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ROCKLAND – Over $1 million worth of scholarships from the Worthington Scholarship Foundation are still available for students going to college or university in Maine. That’s of the total $3 million the foundation plans to give out this year alone.

Graduating seniors at 23 high schools across Knox, Waldo, Lincoln, Hancock, and Washington counties, are eligible to apply. Students must also be planning to attend any college within the UMaine or Community College systems, Thomas College, Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy, Colby College, Bowdoin College, or Bates College.

“I highly encourage students to evaluate their college financing plans and take advantage of this opportunity to help fund their higher education,” says Justin Chenette, the foundation’s program director. “Our hope is this Worthington Scholarship will enable students to reach their educational goals and put them on a path to success in life.”

Scholarship awards are up to $16,500 and up to $6,000 depending on what path the student selects for college, thanks to the generosity of David and Beverly Worthington, who are summer residents of Spruce Head.

Links to online applications are available on the foundation’s website. The deadline is Aug. 1st.

PORTLAND – The University of Southern Maine has bestowed honorary degrees to the co-founders of the Worthington Scholarship Foundation.
During the virtual commencement ceremony this past weekend, David and Beverly Worthington accepted the Doctor of Humane Letters in a pre-taped video presentation.

“Our passion is about lifting up Maine students to achieve their academic goals,” says Beverly Worthington. “The greatest honor is to see their successes in school, work, and life when given an opportunity.”

The Worthingtons were honored for their charitable contributions to the field of education through the launch of their foundation. Since 2010, the Worthingtons have been providing scholarships to Maine students throughout the mid-coast region.

This year, their scholarship program plans to provide around $3 million worth of scholarships with the average scholarship totaling over $16,000 over 4 years. Next year, they plan to expand the scholarship to include 6 additional counties.

“We appreciate the University of Southern Maine’s recognition of our foundation’s efforts to provide a critical bridge between Maine’s youth and Maine’s future workforce,” says David Worthington. “Our goal has always been to make higher education more accessible and affordable to Maine students.”
Beverly is a retired commercial pilot and Dave was the principal owner of TGS Geophysical Company, a worldwide seismic data acquisition and processing company.

FMI about the scholarship and how students can apply, you can visit www.worthingtonscholars.org.

FORTY FOUR WASHINGTON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES RECEIVE $4,000 ANNUAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE WORTHINGTON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION 
A total of forty four recent graduates from eight Washington County high schools were inaugural recipients of Worthington college scholarships. Several of this year’s recipients due to Covid, had merely completed a general scholarship application form provided by their high school and had little or no knowledge of the Worthington Scholarship specifically.   They were quite surprised and thrilled when they realized the impact of this scholarship.
The scholarship recipients, by high school are:
Calais High School:  
Elizabeth Bitar, Lauren Cook, Emily Doten, Cole Johnson, Michael McFarlane, Ivy McLellan, Gavin Parks, Haley Sewell
East Grand High School
Robert Massey and Cassi Stoddard
Jonesport-Beals 
Patrick Alley, Ryan Alley and Caitlin Childers
Machias Memorial
McKenna Harriman, Abigail Hooper, Grace Preston, Megan Preston and Makayla Sadler
Narraguagus
Aryana Beal, Jasmine Church, Dayana Ortiz Garcia, Anna Taylor, Madelyn Willey, Rodrigo Zamora Paniagua
Shead
Cassidee Lawrence, Jan Ramos Arroyo, Kiesha Scott
Washington Academy
Jonathan Bragg, Haley Cherry, Margaux DeSantis, Jaimie Fairchild, Zain Fitzsimmons, Orlin David Flores Vargas, Riley Fraser, Grayson Lanham, Cooper Leighton, Jordan Lobley, Breann Vane, Marek Veal
Woodland
Antonia Gagner, Bogumil Korasadowicz, Chania Monk, Connor Reynolds, Summer Woodruff

These students count among the 200 additional new scholarships awarded to the class of 2020, doubling the 204 awarded last year to now total 404 scholarships.  Each new award is for attendance at either a four year or community college and can amount to $16,000 towards a four- year degree.  Expected funding for Worthington scholars in the class of 2020 will be $3,200,000. The scholarship is merit and need-based; now offered to seniors at 23 high schools in Knox, Waldo, Lincoln, Hancock, and Washington counties, who will attend a Maine college. The Foundation works closely with our partner colleges, and also community partners First National Banks, Machias Savings Banks, and The Hutchinson Center to help students succeed in their education goals.

Nineteen former high school students from midcoast Maine have recently graduated from their college degree programs, which were supported by a Worthington Scholarship.   More than half of the nineteen graduates were first generation college goers and most have obtained or are seeking full time career employment in Maine.   Five of the graduate’s positions are in the medical or health services field; one is in business management and four are applying to or attending graduate school.  One has a full- time position in cybersecurity out of state. Only one graduate due to health reasons is not currently seeking a position due to the Covid pandemic.  

2020 Worthington Scholarship Recipients Graduates – CONGRATULATIONS!! – are:
Central Maine Community College
Gabriella Fitzgerald, Accounting (Business)
Eastern Maine Community College
Samantha Leighton, Medical Radiography (Health Care)
Husson University
Charlotte Strong-Ames, Nursing (Health Care)
Keeli Wood, Marketing (Business)
Kennebec Valley Community College
Emily Batty, Radiology (Health Care)
Cassidy Benner, Medical Assisting (Health Care)
Kaileigh Ross , Medical Assisting (Health Care) 
Maine Maritime Academy
Andrew King, International Business and Logistics 
University of Maine Farmington
Sydney Gustafson, Rehabilitation (Health Care)  
Michaela Wright, Elementary Education
University of Maine Fort Kent
Jamie Brown, Nursing; Health Care 
University of Maine Orono
Mary Allen, Business Management 
Aiden Lammert, Computer Science 
Juliana Haynes, Marketing; Business 
Joshua Luttrell, Management and International Business
Hilary Merrifield, Biology, Pre-med 
Francis Pendleton, Pre-Dental; Health Care  
University of Southern Maine
Rebecca Boggs, Social Sciences
Washington County Community College
Domonick Jameson, Welding
In addition, one year of scholarship funds were provided to Matthew Ackley for a year of graduate studies at University of Maine Orono since he completed his four-year degree in three years. 
These scholarships over the 1 – 4 years of the students’ programs amount to approximately $220,000.   In 2020 the program has further expanded into Lincoln Hancock and Washington counties.   A total of approximately 464 students will receive scholarships this year; double the number who did in 2019.     For more information on the Worthington Scholarship Foundation please visit our website at:  www.worthingtonscholars.org or contact us at (207) 596-5800.   

The Worthington Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors has elected two new Board Members:  Laurie Lachance, President of Thomas College and Tony C. McKim, President and CEO of First National Bank.     In addition, Larry Barker, President and CEO at Machias Savings Bank has joined as an Advisory Board member.  Both McKim and Barker head Maine financial institutions that have partnered with the Worthington Foundation to increase accessibility to and information on the scholarship to students and parents in the communities they serve.  

Board member Laurie Lachance is Thomas College’s 5th President and the first female and alumna to lead the College in its 125-year history. Laurie has served as President and CEO of the Maine Development Foundation and served three governors as the Maine State Economist.   A frequent author and speaker on leadership, education, and the economy of Maine, she holds an undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College, an MBA from Thomas College and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Laurie is a member of both Maine Women’s and Maine Business Hall of Fame and has been recognized by Maine Magazine as one of “the 50 Mainers Charting the State’s Future.”  Laurie chairs the Board of Educare Central Maine, is a Trustee of Foxcroft Academy, a Board member of Educate Maine, served on the New England Board of Higher Education’s Commission.  Thomas College is a partner college with the Worthington Scholarship Foundation. 

Board member Tony McKim leads First National Bank, the fourth largest Maine-based financial institution.  A long-time community volunteer, McKim serves as the Chair of the Maine Bankers Association and is an Executive Committee member of Friends of Traditional Banking, a nationwide grassroots organization; he is also a board member of the Ellsworth Business Development Corporation President of the Board of Harbor House, a community service organization.   In addition to board involvement, McKim is passionate about youth sports and has coached basketball and baseball at a variety of levels.  He co-founded an organization, Acadian Youth Sports, to promote youth sports in the Mount Desert Island and Trenton communities.

McKim is honored to be asked to join the board of the Worthington Foundation.  “I know first-hand how a college education can help our Maine youth achieve their dreams.  With scholarships and guidance, the Foundation can have a great impact on Maine’s future.”

Advisory Board member Larry Barker grew up in Down East Maine.  His connection to Machias Savings Bank, the fifth largest bank in Maine with a footprint spanning Portland to Caribou, goes back to his early days of raking blueberries for the Bank’s former CEO. He began his official career at the Bank in 1991, moving through various roles and promotions till he became CEO in 2012.   Personifying the legacy and spirit of Machias Savings Bank, Larry has a passion for community impact. He has served on Boards for organizations including the Sunrise County Economic Council, The Washington Hancock Community Agency and Washington Academy. He is also a board member of several banking associations.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Maine Machias and proudly resides with his family in Washington County. 

Sebastian Yattaw joined our staff on January 13 as Student Accounts and Office Manager. Please join us in welcoming our former scholar in his first professional position out of college. His role was made necessary by the foundation’s recent expansion.  

Key aspects of the Sebastian’s responsibilities will be implemention of our database, Worthington Connect, distributing funding to partner colleges, assisting in financial documentation and presentations and general office management. 

Sebastian was a Worthington Scholarship recipient upon graduation from Oceanside High School in 2013, while obtaining a B.S. in Business Administration in both Finance and Business Management at the University of Maine.   “I’ve always been so thankful for the support I received from the Worthington Scholarship – it definitely reduced the financial burden of attending college”, he stated.  

Yattaw is a lifelong resident of Owls Head and is pleased to remain in Maine, in “such as beautiful area, close to family and friends. I’m thankful that the Worthington Foundation is helping me yet again by providing me this career opportunity. I look forward to helping current and future Worthington Scholars.”

This week and next will see returning and new students beginning college throughout Maine.   In 2019 the number of graduating high school students receiving Worthington Scholarships increased by more than 30%, up from 84 in 2018 to 110 in 2019.   The amount the new students will receive while attending college will total approximately 1.5 million dollars.   Some of the scholars are graduates of three new partner high schools added in 2019: Belfast Area , Searsport District and Mt. View Regional.  They join Oceanside, Medomak Valley and Camden Hills Regional high schools as Worthington Foundation partners. 
In 2018-2019 the total amount awarded including current upperclass scholars was approximately $680,000 dollars.  This was the largest number and amount of Worthington Scholarships ever awarded.  
The award amount is four thousand dollars per year, renewable for the duration of the student’s 2, 3 or 4-year degree program.  Students who complete a 2-year degree program may apply for additional scholarship years at a 4 -year college or university.  The scholarship supports selected graduating seniors who are enrolling at any campus of the University of Maine or Maine Community College systems, Husson University, Thomas College, Maine Maritime Academy and Bates, Colby or Bowdoin Colleges. 
All Worthington scholars communicate periodically with a Worthington Scholarship Foundation mentor who assists them with the transition to college and is available to help with issues throughout their college career.   This program, which began in 2010, continues to evolve, and it is anticipated it will add an additional 17 high schools in 2020.
Congratulations to all.
The Worthington Scholars Class of 2019