In a way, Rich Ulmer’s visit to Guilford College last month was like a homecoming. Rich never attended the College, but his late mother Audrie Gardam Ulmer ’41 did. Growing up, Rich so enjoyed hearing his mother tell stories of her days at the College.

All of which made the February visit to Guilford by Rich even more meaningful. It was a chance, as Rich says, “to see a glimpse of the College that made my mom so happy and so proud.”

It was also an opportunity for Guilford to say thank you to Rich, a generous benefactor over the years.

Audrie was an active student at Guilford. She served as president of the Drama Council and played basketball for four years. She was a member of the Social Committee and Student Board and sang in the Choir. After Guilford she worked in the alumni relations office at Friends’ Central School in Philadelphia for more than two decades before retiring in 1969.

It was only after Audrie died in 2000 that Rich learned that his mother had gifted much of her savings to the College to create an endowed scholarship. The Ulmer Family Scholarship now helps deserving students continue to pursue an education at Guilford. “It changed my life and made me want to continue the love she started,” he says.

That was more than 20 years ago. From that day forward, Rich has generously contributed to the Ulmer Family Scholarship and other areas of need, supporting Guilford students the way Audrie’s gift has over the years.

“My mother benefited greatly from her time at Guilford, which means as her son I also benefited through the love and support she showed me,” says Rich.

Last month the College invited Rich and his daughter, Karen Ulmer Mohr, to campus for the dedication of the Audrie Gardam Ulmer '41 Locker Room for women’s basketball.

Rich and Karen got to meet the Quakers’ women’s basketball team and tell them stories about his mother’s years as a student-athlete. He also got to hear from current student-athletes. “It was a special day,” he says. “I won’t forget it. Just a wonderful time at a wonderful college.”

Like his mother, Rich wants to provide Guilford students with an opportunity to experience a life-changing liberal arts education built on values of purpose, goal-setting, love, loyalty and diversity of perspective and opinion. “I try to practice those values every day at work and in my life and I want that for Guilford students,” he says.

One of those students is Kylie Horn ’24, an Ulmer Family Scholarship recipient and Education Studies major. She’s also a member of the Quakers’ women’s lacrosse team. Kylie, Rich and Karen got to meet for a cup of coffee last month and talk about life at Guilford – then and now.

“It was nice getting to meet them and put a face to some of the people who are helping me with school,” says Kylie, who wants to teach elementary school after graduating. “Maybe one day I can do the same for other Guilford students.”

Rich said he enjoyed meeting Kylie – “That girl is special – watch her take off after Guilford” – and getting to tour the campus over a busy weekend. He saw the dorm room in Mary Hobbs Hall named after his mother, attended a dinner in honor of the 1973 Guilford men’s basketball team that won the NAIA championship and watched the women’s team play its final regular-season game.

“My mother made great memories at Guilford,” he says. “And now I’m making my own.”