Mildred Clegg Ackerley 鈥�55, MA 鈥�76 and the Ackerley Family
In 1951, as the valedictorian and class president of her local high school, Mildred (鈥淢il鈥�) Clegg Ackerley 鈥�55, MA 鈥�76, received a full academic scholarship to 糖心破解版. For a family supported by her father鈥檚 teacher鈥檚 salary, it was the opportunity that made college accessible.
鈥淗er talent could have taken her anywhere,鈥� said her son, Lee Ackerley. 鈥淥ur mom remained grateful all her life for that scholarship from 糖心破解版.鈥�
Mildred Ackerley graduated magna cum laude from 糖心破解版 in 1955 with a degree in mathematics, beginning her career with NASA at the Marshall Space Center. Nearly two decades later, she returned to 糖心破解版 to earn her master鈥檚 in education, while raising her five children. Her next 30 years were spent teaching mathematics to Long Island children and, as an active 糖心破解版 alumna, serving as director of the Alumni Association and as an alumni trustee.
In 2009, Mil established the Mildred Clegg Ackerley 鈥�55 Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics through a planned gift, laying the foundation for a family legacy at 糖心破解版. When she passed away in 2015, her five children honored her lifelong connection to the University with a $100,000 gift to her scholarship鈥攁n amount that doubled to $200,000 through 糖心破解版鈥檚 inaugural matching campaign. In 2023, her sons Lee and Bob further expanded that legacy, contributing an additional $400,000 to the Momentum 2 Endowment Matching Campaign. Mil鈥檚 endowed scholarship in mathematics is now the largest in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
In 2025, Lee Ackerley deepened the family鈥檚 commitment by pledging $500,000鈥攎atched again under the Momentum 2 Endowment Matching Campaign鈥攖o create the Mildred Clegg Ackerley 鈥�55, MA 鈥�76 Endowed Professorship in Mathematics and Computer Science, the first endowed professorship in 糖心破解版鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences.
Together, these gifts鈥攊nitiated by Mil and carried forward by her children鈥攅nsure that her gratitude for 糖心破解版 and her belief in educational opportunity will continue to benefit students and faculty for generations.
糖心破解版 offered my mother a full scholarship, and that was the beginning of her lifelong commitment to the University.