UMass Boston

Behind every commemorative gift is a personal story, one that transforms gratitude, remembrance, and admiration into a lasting impact.

MUSIC

Brothers Christopher Tawa ’76 and Nicholas Tawa ’77 recently made a gift to increase the impact of the endowed Professor Emeritus Nicolas E. Tawa and Michelina M. Tawa Music Scholarship, which they created in 2022 to provide support for undergraduates majoring in music. Their fund honors their parents, Professor Emeritus Nicholas E. Tawa, a founding member and longtime chair of the UMass Boston Music Department, and Michelina M. Tawa, who encouraged Professor Tawa to join the UMass Boston faculty and Chris and Nick to study at the university.

ENVIRONMENT

This spring, members of the volunteer-run organization Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands (FBHI) established the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands Endowed Fund in Honor of Suzanne Gall Marsh ’84. The fund celebrates the life and legacy of Marsh, who co founded FBHI in 1979, by providing perpetual support for student research at the School for the Environment. This research advances the stewardship of the Boston Harbor Islands and promotes climate resilience, ensuring that Marsh’s passion for conservation and public parks continues to inspire future generations.

EDUCATION

UMass Boston parent and grandparent Melinda R. Meister P’92, GP’23 recently endowed the Frances Goodman Rohland Scholarship, which she created in 2022 to honor the legacy of her own mother, Frances, a first-generation student who became a dedicated first-grade teacher. The fund will support generations of undergraduate students at the College for Education & Human Development, especially those who are first in their families to go to college.