Philanthropy
Gaining Independence
Fellowship supports study of developing nations.
When she was a young girl, Margaret “Meg” E. Osborne McLane MA’69, PhD’92 witnessed many frank exchanges about world politics — around the kitchen table.
“My family had many very lively discussions of international affairs,” she says. Her father was an electrical engineer and her uncle was, as she describes him, a “Congregational minister of the socialist persuasion.” Their spirited conversations helped shape her world view.
McLane completed an undergraduate degree in European history at Vassar College, and planned to be involved with the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Instead, she married, raised three daughters, and played an active role in her community. In time, she enrolled at UW-Madison and earned a master’s degree in history. She recalls being especially influenced by a seminar taught by Professor Robert Koehl and by courses in African history.
“I admired the spirit of the people who were resisting colonial rule and their fight for independence,” she says. “I was studying during the sixties — a very exciting time when many of the African nations gained their independence.”
McLane then focused on West Africa in her doctoral dissertation, further laying the foundation for supporting students who are working to improve conditions in the recently independent nations. When she began teaching at UW-Fond du Lac, she created a fellowship at UW-Madison for students from developing nations. Using the initials of her maiden name, she awarded the MEO Fellowship anonymously for many years.
When she was a young girl, Margaret “Meg” E. Osborne McLane MA’69, PhD’92 witnessed many frank exchanges about world politics — around the kitchen table.
“My family had many very lively discussions of international affairs,” she says. Her father was an electrical engineer and her uncle was, as she describes him, a “Congregational minister of the socialist persuasion.” Their spirited conversations helped shape her world view.
McLane completed an undergraduate degree in European history at Vassar College, and planned to be involved with the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Instead, she married, raised three daughters, and played an active role in her community. In time, she enrolled at UW-Madison and earned a master’s degree in history. She recalls being especially influenced by a seminar taught by Professor Robert Koehl and by courses in African history.
“I admired the spirit of the people who were resisting colonial rule and their fight for independence,” she says. “I was studying during the sixties — a very exciting time when many of the African nations gained their independence.”
McLane then focused on West Africa in her doctoral dissertation, further laying the foundation for supporting students who are working to improve conditions in the recently independent nations. When she began teaching at UW-Fond du Lac, she created a fellowship at UW-Madison for students from developing nations. Using the initials of her maiden name, she awarded the MEO Fellowship anonymously for many years.
Recently, the fellowship has benefited UW-Madison’s Development Studies PhD Program, which prepares graduates for careers in social science research, policy work, and education related to international development issues. She endowed the fund in 2001.
One recipient’s tale speaks volumes about the effect McLane has had on students. Charles Chavunduka PhDx’08 came to UW-Madison from Zimbabwe in January 2001 to earn a doctorate in development. Later that year, his wife and two children joined him in Madison. But by the end of 2002, he says, he “ran out of funding for use in paying for my tuition and sustenance of family.” He considered dropping out of the program.
McLane and her MEO Fellowship came to the rescue, and it changed his life. “The mere fact that I was helped by someone I did not know and who did not know me has passionately motivated my spiritual consciousness so much that — upon completion of my studies — I will emulate Meg McLane by giving back to society in the best way possible,” he says.
The development studies program honored McLane during its alumni day in May 2006.
“To understand the importance of [the MEO Fellowship], it is necessary only to see the faces of its recipients: students whose pursuit of a graduate degree has demanded sacrifices that are proportionally far greater than those ever required of any U.S. student,” said Ian Coxhead, the program chair. “Meg’s gift has enormous impact on individuals, and thus on the development studies program, and the selflessness with which it is given is genuinely humbling.”
“My gifts stem from a dual sense of gratitude — to the university itself for all it has done for me, and to this program for its work with developing nations and the people who live in those places,” McLane said at the event.
In addition to her $200,000 gift, McLane said she would match other support from alumni and friends.
— Chris DuPré
One recipient’s tale speaks volumes about the effect McLane has had on students. Charles Chavunduka PhDx’08 came to UW-Madison from Zimbabwe in January 2001 to earn a doctorate in development. Later that year, his wife and two children joined him in Madison. But by the end of 2002, he says, he “ran out of funding for use in paying for my tuition and sustenance of family.” He considered dropping out of the program.
McLane and her MEO Fellowship came to the rescue, and it changed his life. “The mere fact that I was helped by someone I did not know and who did not know me has passionately motivated my spiritual consciousness so much that — upon completion of my studies — I will emulate Meg McLane by giving back to society in the best way possible,” he says.
The development studies program honored McLane during its alumni day in May 2006.
“To understand the importance of [the MEO Fellowship], it is necessary only to see the faces of its recipients: students whose pursuit of a graduate degree has demanded sacrifices that are proportionally far greater than those ever required of any U.S. student,” said Ian Coxhead, the program chair. “Meg’s gift has enormous impact on individuals, and thus on the development studies program, and the selflessness with which it is given is genuinely humbling.”
“My gifts stem from a dual sense of gratitude — to the university itself for all it has done for me, and to this program for its work with developing nations and the people who live in those places,” McLane said at the event.
In addition to her $200,000 gift, McLane said she would match other support from alumni and friends.
— Chris DuPré
Mutual Admiration
Scholarships honor love of education and each other.
This is a story about living happily ever after. Sylvia Thompson, an undergraduate in the 1940s, remembers seeing a cute boy on campus and badly wanting to meet him. One day, she cut class and went to the agricultural library — a friend told her that she’d seen him there, and Thompson hoped to bump into him. Unbeknownst to Thompson, Truman Graf, the young man in question, had also noticed her. When he saw her in the library, he introduced himself. They talked, and he invited her to a UW Homecoming concert.
In time, the two grew closer, fell in love, and eventually married. And today?
“She is the best cook in the city, she was a Mrs. Wisconsin finalist, and she makes most of her own clothes,” brags Truman Graf ’47, MS’50, PhD’54 about Sylvia Thompson Graf ’49, MS’74. To honor Sylvia’s commitment to family and community, Truman has made a gift to the School of Human Ecology’s 100 Women Campaign.
“In every respect, she is a woman who lived the mission of the school — improving the quality of human life,” he says.
This is a story about living happily ever after. Sylvia Thompson, an undergraduate in the 1940s, remembers seeing a cute boy on campus and badly wanting to meet him. One day, she cut class and went to the agricultural library — a friend told her that she’d seen him there, and Thompson hoped to bump into him. Unbeknownst to Thompson, Truman Graf, the young man in question, had also noticed her. When he saw her in the library, he introduced himself. They talked, and he invited her to a UW Homecoming concert.
In time, the two grew closer, fell in love, and eventually married. And today?
“She is the best cook in the city, she was a Mrs. Wisconsin finalist, and she makes most of her own clothes,” brags Truman Graf ’47, MS’50, PhD’54 about Sylvia Thompson Graf ’49, MS’74. To honor Sylvia’s commitment to family and community, Truman has made a gift to the School of Human Ecology’s 100 Women Campaign.
“In every respect, she is a woman who lived the mission of the school — improving the quality of human life,” he says.
The couple created a scholarship fund to recognize Sylvia’s life work. In addition to raising three children, she earned a bachelor’s degree in textiles and clothing and a master’s degree in continuing and vocational education, taught home economics at Madison Area Technical College, held memberships in professional home economics groups, and helped to lead numerous organizations. A proud daughter of Norwegian immigrants, Sylvia served on the Madison-Oslo Sister City committee, escorted tours to Norway, and dined with the King of Norway.
Truman, who was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, enrolled at the UW with the help of scholarships. Although his studies were interrupted by a three-year stint in the Navy during World War II, he resumed his studies, earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics.
He then joined the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as an agricultural economics professor. Now retired, he is considered an expert on dairy marketing and pricing, and helps farmers in countries around the world. He has received many honors and awards in his field.
The couple supports a second scholarship that helps agricultural and applied economics students from Wisconsin farms.
— Tracey Rockhill ’87
Truman, who was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, enrolled at the UW with the help of scholarships. Although his studies were interrupted by a three-year stint in the Navy during World War II, he resumed his studies, earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics.
He then joined the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as an agricultural economics professor. Now retired, he is considered an expert on dairy marketing and pricing, and helps farmers in countries around the world. He has received many honors and awards in his field.
The couple supports a second scholarship that helps agricultural and applied economics students from Wisconsin farms.
— Tracey Rockhill ’87
Mapping Our World
The History of Cartography Project is drawing international attention to the history of maps and mapping.
Wendy Jepson ’94 and her spouse, Christian Brannstrom MS’92, PhD ’98, now both professors of geography at Texas A&M University, make annual gifts to a fund that supports the project. “Our interest and support come from our deep commitment to understand the world,” says Jepson. “We appreciate other people who have understood it and represent it in maps.”
The project, a research and publishing venture with an interdisciplinary approach, examines maps in the context of the societies that made and used them. Since 1981, it has brought together scholars in the arts, sciences, and humanities from around the world to produce a comprehensive and accurate reference work. Its six volumes are organized by region and time period; two have been published so far.
Clifford Wood PhD’92, a recently retired professor of geography now living in Canada, and his spouse, Alberta, who is a map librarian, also support the project. “It will be the basis of research for the discipline of cartography,” Wood says.
The project, founded by the late David Woodward MA’67, PhD’70 and J. Brian Harley, uses private donations to cover some of the cost and “to leverage matching funds from federal agencies,” says Matthew Edney MS’85, PhD’90, the project’s director.
— Sue Zyhowski
Wendy Jepson ’94 and her spouse, Christian Brannstrom MS’92, PhD ’98, now both professors of geography at Texas A&M University, make annual gifts to a fund that supports the project. “Our interest and support come from our deep commitment to understand the world,” says Jepson. “We appreciate other people who have understood it and represent it in maps.”
The project, a research and publishing venture with an interdisciplinary approach, examines maps in the context of the societies that made and used them. Since 1981, it has brought together scholars in the arts, sciences, and humanities from around the world to produce a comprehensive and accurate reference work. Its six volumes are organized by region and time period; two have been published so far.
Clifford Wood PhD’92, a recently retired professor of geography now living in Canada, and his spouse, Alberta, who is a map librarian, also support the project. “It will be the basis of research for the discipline of cartography,” Wood says.
The project, founded by the late David Woodward MA’67, PhD’70 and J. Brian Harley, uses private donations to cover some of the cost and “to leverage matching funds from federal agencies,” says Matthew Edney MS’85, PhD’90, the project’s director.
— Sue Zyhowski
