Medford Natives Establish Scholarship
Two sons of Medford have established a scholarship fund at UML to benefit Medford high school students as a way to give back to the two institutions that changed their lives. David Stordy ’90, MA ’93, and Jake Burke ’89, ’90, MA ’92 hope to encourage other alumni and friends of the University who live or are from Medford to contribute to the endowment fund so more than one student’s financial burden can be eased while they attend UML.
“Being a part of the UML community was very important to us. Equally important is the city of Medford community. Both our families still live in Medford, and we are happy to partner with the city, high school and possibly the mayor’s office to make this scholarship a success,” says Stordy, senior vice president of operations for Sunbridge Health Care.
The two friends, who have known each other since high school, began the fund with a $30,000 donation, which includes a matching endowment incentive grant from the state. They hope to build the fund to at least $100,000 with help from other alumni and friends.
“This is just the start. To have the impact we want this scholarship to have, we need more people to get involved,” says Burke, who is vice president of business development at Career Search, a software company in Needham.
The involvement of their wives in the decision to start the fund was vital, they say. Although Burke’s wife Beth O’Brien has only her husband as a connection to UML, Stordy’s wife Jeanne Holland Stordy ’91 is a UML alumna. “This wouldn’t have happened without their buy in,” says Burke.
The two friends had been toying with the idea of establishing the scholarship for several years. When they returned to their high school for their 20th reunion, the plan finally gelled as they reflected on their roots.
“We both came from working class families and we were of the first generation in our families to go to college. We both attended UML on scholarships, too,” says Burke. “We didn’t want a Medford student to say, ‘I wish I could have gone to college but I didn’t have the money.’”
“We had the benefit of being influenced by the faculty and staff at UML that allowed us to be successful and contribute to our communities,” says Burke. “Leo King, the former associate vice president of Student Services was instrumental in our lives as a mentor and friend. He left a great mark on our lives and we hope that students can benefit through relationships with the great staff and faculty here at UML now as well.”
UML usually draws well from Medford high school—18 students were admitted this fall—so the scholarship will be very popular, says major gifts officer Steven Rogers of the UML Advancement Office. He will be looking for other alumni with Medford roots to support the fundraising effort.
For more information or to contribute to the fund, contact Rogers at 978-934-4803 or steven_rogers@uml.edu. Burke can be reached at jakeburke@gmail.com.
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