COURTESY OF MAINE SEACOAST MISSION
A student at Sumner Memorial High School has been selected by the Maine Seacoast Mission to receive a full, four-year college scholarship.
Riley Crowley of Prospect Harbor, the daughter of Amanda and Ricky Crowley, was one of four Downeast students chosen for the Davis Maine Scholarship (class of 2024). Cadence Braughton of Calais High School, Brisa Ortiz Garcia of Narraguagus High School, and MacKenzie Schors of Machias Memorial High School were the other three students.
The Davis Maine Scholarship program, in collaboration with Andrew Davis and the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, ensures that first-generation, college-bound students living in the Downeast region can complete a four-year bachelor degree without financial stress.
Davis Maine Scholars receive constant mentoring and assistance from Maine Seacoast Mission employees throughout their senior year of high school and all four years of college, in addition to the full, four-year scholarship. That scholarship is valid at one of three partner colleges: Clark University in Massachusetts, the University of New England in Biddeford, and Wheaton College in Massachusetts.
According to Maine Seacoast Mission, these partner universities were chosen for their dedication to supporting first-generation students, including those from rural communities.
“Through experience, we know that this model of financial and personal support has a transformative effect on the lives of young people, and I look forward to following the progress of these impressive scholars,” said Davis Maine Scholarship founder Andrew Davis.
Davis Maine Scholarship applicants are evaluated based on academic achievement, personal strengths, school and community involvement, and an application procedure that includes essays, recommendations, and an interview, similar to the extremely successful Davis New Mexico Scholarship. Selected high school seniors participate in individual mentoring, cohort seminars, college visits, and guided college preparation and transition.
“As the first of my own family to complete college, I know the Davis Maine Scholarship will make an enormous difference in the lives of these college-bound students,” said Maine Seacoast Mission President John Zavodny. “We are thrilled to partner with Andrew Davis and the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund to welcome a new cohort to the program.”
This is the third cohort of students selected for the scholarship. The first cohort finished their first year of college this spring. The second cohort graduated high school this June and will start their college career in the fall.
Maine Seacoast Mission seeks to strengthen coastal and island communities by educating youth, supporting families, and promoting good health. For more information, visit seacoastmission.org.
