The gift of education is not just an investment in one individual or one family; it strengthens our community, our country, our world, and our future.
About Us
In an era when postsecondary education is a critical factor in better employment and career success, The Curtis Fund is playing an important role. Our scholarships help Vermonters break the poverty cycle and receive the education and training they need to thrive economically, emotionally, and socially. In a 2012 survey, former grantees who responded were not only grateful for the help they had received, but also most indicated that they would not have been able to go to school without the scholarship. Almost 90% of grantees graduated with a degree, compared with a national rate of only 40 – 65%. Furthermore, 75% reported that the scholarship motivated them to work harder in school.
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Due to the foresight of an extraordinary woman, Emma Eliza Curtis, The Curtis Fund has been providing scholarship aid to Vermont men and women for more than a century. Thanks to ongoing donations and wise investment, the Fund annually grants approximately $2 million in scholarships. Our scholarship recipients are either low-income Vermonters and/or first-generation college students. We aim to level the playing field so that every Vermonter has a chance to obtain the education he or she needs, regardless of family background, income level, or birthplace.
Emma Eliza Curtis believed that education could change the course of a person’s life. When she died in 1910, she left $120,000 ($3.6 million in today’s dollars) in trust to provide financial assistance to young Vermont men and women to pursue a postsecondary education. Since then, we have grown that seed money to over $35 million. Mrs. Curtis’s legacy lives on in the lives of over 12,000 Vermonters who have realized their dreams of a better future.
In 2018, the Curtis Fund became a supporting organization at the Vermont Community Foundation, joining a family of funders that includes others dedicated to helping every Vermonter access the education he or she needs and breaking the poverty cycle by building better lives. Visit vermontcf.org to learn more about the Community Foundation and its work.
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The mission of The Curtis Fund has not changed since Mrs. Curtis left her bequest. Our ongoing mission is to provide educational scholarships to Vermont students pursuing a postsecondary education. Financial aid is granted to Vermont students no matter their career goals.
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My Future VT lets students know about career opportunities, the type of education required to get these jobs, salaries, and numbers of openings
Our Staff, Board, & Partners
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AMY MELLENCAMP
PRESIDENT
“The Curtis Fund represents hope for young people, often first-generation students, who lack resources to act on their dreams for the future. By investing in postsecondary education and training, The Curtis Fund helps students to gain valuable skills, knowledge and confidence in order to support their families and make a difference in their communities.”
Amy Mellencamp served as the Principal of Burlington High School and C.P. Smith Elementary School between 1999-2017. Formerly the Director of Curriculum for the Burlington and Addison Northeast School Districts, she taught as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Congo, coordinated Cambodian refugee educational programs in Thailand and California, served as a Lecturer and Research Associate in the College of Education and Social Services at UVM, and has been involved in a variety of non-profit programs over the last 25 years, including the Howard Center, ECHO, the United Way, the YMCA, and the Ibutwa Project.
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MICHAEL METZ
VICE PRESIDENT
"I look forward to supporting the good work the Fund has done for many decades helping to assure access to postsecondary education for all Vermonters. I am particularly pleased to be joining the board at a time it is working to extend its impact to include pst secondary credentials of value as a path for vermonters to a better life.”
Michael Metz is President of Michael Metz and Associates and has worked internationally for the past over 40 years as a materials scientist and business development expert in precious metals technology, electronic materials, and succession planning in closely held family technology firms. Prior to this, Michael worked for his family business, Metz Metallurgical Corp., holding numerous positons including President and COO. Michael has a longstanding interest in art, education, creativity and technology. He has been a photographer for the past five decades and exhibits locally. In addition to serving on the Curtis Fund’s board, Michael is also a board member of BCA Foundation, ECHO, Generator, and Vermont Community Foundation. Michael lives with his wife Denise Shekerjian (an attorney, author, and business owner) in South Burlington. They have two grown sons.
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JOSEPH BOUTIN
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Joe Boutin has served on the board of The Curtis Fund since 1995 and became chair in 2009. He retired as President and CEO of Merchants Bancshares, Inc. in 2008, having served in that position for 14 years. Active in community banking for 39 years, Joe has served on 19 non-profit boards, including Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), Vermont Public Radio, St. Michael’s College, and the United Way of Chittenden County.
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SETH BOWDEN
BOARD MEMBER
“Joining The Curtis Fund’s board is an opportunity to collaborate with public and private partners to improve access to early childhood education, workforce training, and higher education. Supporting these opportunities and outcomes for Vermonters ultimately makes for a stronger, more prosperous, and equitable Vermont.”
Seth Bowden is the President and CEO of the Vermont Business Roundtable (VBR). Prior to joining VBR, Seth worked as the Executive Vice President of the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation. In addition, Bowden prepared and edited the state of Vermont’s Higher Education Task Force report and was co-author of the Vermont Science and Technology Plan for EPSCoR. Seth and his wife, Whitney, live in South Burlington and volunteer with a number of organizations in their community. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont, with minors in Economics and English.
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MICHAEL BREEN
BOARD MEMBER
"Emma’s extraordinary vision and generosity have positively and permanently impacted the lives of countless Vermont students, many of whom are the first in their family to go on to postsecondary education."
With over 35 years with Merchants Bank, Michael Green is currently a Vice President and Corporate Banking Officer of Community Bank, N.A. In addition to The Curtis Fund, he has served on the board of the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden & Grand Isle Counties, currently serving on its Honorary Board, and is on the Board of Christian Counseling & Mediation.
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HILLARY BURROWS
BOARD MEMBER
“Through my work I’ve seen the opportunities that certificate programs create for students and businesses alike. I’m impressed by The Curtis Fund’s commitment to making these programs more affordable for students and learners of all ages.”
Hillary Burrows is President at Autumn Harp, a skincare and cosmetics manufacturer in Essex, Vermont. She is a born and raised Vermonter and attended the University of Vermont to earn her degree in Business Administration as well as a MBA. After starting her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, she joined Autumn Harp in 2008 as a Cost Accountant and has been President since 2019. She lives in Williston with her husband Chris and two children.
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JOAN GOLDSTEIN
BOARD MEMBER
“I have a personal understanding of the challenges that first-generation college graduates face when contemplating a postsecondary education. Through my professional work I also understand that to meet our state’s workforce goals we must increase the number of Vermonters who have a postsecondary degree or certification. I’m eager to apply my experiences to The Curtis Fund’s mission of helping more low-income and first-generation students achieve their goals.”
Joan Goldstein has been Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development since April of 2015 – initially appointed by Governor Shumlin and reappointed by Governor Scott. She also worked as the Executive Director of the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation (GMEDC), at JP Morgan and Credit Suisse. Joan serves and/or has previously served on her Selectboard, Gifford Health Care, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, and Mascoma Bank. She currently lives in Shelburne with her husband, Mark, and they have a grown son, Evan, who resides in Cambridge, MA.
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LEILANI PEARL
BOARD MEMBER
“With a scholarship from The Curtis Fund, I was able to enroll at the University of Vermont as a first-generation college student. As both a Vermonter and a former scholarship recipient, I am honored to help Vermont students achieve their educational goals and secure a brighter future.”
Leilani Pearl is the senior vice president and chief communications officer at the Parkinson’s Foundation. Prior to this, she worked in nonprofit healthcare communications. At the start of her career, Pearl spent nearly a decade in education, teaching literature and writing at the university and high school levels.
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DAN SMITH
BOARD MEMBER
Dan Smith, an eighth-generation Vermonter, has been the president and CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation since August 2016. He began his career as a law clerk in the Vermont Supreme Court and then practiced law at Downs Rachlin Martin before taking a position with the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, where he led economic development efforts while crafting state and regional strategies to make key industry sectors more successful. Dan also worked as director of community relations and public policy at Vermont State Colleges, where he developed and executed the institution’s state and federal public policy agenda. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Smith served as president of Vermont Technical College. Under his leadership, the Community Foundation began focusing its efforts on closing Vermont’s opportunity gap—the divide in access to education, jobs, health, and community vitality that keeps many Vermonters from getting ahead in life. Dan and his wife Lindsay, an ob-gyn physician, live in Burlington with their three boys.
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LAUREN PHILIE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
With over thirty years of fundraising experience, twelve of those in higher education, and a strong background in nonprofit management, Lauren is a passionate and skilled leader in community engagement. She comes to The Curtis Fund from Vermont State University, where she served as the Assistant Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations. Lauren has seen firsthand how post-secondary education can change lives, and she is excited to continue that work with The Curtis Fund by using her skills to raise funds for scholarships for at-risk and low-income Vermonters.
Lauren lives in Johnson, VT, with her husband and two children, both of whom are college students.
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PEGGY WILLIAMS
BOARD MEMBER
“Postsecondary education helps people pursue their dreams. I am honored to be part of this organization that helps transform lives”
Peggy Ryan Williams served the higher education community for 36 years, retiring from the presidency of Ithaca College in 2009. Prior to that Peggy served higher education in VT for 25 years--as president of Lyndon State College, as well as in positions at CCV, the VSC Office of the Chancellor, and Trinity College. She has served on numerous boards, including Vermont Public Radio, St. Michael’s College, Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Women’s Fund, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of VT and more. Peggy resides in Johnson, Vermont and is a Professor Emerita of Ithaca College and Northern Vermont University-Lyndon.
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Since 1995, VSAC and The Curtis Fund have been partners. VSAC has provided the administrative outreach to identify potential students who would qualify for scholarships under the criteria set by Mrs. Curtis’s will. In addition, VSAC provides valuable support and much-needed guidance to these students through the process of pursuing a postsecondary education.
