University of Southern Maine

News Releases

Gormans Donate $1 Million for USM Scholarship Fund

February 14, 2006

Leon and Lisa Gorman of Yarmouth have given the University of Southern Maine $1 million for the establishment of a scholarship fund to help Maine citizens earn undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Each year, the Gorman Scholars Fund will provide $5,000 scholarships to seven full-time USM undergraduate students, and $3,000 scholarships to five students enrolled in a graduate program. In each case, the scholarships are renewable for up to three years. At least one of the graduate-level scholarships will be awarded to a student enrolled in USM's Extended Teacher Education Program. This program has been nationally recognized for requiring prospective teachers to take a year of coursework at the graduate level, combined with a classroom internship under a master teacher.  

Gorman Scholars must be Maine residents who have demonstrated strong academic potential and financial need. Preference will be given to students who want to remain in Maine after completing their education.

"Access to high-quality education is critically important to our state in terms of advancing economic development, and to individual citizens in terms of providing a more fulfilling life," said the Gormans. "USM is uniquely positioned to give people of all ages and backgrounds access to that high-quality education." Leon Gorman, who was a student in the evening program at USM in the 60's, added that he hopes the Gorman Scholars Fund "helps Maine people benefit from the type of educational opportunities that I enjoyed."

"This is a magnificent gift," said USM President Richard L. Pattenaude, "and one that strongly supports our goal of ensuring academic success for greater numbers of full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Their success, in a very real sense, is a success for the entire state."

The Gormans' gift is part of "Transforming USM: The Capital Campaign." The $25-million fund-raising effort includes money for University Commons, the redevelopment of the I-295 side of the Portland campus, as well as scholarships and endowment support. To date, nearly $15 million has been raised. Community leader Carol Wishcamper, and Commercial Properties Inc. Chairman and Owner Richard McGoldrick are co-chairs of the campaign, which is scheduled to run though March 2007.

Leon Gorman, L.L. Bean's chairman of the board, has been active in and honored by many organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Boy Scouts of America, and United Way. He also has received the Presidential Award from the Portland Chapter of the NAACP for guardianship of civil rights in Maine. Gorman also has served as a trustee of Bowdoin College (his alma mater), Maine Audubon, Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, the Maine chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Lisa Gorman's accomplishments include founding the Cancer Community Center and taking lead roles in fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Casco Bay Regional YMCA, Preble Street Resource Center, The Nature Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and CasinosNO!. She served as president of the Jewish Federation of Southern Maine and was the recipient of the Hannah G. Solomon Award of the Southern Maine Section of the National Council of Jewish Women. She also was honored with the Deborah Morton Award from the University of New England.

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