September 2018
September 2018
Dear Link Foundation Friends:
As many of you know, the Link Foundation suffered a great loss with the passing of Marilyn C. Link in March. She had served as the Link Foundation’s first secretary/treasurer when it was established in 1953 by Edwin and Marion Link, and later she continued to serve the Foundation as a Trustee and, subsequently, as a Special Advisor until her passing. Her service was not only lengthy, but it was also exceptionally exemplary. She is dearly missed by all of us and, I believe, by many of you, too.
Marilyn was a visionary who was dedicated to seeing that the intentions of Ed and Marion would be sustained in perpetuity. Marilyn worked tirelessly and gave generously through her annual giving and estate planning to enable the Link Foundation to function effectively and efficiently.
Those purposes, which are outlined in the Foundation’s 1953 charter, are today providing doctoral fellowships for the most outstanding PhD students in the nation who are pursuing research in modeling, simulation, and training; ocean engineering and instrumentation; and energy resources development and conservation; as well as providing summer internship opportunities for some of the nation’s brightest undergraduate students to pursue study and research in ocean engineering and marine science. The Foundation also provides scholarships for high school students who are about to further their education in college in the study of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Similarly, we provide scholarships for deserving undergraduate students who need funding to complete their study in STEM programs at colleges where Ed and Marion were actively involved. And, we provide funding for middle school students to enable their enrollment in a summer science camp with an astronomy component.
In all of these ways we are further enhancing our nation’s strength in science-related fields at a time in our history when knowledge in these areas and its application to global issues is greatly needed.
We manage to provide grants of over a half million dollars annually for the aforementioned purposes funded largely through the judicious management of our investment portfolio and through gifts from Link Foundation friends and former Link Fellows.
We appreciate your continuing interest in our work and we look forward to providing you with positive updates from year-to-year.
Sincerely,
Thomas F. Kelly, PhD
Chair of the Link Foundation
Board of Trustees and Special Advisors