UMaine Hutchinson Center announces 2008 Summer Scholarships

Belfast. The University of Maine Hutchinson Center in Belfast is pleased to announce the scholarships awarded for the Summer 2008 semester. The Hutchinson Center Scholarship committee met earlier this summer and awarded seven scholarships to students attending and taking classes at the Hutchinson Center.

Selected to receive the United Mid-Coast Charities Scholarships are Nicolle Littrell, Belfast, and Angela Lyford, Hudson. Nicolle is a non-traditional graduate student in the M.A.L.S. (Master of Arts Liberal Studies) program, just completing her second year of study. Her areas of concentration are New Media, Women’s Studies and Communications. Angela is a graduate student in the MSW program and is finishing her first year of study this year and is completing her MSW Field Practicum in Social Work this summer.

Deborah Bailey, Rockland, was awarded a Shirley and Ron Jarvella Scholarship to continue her work as a graduate student in the Hutchinson Center’s Special Education program. Deborah will complete her internship and degree requirements this Fall and graduate with a M.Ed. in Special and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Special Education Administration. It is an honor to report that Deborah is an exemplary scholar and that her lowest grade in graduate school has been an A-, with all her other grades being A and A+.

Those chosen for the Pete and Ann Bixler Scholarships are: Levi Krajewski, Palermo and Amy Smith, Lincolnville. Levi is completing undergraduate course work in Psychology, as his first step along the path towards an advanced degree and career in the field of Psychology. Amy has long-range education plans to earn a B.A. in history, eventually earning a Ph.D. She plans to teach in a university setting as well as to pursue her writing.

This is the first year to award the Best of the Best Scholarship awards, raised from the annual Village Soup and Hutchinson Center “Best of the Best Gala” event, held this year on June 5th. Chosen this summer for awards are: Diana Nickerson, Brooks, and Carmen Forzetting, Lincolnville. Diana is completing coursework to earn her bachelor’s degree in social work with the career objective to counsel adolescent trauma victims to find meaning and further help in their life. Carmen is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a minor in construction management technology with plans to graduate next May. Carmen writes, “I cannot describe the feeling that I had when I received the phone call saying that I was one of the students chosen for the “Best of the Best” scholarships. I want to thank the community, Village Soup and the Hutchinson Center for their generosity. To the community, thank you so much for donating the funds that make these scholarships possible. It really touches my heart to know that there are people out there whom I have never even met that are willing to donate funds to help me pay for schooling. I am so appreciative and I can’t say though you enough.”

The committee was impressed with the students’ applications and career goals as well as the diversity of the student population, representing a true cross section of the Midcoast residents, including single parents, married and single students, young traditional students just getting started in college, some not so young, some coming back to college after raising a family or wanting to change careers and get a better job. On behalf of the staff, committee and all our donors, who believe in assisting students and want to make a difference in their lives, we congratulate the recipients on pursuing a college education and wish all students the best of luck in the new semester.

There is still time to sign up for some summer classes or begin planning for the fall semester. So please take the opportunity and make an appointment at the Hutchinson Center for advising, career planning and assistance with financial aid forms. The time is now to begin making your future brighter. Call the Center at 338-8000, toll-free 800-753-9044 or stop in the Center at 80 Belmont Avenue, Route 3, Belfast.