PORTLAND, Maine — Twenty-five students from across Maine will begin school at the University of Southern Maine this fall with 100% of their tuition and fees covered for the next four years. These students are the 2021-2022 class of Promise Scholars, a group of students who have "demonstrated academic excellence and a personal passion for giving back to their community," according to a press release from the school.
This is the largest group of Promise Scholars that USM has accepted to date. According to school officials, the program is "designed to create a path forward for financially challenged students who are highly motivated to succeed. In addition to bridging each student’s financial gap, the USM Promise Program provides an array of enrichment opportunities and a network of support from peer and professional staff to help first-generation college students overcome common barriers and persist to graduation."
The program has been in effect for four years. In total, 83 scholarships to "economically disadvantaged and first-generation college students" have been distributed. According to the school, over $235,000 in scholarship funds, including $90,000 in commitments for the incoming cohort, has been awarded to scholars for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Each student was referred from partner youth-serving organizations across the state of Maine. According to school officials, this year's group of scholars come from 18 different high schools and represent more than 10 youth-serving organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine, Camp Susan Curtis, JMG, the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, The Telling Room, and TRIO Upward Bound.
To learn more about the Promise Scholarship Program at the University of Southern Maine and the scholars it serves, visit https://usm.maine.edu/the-promise-scholarship.
If you're like to support the Promise Scholarship Program, please contact Erin Macey, Executive Director of Development, USM Foundation, at erin.macey@maine.edu or call 207-780-4408.
2021-2022 cohort of Promise Scholars:
Noor Abduljaleel, Westbrook High School
Hannah Ball, Sanford High School
Cayley Bowman, Nokomis Regional High School
Hannah Brown, Brewer High School
Jacob Curtis, Brewer High School
Susannah Curtis, Madison Area High School
Lauren Davidson, Oxford Hills High School
Don Dilamini, Portland High School
James Eaton, Lawrence High School
Salena Goodine, Penquis High School
Grace Hanson, Marshwood High School
Hailey Haskell, Erskine Academy
Alain Igiraneza, Casco Bay High School
Joseph Inabanza, Casco Bay High School
Juliana Levesque, Sanford High School
Vuyolwayo Michaels, Deering High School
Deqa Mohamed, Deering High School/SMCC
Allan Monga, Deering High School
Nusra Nuwimana, Deering High School
Maliha Raidah, Biddeford High School
Hannah Smith, Westbrook High School
Emma Sweeney, Massabesic High School
Kaitlyn Tompkins, Mount Desert Island High School
Emma Waldron, Waterville Senior High School
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