Kings’ gift to UMaine is one that keeps giving

Ten years ago, the University of Maine received a wonderful gift from two of its most generous alumni, Stephen and Tabitha King. Seeing the financial base of the university eroded, the Kings gave funds for student scholarships and for hiring faculty whose work concerns humanity itself. As then university President Fred Hutchinson put it, as a result of the Kings’ gift, “the basic underpinnings of a university education – that is, liberal arts and sciences – will be stronger.”

Moving quickly, the university looked nationally for the best scholars they could find and hired a group of great promise and skill. In the fall of 1997, these new faculty entered the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the intellectual heart of the university.

Looking back, the importance of the Kings’ contribution is more certain than ever. For instance, Beth Weimann, a composer and clarinet player who joined the Music Department and School of Performing Arts, has won prestigious awards, involves students as performers of her vocal compositions, and performs widely, in the state and away. Another, political scientist Amy Fried, teaches students how to analyze state policy problems and participates in a program involving students across the state, has won accolades for research on Tocqueville and civic culture, and provides her expertise to this newspaper and other media outlets. A third, historian Liam Riordan, writes about America’s united and multicultural traditions, and adds to the cultural capital of the state by teaching undergraduates, graduate students and high school teachers about early American history.

These scholars and many others support the liberal arts and sciences, fields which never go out of date and which have never been more important.

The University of Maine competes with liberal arts and science colleges in Maine to recruit some of the state’s most talented students. Faculty in liberal arts and sciences engage all students with an education that stresses learning humanity’s traditions, examines human institutions, promotes analytical and critical thinking, builds writing skills and the ability to speak well and clearly, as well as how to evaluate quantitative data and think about ethical choices. Professors in these areas cultivate graduates who have lifelong skills, and who will be active citizens, involved in their communities, and with traits needed to be employees who have learned how to learn.

In the last 10 years, the state has made critical strides in economic development. Within the last few years, Gov. Baldacci has promoted the creative economy as a necessary part of the state’s growth. The creative economy includes supporting artists and their work, but there is another element that is crucial.

Consider the Maine Arts Commission’s goal to “develop and build Maine communities through arts and culture” or the Brookings Institution report’s emphasis on “enhancing the state’s quality of place” and promoting community and downtown development.

Both of these point to Maine’s need to keep and develop interesting places where citizens can enjoy themselves in an engaged way, whether that means listening to Quebecois music at the Bangor Folk Festival, seeing an historian talk about the logging industry in the 19th century at a local museum, or hearing the Somali Narrative Project’s readers’ theater at the Maine Women’s Studies Conference.

To retain Maine’s newly educated citizens and to attract professionals from away, Maine must preserve its traditional strengths of natural beauty, its inherent tolerance, and its vibrant civic life and community. The liberal arts and sciences at the University of Maine have done much to further Maine’s creative economy and will continue to do so.

Ten years after the Kings announced their gift, we recognize its lasting impact for the state and for achieving these goals. As Tabitha King said back then, “If you invest in your children, they will return it to you.” We thank them again for their farsighted understanding.

Ann Leffler is dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Maine.