NMCC Foundation presents
new scholarships to students
PRESQUE ISLE — Six Northern Maine Community College students are the grateful recipients of four recently created NMCC Foundation scholarship funds that moving forward will provide financial assistance annually on the campus.
The scholarships, established and funded by local community members, were recently awarded for the first time at a luncheon attended by the donors (or a representative), the student recipients, faculty members and college and Foundation officials. The four scholarship funds recently reached endowment level.
“The assistance you are providing to these students is making a tremendous difference in their lives and across campus,” said Vicki Smith, NMCC Foundation board chair in addressing the donors at the event. “It is scholarship funds, such as the ones you have established, that often mean the difference for a student in terms of their ability to afford college. You are providing access to opportunity.”
The student recipients and faculty members in attendance also expressed their appreciation to the fund donors following the presentation of the scholarships.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College 
THE TOM AND BETTY K. CONANT SCHOLARSHIP was recently presented for the first time to NMCC student Ryan Bard of Mapleton. Participating in the scholarship presentation were, from left: Betty and Tom Conant, donors; Bard, Vicki Smith, NMCC Foundation board chair; and NMCC President Timothy Crowley.
The first award presented was the Tom and Betty K. Conant Scholarship to Ryan Bard of Mapleton. The fund was established in July 2010 through a $10,000 donation from Tom Conant and his wife, Betty Kent-Conant. Kent-Conant served as a faculty member at NMCC for 30 years, half of that time as nursing and allied health department chair, before retiring in June 2010; and Tom Conant graduated from the automotive program in 1968 and the electrical construction and maintenance program in 1996. The scholarship is designated for students who are residents of Maine, with preference given to students from Aroostook County. It alternates annually between a student pursuing a degree in nursing or a related allied health field, and one in electrical construction and maintenance.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College
THE S.W. COLLINS CO. SCHOLARSHIP was recently presented to NMCC student Scott Boutilier of Oakfield. Participating in the scholarship presentation were, from left: Gregg Collins, vice president of the S.W. Collins Co.; Boutilier, Vicki Smith, NMCC Foundation board chair; and NMCC President Timothy Crowley.
The second new award presented was the S.W. Collins Co. Scholarship to Scott Boutilier of Oakfield. This fund was established by S.W. Collins Co. in 2007 during The Campaign for the County’s College, NMCC’s first major gifts campaign. This scholarship is intended for a student in a building trades program.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College 
THE BRUCE AND CONNIE SANDSTROM SCHOLARSHIP was recently given to NMCC student Marie Clark of Caribou. Participating in the scholarship presentation were, from left: Bruce and Connie Sandstrom, donors; Clark, Vicki Smith, NMCC Foundation board chair; and NMCC President Timothy Crowley.
A third new scholarship fund, the Bruce and Connie Sandstrom Scholarship was presented to Marie Clark of Caribou. The fund was established by Bruce and Connie Sandstrom in 2007 during The Campaign for the County’s College. Bruce and Connie both serve on the NMCC Foundation board, and Bruce is a 1975 graduate from the accounting program. This scholarship is intended for a student in the accounting information systems program.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College
THE SUNSHINE HEALTH SCHOLARSHIP was recently presented to three NMCC students. Participating in the scholarship presentation were, from left: Kim Esquibel, NMCC nursing and allied health department chair; scholarship recipients Cindy Beaulieu of Grand Isle and Jonathan Post of Chapman; Vicki Smith, NMCC Foundation board chair; and NMCC President Timothy Crowley. Absent when the photo was taken was scholarship recipient Ashley Bailey of Houlton.
Three recipients were awarded the fourth recently created NMCC Foundation scholarship fund. Cindy Beaulieu of Grand Isle, Jonathan Post of Chapman and Ashley Bailey of Houlton were each presented with the Sunshine Health Scholarship. The fund was established in December 2009 through a $10,000 donation from anonymous donors who call themselves the Sunshine Benefactors. The scholarship is for a student in the allied health department at NMCC and is based on financial need.
