Ave Maria University Receives $4 Million Scholarship Bequest

In 2014, after the loss of her husband, Dr. Robert Ullen, Mary Milka Ullen called Ave Maria University and offered to launch an annual $50,000 scholarship in Robert’s memory. Over the next six years, dozens of students benefited from the annual $50,000 Robert and Mary Ullen Scholarship. Mary was able to meet and get to know several of these students. When Mary passed away from cancer on December 16, 2019, Ave Maria University became the sole beneficiary of her estimated $4 million estate to be used for scholarships.

Mary grew up in rural Canada with a strong work ethic. She rose through the ranks of an esteemed banking career starting as a bank teller at the City Bank of Toronto to overseeing the credit card division of a global banking concern. Her husband Robert was a pioneer in the formation and development of the contact lens industry. Robert’s crowning achievement was in the development of the intraocular lens giving sight to people with cataracts. He conducted the testing of thousands of patients and compiled the data required to secure Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for what would be the first contact lenses in history. Both Mary and Robert were attracted by the promise of Ave Maria University and its faithful students, many of whom come from similar humble origins.

In discussing the impact of this scholarship windfall, Ave Maria University President Christopher Ice explained the timing of her bequest was transformational and almost divine. “We realized that the pandemic and shutdown of the United States economy could have an adverse impact on fall enrollment. Mary’s bequest gave us the financial ability to continue attracting top-caliber students at a critical time for Our Lady’s university.”

Ave Maria University encourages all of our benefactors to please consider adding the University as a beneficiary to their will or a designated beneficiary of their retirement account.

For more information pertaining to these and other planned giving opportunities, please contact Patrick O’Connell at 239-280-2461 or Patrick.OConnell@avemaria.edu.