The opportunity to pursue higher education can leave a lasting impact across generations. Elaine Ullian grew up seeing this firsthand.
Her father, who lived to be nearly 88, was a child of immigrants. He lost his own father at a young age. He often acted out, and his mother struggled to handle his behavior. Ullian describes him as troubled, and his story could have had a sad outcome. Thanks to education, it didn’t.
An Opportunity Emerges
Ullian’s father dropped out of high school and worked odd jobs until he was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II. He eventually returned to Boston to settle down. Duty called again during the Korean War, and this time, he was sent to officer’s candidate school.
“They could tell he was smart,” says Ullian.
After training, he was stationed in Germany where his family joined him. There, he discovered that he could take correspondence courses through what is now UMGC.
“When we got stationed in Arkansas, he continued with his courses,” she explains. “And when we moved to Washington DC and Kansas, he kept going.”
Finally, at the age of 40, he earned his college degree.
“It was wonderful,” notes Ullian. “He went on to have a distinguished career in the military. After he retired, he had additional careers in the private sector in finance.”
Called to Give Back
Grateful for the education that helped prepare him for success, he was determined to pay it forward. In 1996, he reached out to the University of Maryland Foundation to start a scholarship fund that would support active-duty members of the military who are pursuing a college degree.
“My father made a commitment to contribution $10,000 to the fund every year for as long as he was alive,” Ullian says. “This was clearly very important to my father.”
Enjoying a successful career of her own, she decided to keep the contributions going after his passing. Thanks to a match by a board she was serving on, her donations multiplied. After a few years, the gift match ended, but Ullian’s generosity didn’t.
“After that, I made a commitment to keep funding it,” she says.
Her goal was for the fund to reach $1 million.
“I believe it did last year,” she adds.
Elaine Ullian
Changing Lives Through Education
Today, the George and Ruth Bryer Shepard Endowed Scholarship has helped many active-duty members of the military achieve their own education goals, many of whom write Ullian letters of gratitude for the opportunity the scholarship afforded them.
“The letters will make you cry. They’re just beautiful,” she says. “The recipients are working hard in pursuit of a degree while working full time in the military and supporting their families financially, socially and emotionally. It is very touching that they are so committed to achieving their goals.”
Ullian credits her father for teaching her that education can never be taken away from someone, no matter what else may happen in their lives. Now, his legacy lives on through the opportunities he is creating for others whose shoes he once walked in.
“Dad would be dancing in the streets,” she concludes.
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