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Andrew and Virginia Rudd

A gift from Andrew and Virginia Rudd, combined with matching funds, provided the resources for this endowed chair.  A pledge drive for funds matching their subsequent donation was successfully completed in 2014, leading to the establishment of the Rudd Family Endowed Fund for Outreach to Adoptive Parents. The Rudds' gift reflects their personal commitment to stimulate the development of new knowledge about adoption so that adoption practice (placements, education, post-adoption services, clinical work) and policy (at agency, state, federal, and international levels) could benefit. The Rudds' vision and their support have made it possible for the adoption program to become well-established  in the adoption research world, in the community, and at UMass.

We are also pleased that the Rudds have been joined by another major donor, Scott D. Chaplin, UMass Class of 1989.  Mr. Chaplin, an adoptive father,  has made a significant pledge to help finance adoption research. “Giving is an affirmation of how great UMass Amherst was for me,” Chaplin said. “The adoption research is interesting and unique and UMass is really making a name for itself in this area.”

Gifts made to the Rudd Family Foundation Chair in Psychology and the Rudd Family Endowed Fund for Outreach to Adoptive Parents support the priorities of the Rudd Adoption Research Program reflected in this website and in our annual reports. Donations will build the endowment in order to support programs such as adoption research, the annual conference, the Adoption Mentoring Partnership, Re-Envisioning Foster Care in America, adoption research training, graduate student and post-doctoral scholar stipends, and visiting scholars.   For further information about this unique opportunity, please contact Julie Taugher, Director of Development, College of Natural Sciences. She may be contacted at (413) 577-1923 or at Julie.taugher@umass.edu 

In addition to the contributions of the Rudds and Mr. Chaplin, we greatly appreciate the support that generous individual donors and financial co-sponsors have made to the work of the Rudd Adoption Research Program. This support has been critical in helping us accomplish our goals.

We welcome others with interest in the activities of the Rudd Adoption Research Program to join in support of our efforts. Please contact Dr. Harold Grotevant at hgroteva@psych.umass.edu for more information.