Your gift tells a story.

A named gift is one of the most meaningful ways to make a lasting difference at the University of Southern Maine. When you attach your name—or the name of someone you wish to honor—to a facility, space, scholarship, or program, you create a legacy that will touch the lives of our students for generations. Your gift tells a story. It reflects your values, celebrates the people who matter most to you, and inspires others to follow your example.

Choose your legacy

A named gift connects your legacy to something enduring: the pursuit of knowledge, discovery, belonging, and opportunity. Long after today’s students have graduated, you impact will live on, opening doors and changing lives. Opportunities to make a named gift to USM include:

audience in Performance Hall

Take a seat

Show your support for the arts by permanently naming a seat in the Crewe Center’s 200-capacity Performance Hall or the 75-capacity Arts Lab. Name your seat in honor of a loved one or as a tribute to a colleague.

students walking toward McGoldrick Center

Dedicate a space

Naming opportunities are available in both the McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success and the Crewe Center for the Arts, two signature new facilities on USM’s transformed Portland campus.

Name your Steinway

Your gift will name one of the 26 new Steinway pianos that now make their home in the Crewe Center for the Arts, ensuring that generations will learn, practice, and perform on world-class instruments.

Explore Other Naming Opportunities

Create a Named Scholarship

Name a Chair or Professorship

Name an Endowed Promise Scholarship

What’s in a name?

  • Financial legacy and permanence: With a named fund, your story becomes part of USM’s story, ensuring that your values, family name, or honoree’s memory continues.
  • Personal connection: Your named fund is more than financial, it can be a tribute to your loved ones or to your own transformational experience at USM.
  • Inspiration to others: Your named fund provides visibility and recognition, and sets an example for others who wish to make a difference.
  • Alignment of values: A named fund enables you to shape the future in ways that feel personal and aligned with your own journey.
  • A family touchstone: A named fund can become a meaningful family tradition, helping to instill philanthropic values for generations to come.

Naming vs. sponsorship: Which is right for you?

Whereas named gifts offer individuals and foundations permanent recognition for their philanthropy, sponsorships are an ideal choice for businesses and organizations that wish to partner with USM over a defined period. The benefits of sponsorship include high visibility for your company or brand, inclusion in communications materials, invitations to openings and events, and other types of special recognition.

Learn more about sponsorships

Let’s continue the conversation.

Contact Erin Macey, Executive Director of Development:

Phone: 207.780.4408 or Fax: 207-780-4778

Email: erin.macey@maine.edu

Mail: Make your check payable to University of Southern Maine Foundation and addressed to Erin Macey, USM Foundation, P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04101-9300

Make a gift online

When planning to make a gift to USM, seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor.