Dreams pursued with a partner carry great potential for success. Ken and Eileen Fridline were daunted as adults trying to complete college one or two classes at a time. Their journey was long and challenging, but they found comfort and support in one another. Eileen celebrated her graduation from UNM’s Anderson School of Management (ASM) by creating a bequest to endow scholarships for non-traditional students at ASM. She and Ken hope the gift will encourage future generations of business students to pursue their dreams of education.
“An education provides the foundation for a lifetime of opportunities and a greater depth of knowledge to enrich your life,” says Ken, a former U.S. Marine and retired supervisor for the Quality Assurance Directorate of Kirtland Air Force Base. Eileen, a trained secretary and health insurance broker, continues, “We were established in successful careers, but wanted the experience and knowledge provided by a college education. We hope this gift provides incentive for other non-traditional students to pursue their dreams even if it takes a little longer.”
“Eileen and Ken recognized the value of higher education and decided to complete their degrees at a time in their life when most people would turn to easier pursuits,” explains ASM Dean Douglas M. Brown. “That same courage and selflessness has guided the Fridlines to make an unforgettable gift to help other non-traditional learners. Future students will have new scholarship support, and they will have Eileen and Ken’s remarkable story to guide them.”
The UNM Foundation and the Anderson School of Management were saddened to hear of the death of Eileen Fridline on Sept. 30, 2009.
