The University of Southern Maine Foundation announced that it has received a $25,000 “founding sponsor” gift from cPort Credit Union, a community-focused financial institution with branches in Portland, Augusta, and Scarborough. The contribution will support the completion of the McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success on the University of Southern Maine (USM) Portland Campus. The Center’s formal ribbon cutting celebration is scheduled for September 27.
The McGoldrick Center Founding Sponsors program offers employer partners like cPort Credit Union recognition and promotion opportunities in a central, highly visible location at the heart of USM’s newly transformed Portland campus. Their gift will sponsor the Student Government Business Office, located on the third floor of the new McGoldrick Center.
The Center’s third floor is dedicated to cultivating student leadership opportunities and connections with spaces set aside for USM’s Diversity Center, student organizations, Promise Scholars, and the cPort-sponsored Student Government Business Office.
“At cPort Credit Union, we understand the power of education and the importance of empowering students to reach their full potential,” says Gene Ardito, cPort Credit Union’s President and CEO. “That’s why we are proud to sponsor the Student Government Business Office as part of USM’s McGoldrick Center. This exciting initiative will serve as a beacon in the Portland community and a springboard for tomorrow’s future leaders.”
“We are so pleased to count cPort Credit Union among our McGoldrick Center founding sponsors,” said Ainsley Wallace, President and CEO of the University of Southern Maine Foundation. “The McGoldrick Center helps our students develop their leadership skills and forge relationships with employers, leading to great career opportunities. In fact, a number of USM graduates are part of cPort’s workforce today.”
The McGoldrick Center will serve as the Portland campus crossroads, where students, faculty, alumni, and employers can connect and collaborate. The Center’s second floor will be home to USM’s expanded Career & Employment Hub, where the employer community intersects with students in the academic community.
With dining facilities, meeting and conference rooms, student activity rooms, and the expanded Career Hub, the Center is among the most environmentally sustainable buildings on USM’s transforming Portland campus. It is a three-story, 42,000 square-foot space that is sustainably designed to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver certification. It will overlook the new campus quad, named the “Bean Green,” and sits adjacent to Portland Commons, the first residence hall on USM’s Portland campus.
About cPort Credit Union
Since 1931, cPort Credit Union has been committed to providing members with the best financial experience possible. With five convenient branches located in Portland, Scarborough, and Augusta, cPort serves over 30,000 members and continues to be one of the fastest-growing credit unions in Maine. Recently recognized as a Best-In-State Credit Union by Forbes and listed among the Best Places to Work in Maine for seven years, cPort strives to deliver the highest level of personal service and innovative banking products.