English Alum Marcella Wolfe ’86 on Supporting Arts and Humanities Education

Read our Q&A about her decision to plan a gift, her experience as an English major and her career following graduation.

By Chloe Kim

By day, English alum Marcella Wolfe ’86 writes about science and technology for agencies like NASA, the National Institutes of Health and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions. She is also a poet and has published her work in magazines and journals including CQ - the magazine of the California State Poetry Society and Hawaii Pacific Review.

A passionate advocate for the many doors an arts and humanities education can open, Wolfe has recently planned an estate gift to the College of Arts and Humanities to help students in financial need. The Marcella Wolfe Endowed Scholarship in Arts and Humanities will provide need-based scholarships for undergraduate students in the college.

We spoke with Wolfe about her decision to plan a gift, her experience as an English major, her career following graduation and the importance of arts and humanities education.

What keeps you connected to the UMD community?

I came from humble means. I was the first in my family to graduate college. I wanted to study English, and I needed funds to help me so I didn't have to take loans. I knew that without the money, it might’ve been hard for me to stay in school, and if I quit college and started working, I probably wouldn’t have gone back. I left this endowment because I want money to be there for the students who are making these tough decisions, who really want to be an English or history major perhaps, but finances are a concern.

What drew you to study English?

In my junior year, I decided that I really wanted to write from my heart and soul. I wanted to write poetry, and I knew this was something I would always do. I couldn’t wait to get into the writing workshops. Learning how to write compelling poetry, learning how to structure a rhetorical argument—that’s what English majors do; that’s what it’s all about.

What has your career journey looked like after graduating from UMD?

A dear friend’s mom worked at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, and she asked if I wanted to help her. At the time, they were studying the ozone layer and building the International Space Station. I went into that job and spoke to scientists, technologists, astronomers who needed to communicate why their programs were important and needed funding. That’s how I got into science and technology writing. I learned to write about medical science, and got a job at the National Institutes of Health, communicating about their health programs. I’ve also gotten into the health policy side of science and technology, and written about global warming for the United Nations Foundation.

Tell us about your work as a creative and a poet.

After college, I moved to D.C. and answered an ad in The City Paper for an artist colony and group house. I met all kinds of writers, artists and sculptors there. Then something really important happened—as a part of George Washington University’s Jenny McKean Moore Fund they offer workshops to the community. I attended one of those workshops in 1991, and I met a bunch of writers. We’ve stayed together and created a space to share our writing. Through that group, I keep my writing going, and I send it out and get published in journals. I’m taking the middle path of making a living and keeping my art alive. For anyone who’s taking a creative path, having a community is so important.

What does an arts and humanities education mean to you?

It’s so needed in our society, now more than ever. The arts and humanities teaches you to see the bigger picture, to read broadly. We’re not bots. We’re humans with souls and feelings, and we need to learn about all the different types of people on this planet. By experiencing their voices, we get a more expansive worldview.

Wolfe's gift, known as a charitable bequest, is a simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure the programs and experiences that positively impacted her will continue for years to come. The Office of Gift Planning can help you build a charitable plan—like Wolfe's—that will support future Terps and align with your philanthropic and financial goals in the present day and after your lifetime. Contact the Office of Gift Planning for more information.