ORONO, Maine — A foundation in Maine is giving $1 million to the University of Maine to create an endowed faculty position named in honor of horror books author and alumnus Stephen King.
The Harold Alfond Foundation award will be used to create the Stephen E. King Chair in Literature in the Department of English.
UMaine President Susan Hunter says the post is "an exceptional gift that honors the tremendous literary legacy of UMaine’s most well-known and beloved alumnus."
King is a 1970 UMaine graduate who was awarded a National Medal of Arts last September as one of the world’s best-known authors.
The foundation says it invests in causes that "hold the promise of making enduring transformative contributions" in Maine, including education, health care and youth development.