A Warm Welcome: The Ehrensberger Legacy Society Inducts 11 New Members

Mr. Paul Rudolph Aaron ‘96 

Mr. Aaron began his UMGC educational journey in 1967 in the Far East Division, Tachikawa, Japan, while serving in the U.S. Air Force. He had the privilege of being in the first Information Management Systems Multimedia class offered at UMGC and graduated in the Class of Fall 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems.

He was inspired to make a Planned Gift because when he was stationed in Japan going to college part-time, UMGC was the only access to completing his education path. Servicemen and women, spouses and dependents have limited options while stationed overseas in some countries, and he wants to be able to provide others the opportunity to excel in their educational endeavors.

Dr. Thomas Bailey ‘86

Dr. Bailey graduated from UMGC in 1986, becoming the first member of his family to earn a college degree. He began adjunct teaching at UMGC in 2000, and became the director of Psychology in 2006, retiring as the vice dean of the Sciences Programs in 2020. 

Dr. Bailey believes in UMGC students and feels passionately that they deserve diverse quality educational opportunities. He trusts in UMGC’s ability to provide them with a pathway to their dreams.

Dr. Paul W. Brewer

With a passion for education, Dr. Brewer spent his career as a life-long educator, holding faculty positions at the University of New Mexico, the University of Texas El Paso, and at UMGC’s Asia and Europe Divisions teaching American history and government courses. 

He has held several administrative positions at the UMGC Europe Division, serving as an area director, director of Student Services, director of Administration and director of Undergraduate Studies. He also has served as an associate dean and director of Student Services at UMGC’s Asia Division. 

Dr. Brewer has an unwavering commitment to evangelizing college opportunities offered to the men and women of the military, especially abroad.  He is making this Planned Gift to UMGC to further education opportunities for these servicemembers and designates his gift to the Joe Arden Scholarship Fund.

Mr. Larry J. Gallagher ‘71

As an U.S. Army veteran in the 4th Infantry Division stationed in Pleiku, Vietnam from 1967-68, Mr. Gallagher graduated from UMGC’s Far East Division in 1971 in Taipei, Taiwan. After completing his military service and graduating from the University of San Diego Law School in 1976, Mr. Gallagher served as an assistant U.S. Attorney, retiring from the U. S. Department of Justice.  

As the first in his family to attend college, he is grateful to UMGC for giving him the opportunity to complete his degree while serving in the military. Mr. Gallagher is making a Planned Gift to UMGC and is allocating his gift to the Veteran’s Assistance Fund, a fund that was established in February 2017, to support eligible student veterans with costs related to their education when their veterans' benefits are exhausted or become unavailable. His gift will remove barriers for veterans to help them complete their education.

Mrs. Marionetta M. Glover-Caige ‘94

In 1980, Mrs. Glover-Caige was a mother, a part-time student and an employee. Due to competing priorities, it took her 14 years to complete her bachelor’s degree because she had to work toward her degree one class at a time. She finally obtained her Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from UMGC in 1994.

Her personal experience has inspired her to help change someone’s life through education as hers had been. In late 2023, Mrs. Glover-Caige founded the Marionetta’s Dream In Memory Of Norvell And Lucille Glover Endowed Scholarship Fund through a gift to UMGC. The purpose of this fund, which is named in honor of her parents, is to provide scholarship support to African American undergraduate and graduate students in STEM-related majors at UMGC to help them reach their goals and dreams. 

Mr. Kelly Kitchens ‘20

Mr. Kitchens is a 2020 UMGC graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies degree program. Recognizing the importance of the law and its associated impact on minority populations, he makes this gift to UMGC with the goal of helping students learn to appreciate Legal Studies and the law so they can advocate for marginalized groups of people in the U.S.

Mr. Bud Miller ‘96 and Marcia S. Miller

Mr. Bud Miller is the executive director of the Coupon Information Corporation, a non-profit association of the consumer product manufacturers dedicated to fighting coupon mis-redemption and fraud. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts in fighting complex coupon fraud schemes. Mr. Miller played an instrumental role in taking down the three criminals who inspired the Queenpins movie. 

Mr. Miller, along with his wife Marcia, established the Ed & Jean Miller Answering the Call Scholarship in honor of his parents. The scholarship provides education funding opportunities to U.S. servicemembers who serve on the front lines across the globe to protect our country, people, allies and our way of life.  These heroes from all walks of life achieve the extraordinary every day, and Mr. And Mrs. Miller say it’s a privilege to give them their support.

Mrs. Clarissa A. Peterson ‘87 and Mr. Edward Archer

Ms. Peterson enrolled at UMGC and studied at night while working three jobs. A $500 scholarship from the university helped her to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree from UMGC in 1987. 

She saw first-hand how financial and family obligations meant that some students in her classes struggled to pursue their educations, a reminder of what her own mother faced while she was a child. 

Ms. Peterson, now president and CEO of human resources consultancy firm Ohana HR, decided to honor her mother, whom she described “as a very giving person who always wanted to lift people up.”  Ms. Peterson, along with her husband Mr. Edward Archer, started the Minnie L. Peterson Memorial Scholarship in 2006, just after her mother’s death. The new funding to the scholarship through this planned gift will increase the number of scholarships available for struggling students.

Ms. Margaret A. Sofio ‘71

After an early marriage, three babies, two overseas moves, and credits from four different colleges, UMGC provided Ms. Sofio with the opportunity to complete her bachelor’s degree.  

She is grateful to have found a university that understood life's complications and smoothed her path to graduation and acceptance to law school. Ms. Sofio is making this gift to show her appreciation to UMGC in allowing her to complete her degree. Through it, she wants to provide current UMGC students the opportunity to fulfill their own education dreams.

Dr. Deborah M. Wharff ‘98, ‘00, ‘04

Dr. Dennis Winters was a faculty member of the UMGC doctoral program for over a decade. He passed away in 2021. In his memory, his wife Michelle LeFurge and UMGC alumna Dr. Deborah Wharff created an endowment scholarship for doctoral students with financial needs. 

Teaching was Mr. Winter’s passion, and he believed every student deserves an opportunity to achieve a higher education no matter their financial background or personal challenges. Dr. Winters and Dr. Wharff shared a passion for teaching, and she wants his spirit to be carried on through this gift of financial support to doctoral students who otherwise may not be able to achieve their dreams.

Dr. Wharff’s endowment and bequest to the scholarship is not just a donation. It’s a testament to her belief in the transformative power of education and a tribute to Dr. Winters’ unwavering dedication to his students. This scholarship will help alleviate some of the financial barriers that doctoral students face, enabling them to focus on their studies and  research. In doing so, Dr. Winters’ memory is honored, and his legacy of fostering academic excellence and making higher education accessible to all will continue.

Mr. Norman F. Workman ‘87 

Growing up as an orphan in the Boston projects, Mr. Workman completed three years of college before a recession cost him his part-time job. At this time, the U.S. Army became his family and hope for the future.  

The G.I. Bill and VA Home Loan Guarantee, coupled with excellent medical training in the military, changed his life.  As a widower with a three-year-old daughter, he returned to school to obtain his degree, and finding UMGC helped him change his life for the better once again. 

He will forever be indebted to UMGC for providing him with the means to obtain an outstanding education that has opened doors that have led to an amazing national and international career in business. He knows first-hand there are those coming behind him that are facing the same financial struggles in reaching their goals, and he feels it is only fitting that he returns the favor.