Maine Merits Scholarship Program

From PCU President Luke Labbe: “We are honored to offer support to our younger members as they take the next steps towards success. Congratulations to these Southern Maine students who we felt exemplify the Credit Union’s ideology.”  The Maine Merits Scholarship program promotes four key values: Volunteerism, Community, Entrepreneurship, and Business Growth.

From Top Left: Melandi Martel, Luke Labbe, Rhiannon McQuaide, Adam Warfel, Luke Labbe, Alice Morrison, Isabella Thibault, and Madeline Darigan.

Scholarships

2022 Maine Merits Scholarship Winners

Ray Gagnon Volunteerism Scholarship
Alice Morrison – $2000.00
(Presented to a high school senior who in some unique and significant way contributed to his/her school or community through volunteerism.) Alice, a Windham High School senior, focuses her energy on the supportive aspect of music and songwriting. In a time when mental health and overcoming the struggles of pandemic life is vital to teens and young adults, she finds that through music she can bring a positive impact to her community. Her music is featured in the documentary series Voices of Hope on WGME CBS 13 News about addiction and empowering students to end dependency.
Here is her featured song.

Ray Gagnon Volunteerism Scholarship
Isabella Thibault – $1000.00
(Presented to a high school senior who in some unique and significant way contributed to his/her school or community through volunteerism.) Isabella, a recent Biddeford High School graduate is attending UNH in the fall, is described as enterprising, generous, determined and relentless. Her volunteer efforts range from snack stand fundraising to various events and bottle drives. In her words: “I love doing things to make other people’s lives easier and less stressful”. Her teacher put it best: “Isabella is a relentless academic achiever and a model of perseverance in and out of the classroom”.

 

 

Business Growth Scholarship
Melandi Martel – $1000.00
(Presented to a student who demonstrated a dedication to future Maine business.) Melandi is a Biddeford High School graduate headed to USM in the fall. She looks forward to owning her own environmentally conscious craft store, with products hand crafted in a socially responsible way, with products like dog leashes and interior décor sourced from recycled material. Her teachers say that she has always proved to be “impressively genuine, unwaveringly tenacious and surprisingly resilient.”

Business Growth Scholarship
Rhiannon McQuaide – $1000.00
(Presented to a student who demonstrated a dedication to future Maine business.) Rhiannon is a USM sophomore who has potential designs on a dynamic Coffee House/Bar to make an all ages inclusive space for everyone to enjoy in Portland. Her manager at the Greenery Café says Rhiannon “handles situations with an ease and calmness that you would be hard-pressed to find in someone twice her age”.

Community Leadership
Madeline Darigan- $1000.00
(Presented to a Maine college-bound high school senior who has demonstrated a dedication to community leadership.) Madeline, a recent Thornton Academy graduate is planning to attend Boston Conservatory at Berklee. With her efforts as Opera Maine Teens program coordinator, Madeline focused on keeping up creative inspiration, in a time of young musicians experiencing isolation – brainstorming and innovation became key to organizing her community.

Available 2023 Scholarships

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