Museum Endowments

Jan Carline was a docent for several years in the late 60’s at the ‘Exhibit Museum’ as it was known then. The work fit with his interests in teaching children, and the fields of anthropology, geology, and the natural sciences in general. The job also supplemented the grants and other resources that he used to pay for tuition, housing, and the expenses of being an undergraduate student.

He nostalgically recalls how gratifying it was to help children better understand the environment and peoples of Michigan and expand their wonder and knowledge about the dinosaurs and other amazing life that preceded us on Earth.

He still treasures the opportunities he had to closely observe the artifacts and objects of the native peoples included in the collections and see at close hand the fossils and imprints of animals he read about in his studies at the university. Sunday afternoons sitting at the docent’s desk answering visitor questions or quietly observing the light filtering into the exhibit hall as it lit motes of dust floating have stayed with him as some of the best experiences of college life.

The Jan D. Carline Student Docent Fund will be used to support the Museum of Natural History’s student docent program, including but not limited to educational enrichment, particularly in the various subjects of anthropology, training, and other activities.

Before developing Alzheimer’s disease, Shirley Daball was a devoted Wolverine fan who never missed a home game and traveled to many away games.

Shirley was also a devoted U-M Museum of Natural History fan. She was fascinated from the first time she entered the museum, and made sure to visit it whenever she and her husband Jack were in Ann Arbor. When friends visited the couple’s home in Jackson, Shirley made sure they went to see the museum, saying “I want you to see my fossils.”

Shirley worked as assistant to the vice president of Comerica Bank. Jack recalled how fond Mr. Campbell was of Shirley, describing what a great day it was when the “fiery redhead” took over his office with efficiency and serene confidence.

In 2003, Shirley was one of the first donors to the Museum’s Butterfly and Pollinator Garden, and she always “bought a bone” during Buy-A-Bone fundraising campaigns.

Over the years, Jack continued to send donations to make sure “Shirley’s butterfly garden is taken care of." After learning of the impact his initial endowment gift would have for the future of museum programs, Jack thought it was important to establish a second endowment fund in honor of Shirley.

The Shirley Daball Museum Garden Fund will ensure ongoing care of the new museum’s garden, allow for additional plantings, provide educational activities and support for volunteer gardeners now and in perpetuity.“

Shirley always said the University should be proud of the treasure trove they had in the museum,” Jack said. “Now Shirley will be recognized by this special place forever. That makes me happy.”

Lori Ann Dick, the Museum of Natural History’s former Marketing & Communication Manager, retired for medical reasons in 2023. During her tenure, Lori's passion for nurturing young talent through student internships in marketing and communications was evident. Recognizing the invaluable need for additional support in this vital area, Lori made a heartfelt decision to memorialize her dedication to the museum by including it in her will as a beneficiary of her generosity.

Lori's planned gift will establish the Lori Ann Dick Marketing & Communications Fund. The endowment will support museum priorities, with a focus on marketing and communications activities, including student internships and promotions.

We are grateful for Lori's commitment to the museum's mission, which will continue to resonate for generations to come.

Judy and Paul Freedman have spent a lot of time at the museum. Judy remembers her initial visits began when she lived on North Campus and would take her toddler son Nicholas on daily adventures, which included riding the bus to the museum. She fondly recalls spending hours at the museum watching her son explore the exhibits. The visits had a big influence on Nicholas, who eventually began drawing everything he saw at the museum. He would later get an undergraduate and graduate degree in Fine Arts.  

The younger siblings became big fans as well. Halloween costumes included pumas, Triceratops, and other animals they grew to love, and those costumes are worn by their children today. Museum visits continue to play a major role in the Freedman family. Judy and Paul now bring their grandchildren who are big fans of the museum and they never leave without stopping in the Museum Store. These traditions inspired a love of museums and the natural world. 

Judy was initially concerned about the museum moving out of the Ruthven Museums Building and she invited friends to attend the Last Night at the Museum event to pay tribute.  When they later attended the VIP preview event for the new museum and witnessed the joy of the endowment honorees that night, she looked at Paul and said, “I want to do that!” 

The Judith and Paul Freedman Museum Priorities Fund will provide support for student docent, planetarium, public, and school field trip programs. Judy and Paul envision their Fund being used to inspire and pique an interest in museums and the natural world for generations to come.

The museum lost one of its biggest fans and staunchest supporters in Spring 2021. 

Andrea Larsen Scott donated $50,000 to establish the Larsen Family Exhibit Endowment Fund at the U-M Museum of Natural History before the new museum opened in 2019. 

As a child, Andrea’s parents and brother were avid “rock hounds” who enjoyed hunting fossils and minerals throughout the State of Michigan. Andrea recalled many vacations and day trips that centered around her family’s passion. And while her family hunted, Andrea enjoyed sitting in
the car, reading her books.

She wanted her gift to support geology with an emphasis on Michigan rocks and minerals to honor her family’s avocation. Her gift supports a changing exhibit of mineral specimens displayed on the second floor of the new museum. “I have such fond memories of visiting the museum as a child, and as a Michigan student,” said Andrea.“I'm thrilled to make this gift in honor of my family.”

With her gift, Andrea ensured that future generations of museum visitors will have the opportunity to see and learn about the geologic treasures that were so loved by her parents and brother.

Exhibits in the new museum present U-M’s world-class mineral collections with the latest scientific information, and The Larsen Family Exhibit Endowment will provide greater flexibility for changing and updating the exhibits.

"Andrea has graciously given her time, expertise and friendship as the Chair of our Board of Advisors. This generous gift will ensure that her love of the museum is shared with visitors of all ages for years to come," said Amy Harris, museum director. "We can't thank her enough for her generosity."

Perry Pernicano recalls visiting the museum for the first time when he traveled by train on a class field trip from Dearborn. He remembers it making a big impression and being happy to rediscover it during his U-M college days and then eventually sharing it with his two sons. He and his son Victor began visiting regularly and supporting things such as planetarium and exhibit updates. He’s always enjoyed seeing the impact that his donations to the museum have had on U-M students, K-12 schoolchildren, and the community. Victor spent several years working as a student docent and planetarium operator at the museum, and recently graduated from U-M.

The Perry Pernicano Museum Priorities Fund will be used to support museum priorities, including new and updated exhibits, the student docent program, planetarium programs, public programs, and school field trip programs, in perpetuity.

We are sincerely grateful for Perry’s generosity and friendship!

During her freshman orientation in 1958, general science major Eileen Starr discovered the “Exhibit Museum,” and immediately asked for a job. The only student position that offered enough hours was as a student operator of the soon-to-be installed Spitz A-1 planetarium. She accepted it and became the museum’s first student planetarium operator.

Eileen credited her tenure as a U-M Museum of Natural History student docent for directing her life course, which included working as either a planetarium director or a teacher of Earth Science classes in cities across the country.

Nearly 60 years later, Eileen recognized her life in science by establishing an endowment fund to support hands-on science learning opportunities at the museum, in perpetuity.

The Dr. Eileen Starr Hands-On Science Fund will be used to cover expenses specifically related to providing opportunities for U-M undergraduate students to develop and facilitate hands-on science experiences for museum visitors and program participants.

“I established this fund so that students can better learn how to create successful hands-on science activities for when they are teachers, or when they become parents,” Eileen said. “As a teacher and past science center director, I know hands-on activities are not always easy to create. The more practice, the better.”

Eileen passed away in Fall 2020. Generations of students and museum visitors will benefit from her thoughtful generosity.