Alumni profile: Madeleine Noland '89 and William Noland '86

Decades-long Commitment to UMass Amherst Deepens with Generous Bequest

Madeleine Noland '89 and William Noland '86 are proud UMass Amherst alumni with deep roots on campus and a profound commitment to supporting the humanities and fine arts. Over the years, they have seen the value of staying connected to UMass Amherst as students, professionals, and donors to initiatives that speak to their passions.

The Nolands grew up on campus. Madeleine’s father was chair of the Department of Biology and Bill’s father was chair of the Department of English and dean of HFA. Though they have similar memories of visiting their parents at work and running around the campus pond, they didn't meet until they both worked in Amherst center shortly after Bill graduated and when Madeleine was still a student. "Bill was working at Albion Books and I was working at The Paper Clip, both now gone," remembers Madeleine. "Bill would come to the Paper Clip to buy supplies for the Albion back office, and that's how we met."

The Nolands deepened their connection to UMass Amherst in April 2019 with a generous bequest that will provide support to the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, the College of Natural Sciences, and Athletics—honoring Madeleine’s father’s commitment to young faculty in biology and environmental conservation and supporting student athletes. Their gift to HFA established the William and Madeleine Noland Artists and Scholars Residency Endowment to fund a visiting professorship that will amplify the value of the humanities and arts for students and faculty across disciplines.

With a focus on showcasing diverse ideas, experiences, and viewpoints, HFA has welcomed some of the world’s most respected academics, artists, writers, and researchers, which the Nolands believe to be important and valuable to the entire campus. This endowed visiting professorship ensures UMass Amherst students will have opportunities to access some of the world’s best and brightest creators and thinkers.

"Our commitment to UMass runs deep," the Nolands say. "We hope our gift stimulates continued learning for students and faculty and fosters continued excellence at the university for years to come."