Celebrations start for the 40th Anniversary!

On Sept. 20, the University of Guam Endowment Foundation unveiled its newly painted mural titled “The Road to Prosperity,” painted by UOG alumnus Lee H. San Nicolas. The mural will help usher in the foundation’s 40th anniversary celebration, which will take place in April.

Inspired by the UOG Endowment Foundation’s logo, the mural is comprised of a conch shell and puti tai nobio flowers.

“In the distant past, conch shells were used as an instrument to call members of an island community together,” said Katrina Perez, executive director of the foundation. “The puti tai nobio … is bountiful, easily propagated, hardy, and represents island beauty and resilience.”

“Perhaps the most personal and directly beneficial form of giving the foundation facilitates is through the establishment of scholarships.”- Katrina Perez, Executive Director, UOG Endowment Foundation

The mural also features surrounding shells, representing the neighboring islands that are impacted by the University of Guam and a blue background, representing the sea and sky that connect all humanity.

San Nicolas graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s in liberal arts. He has been painting street murals and canvas paintings for 10 years and is the artist behind many notable murals around the island, including the “Marianas Trench” in front of the Guam Legislature, “Chamorrita Girl” on the Tamuning Business Center, and the 3D painting titled “Ayuyu” (coconut crab) in Anigua.

The UOG Endowment Foundation assists the philanthropic intentions of donors in support of the university and its students.

“Perhaps the most personal and directly beneficial form of giving the foundation facilitates is through the establishment of scholarships,” Perez said.

This year, the foundation will be awarding students with several scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000. Each was established by a community donor.

“Our 40^th anniversary theme is ‘Transform a Triton, Transform the World,’” Perez said. “We truly believe that, and we encourage any individual, organization, or business that is interested in creating or donating to an existing scholarship to reach out to us and become part of a transformation.”

Hafa Adai Marine Lab Friends and Family!

The UOG Marine Laboratory is one of the world’s first research facilities to specialize in the study of coral reefs. The Marine Lab is the only U.S. university adjacent to what is commonly considered the global epicenter of marine diversity, the Coral Triangle, encompassing the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, a title UOG can still claim today. The lab attracted several of the best coral reef ecologists who contributed many firsts in coral reef research. Faculty were also involved in the discovery and description of numerous new species and novel chemical compounds. The Marine Lab’s 10 faculty members and 25 graduate students remain active continue to contribute important marine research regionally and nationally, with an emphasis on conservation and adaptation to climate change in Guam and Micronesia.

They celebrated their 50th Anniversary on December 17, 2020 but the pandemic derailed their plans to commemorate the milestone. But they are carrying on with their celebration by producing a commemorative book: University of Guam Marine Laboratory: 50 Years of Science and Service.

Below is a just a sneak peek of the beautiful book filled with contribution to science and the region, their history, Marine Lab anecdotes, original art, and stunning photos. Pre-order a copy for yourself and your loved ones today.

Pre-order book here: https://give.uog.edu/marinelab50/