '71 '75M
Dennis and Karen L. Mehiel
Sepehr Mostaghim '70 and Nancy Waite Mostaghim '69
Janice L. Pehrson '67 and Kristyan Panzica
David A. Plastino '78
Donald J. Puglisi '12H and Marichu C. Valencia '23H
Robin Burschlag Pzena ’81 and Richard S. Pzena
Garry A. Rechnitz
Michael J. '91 and Christina M. Renna
W. Eric '69 and Judith E. Roberson
Patricia Orris Robertson '72M and Charles W. Robertson Jr.
Fred P. Jr. '63 and Madeleine T. Rullo
Paul H. Schipper '73 and Denise E. Bruner
Jane M. Selewach '73 and Steven H. Peavy
Robert L. Siegfried Jr. '81 and Kathleen Horgan Siegfried '85
Gary A. Smith '80 and Carol Mertes-Smith '74
Robert W. '83 and Teresa O. Smith '83
A. Gilchrist III '21H and Mimi Sparks
Donald L. Sparks '24H
David W. and Lisa A. Spartin
Ronnie S. and Thomas G. Stanford
Mary Sturges Dodge '73 and Thomas A. Evans
Gary L. Sutkowi
M. Bernadette Szczepanek
Trudie E. Thompson
Douglas A. '79 and Catherine A. Treco
UD Alumni Association
Joan E. Wainwright '82 and Jerome P. LeBlond '94
Sean X. Wang and Monica Meng-Ling Ho
Sue Ann G. Weinberg
Robin Weng
Kenneth C. '80 and Elizabeth K. Whitney
Marna Cupp Whittington '68 '17H and Thomas D. Whittington Jr. '69
Thomas B. '72 and Judy B. Willing
Anonymous donors who have graciously given to the University without recognition
Founders Walkway
To ensure that we remember the legacies of our Founders Society members for years to come, the University recognizes every member with a physical marker prominently displayed on the Founders Walkway.
The Walkway, located adjacent to Amy DuPont Hall along the Roselle Center for the Arts lawn, features granite pavers engraved with members’ names, as well as society banners and descriptive threshold stones.
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