UMaine Foundation receives $1M gift to support modern languages and classics

ORONO — The University of Maine Foundation has received a $1 million gift from the estate of Agnes Ann Walsh to establish the Agnes Ann Walsh Chair in the University of Maine’s Department of Modern Languages and Classics.

The inaugural Walsh Chair is Frédéric Rondeau, joined the UMaine faculty in 2013 and has served as director of the Canadian American Center on campus since 2021. Also an associate professor of French, he teaches courses on Francophone literature and regularly offers a May term travel course in Quebec. As Walsh Chair, he plans to emphasize creating international and experiential learning opportunities for students.

Walsh, who graduated from UMaine in 1941, passed away in 2021 at the age of 100. Born and raised in South Portland, she was heavily involved in campus life at UMaine as a member of the university’s debate team, language club, student publications, and sports. Walsh was also a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and Sophomore Owls, a campus leadership group.

With a degree in romance languages, Walsh enjoyed a long career as a high school Latin teacher. She taught at Washington Academy in East Machias; Thornton Academy in Saco; and Winchester High School in Winchester, Massachusetts, where she taught for over 25 years.

“Agnes Ann Walsh’s bright spirit and passion for the University of Maine during her lifetime will now live on through her generous gift and the many students who will benefit from her generosity,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.

As a UMaine alumna,  Walsh was a passionate volunteer and financial contributor. Her dedication was recognized through the many awards she received, including the 2015 Hilda A. Sterling ‘55 Class Correspondent Award, a 1990 Black Bear Award and the UMaine Foundation’s prestigious Stillwater Award.

Jeffery Mills, the foundation’s president/CEO, recalled Walsh’s acceptance speech when she received her Stillwater Society honor in 2019.

“At nearly 100 years old, Agnes Ann gave one of the most heart-warming acceptance speeches I have ever witnessed at UMaine,” Mills said. “Her contributions have benefitted numerous areas across campus, beyond this new fund, including the Buchanan Alumni House and the John Randall & Agnes Annie Walsh Scholarship to honor her parents. She was a loyal alumna who will be remembered fondly.”

“I share Agnes Ann Walsh’s confidence in the value of learning languages and am deeply grateful that she chose to leave her extraordinary legacy to support this purpose,” said Emily Haddad, dean of UMaine’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “The Walsh Chair and scholarship will create transformative opportunities for students of French and Spanish at UMaine. I look forward to working with the inaugural Walsh Chair, professor Frédéric Rondeau, to realize the remarkable potential of Ms. Walsh’s gift.”

Walsh has also funded the Agnes Ann Walsh ’41 Scholarship to benefit students majoring in romance languages.

Founded in 1934, the University of Maine Foundation is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation exists to encourage gifts and bequests to promote academic achievement, foster research and elevate intellectual pursuits at the University of Maine and other charitable organizations.

As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts/ .