ANN ARBOR—Mildred Dorothy Sommer kept her University of Michigan diploma with her until the day she died. From her home in Cleveland Heights to the nursing home where she passed away last year at the age of 100, her diploma occupied a special place in her life.

Those who knew her say Sommer, who graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts in 1928 with a Bachelor of Arts, remembered her years at U-M with special fondness. Among the belongings relatives found after her death were her U-M diploma, which she had kept near her dresser at the nursing home, an invitation to her June 18 graduation ceremony on Ferry Field and pictures of Sommer in her cap and gown.

To honor her alma mater and ensure educational opportunities for future generations, Sommer has donated $5.2 million to be used for LSA graduate student fellowships.

“She thought of U-M as an excellent place of learning,” said her cousin, Dennis Rodgers. “While at Michigan, she excelled in academics and had a good social life. She obviously really liked her days at U-M.”

Terrence J. McDonald, dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, said Sommer’s gift is a wonderful legacy.

“The generosity of Mildred Sommer will live on for decades, providing educational opportunities for future generations,” he said. “We are also pleased that she carried such fond memories of U-M to the end of her lifetime.”

Sommer’s gift will help provide critical support for graduate students, who are the backbone of U-M’s prestige, according to McDonald. The University has more than 190 graduate programs, which consistently earn top rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Business Week, and assessments by the National Research Council.

Eight of U-M’s graduate programs and departments are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation. This level of excellence would not be possible without graduate students, who are the bridge between U-M’s faculty and undergraduates, McDonald said. The best graduate students are also a key part of retaining the best faculty.

After her graduation from U-M, Sommer returned to her home in Cleveland Heights and earned a Bachelor of Science in library science from Western Reserve University in 1936. She worked as a librarian at the university for more than 30 years until she retired, according to Rodgers.

Sommer, an only child, lived in the family home in Cleveland Heights with her parents Al, a successful businessman and Zoe, a homemaker. Sommer and her mother traveled extensively between 1930 and the 1950s and enjoyed entertaining in their home—especially tea parties.

“They were a remarkable family,” Rodgers said. “Mid was as smart as a tack and had a dry wit that didn’t stop. She was definitely a modern woman.”

Sommer was also a shrewd investor, who studied the stock market closely and invested her inheritance wisely, her cousin said. However, she lived simply and spent little on herself.

James Bright, Sommer’s attorney, said she placed a high value on her U-M education and decided before her death to leave the majority of her estate to the University.

“She was very appreciative of the education she received,” he said.