University of Maine Foundation announces $7 million gift to support electrical engineering scholarships

Jeffery Mills, president and CEO of the University of Maine Foundation, has announced a generous bequest of more than $7 million from Black Bear alumnus Norman B. Stetson ’62. The gift will significantly enhance the Norman B. Stetson ‘62 Scholarship to which Stetson and his wife, Dorothea, contributed consistently. Norman Stetson passed away in May 2023.

“Norm Stetson’s legacy at our institution is one of profound generosity and commitment to education,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “This gift significantly increases the financial aid available to UMaine students pursuing electrical engineering degrees. The graduates of this program are in high demand by industry in Maine and beyond. We are honored to carry forward his spirit of innovation and curiosity.”

Stetson, a Freeport, Maine, native and resident of Lexington, Massachusetts, had a distinguished career in radio frequency technology as an inventor and entrepreneur. He and his partners founded Inframetrics, a company that produced innovative thermal imaging systems. The partners later sold the company to FLIR Systems, Inc., where Stetson remained as chief scientist until his retirement. 

Stetson was an enthusiastic ham radio operator and helicopter pilot. He was inducted as a distinguished member of the Francis Crowe Society by UMaine’s  College of Engineering (now known as the Maine College of Engineering and Computing).

“This extraordinary bequest will provide our students with the resources they need to excel academically and pursue their passions without the burden of financial constraints,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. “We are deeply grateful to Norm for his vision and generosity.”

Patricia Cummings, senior director of philanthropy at the Foundation, worked closely with Stetson for many years. 

“Norm’s greatest joy was meeting his Stetson Scholarship recipients and helping young men and women to become electrical engineers,” said Cummings. “Norm wanted to lighten their debt so they could fully engage in college life. “He revered his professors as mentors, and he always responded generously to the Dean and Chair to enhance UMaine’s engineering programs.”

For more information about the University of Maine Foundation and its initiatives, please visit umainefoundation.org or email umainefoundation@maine.edu.

Contact: Monique Hashey, monique@maine.edu