SOUTH PORTLAND — Southern Maine Community College is pleased to announce that the Roger K Williams Foundation has committed to donating $170,000, creating a scholarship in the name of the Foundation’s founder and native Sanford, Mainer, Roger K. Williams.
This scholarship will provide financial assistance over numerous years, allowing many students to access higher education in applied technology, health sciences, and public safety degree programs.
Tom Williams, Roger’s nephew and co-trustee, said his uncle created the Foundation to help hardworking Mainers improve their lives.
“Uncle Roger was always huge on education,” Tom said. “Along with my sister Ellen, we focus on keeping Roger’s vision alive by identifying opportunities to provide hardworking and upstanding citizens the financial support they need to better their future. We want to help them enter a field they enjoy, create a career, give back to the community, and make a good living.”
According to Tom, his uncle Roger was born and raised in Sanford, and even though he moved away, always had an affinity for Maine. After serving in the Air Force and completing his education, Roger founded and led a successful executive recruiting firm. In his later years, Roger returned to Maine and purchased land in Shapleigh. In 2011, Roger donated that land, currently known as The Williams Town Park, so that Mainers could enjoy the area.
We are excited about the impact this scholarship will make on the state of Maine, said SMCC President Joe Cassidy.
“This scholarship supports our mission of transforming the lives of not only our students but the communities they serve,” Cassidy said. “Applied technology, health sciences, and public safety are all areas with critical staffing needs and this scholarship will help place our students into the workforce, creating better futures all-around.”
Precision Machining and Manufacturing Associate Professor Tom Narciso said the Williams Scholarship would significantly impact the lives of SMCC students.
“While tuition is affordable, many other things arise, especially in the trade disciplines. If tuition is covered, the student can use other resources for items like housing or books,” Narciso said. “Having tuition covered by this scholarship would make a world of difference for them.”
To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be residents of Maine with financial need who are in good standing and enrolled in an applied technology, health sciences, or public safety degree program and demonstrate evidence of hard work, dedication, and fortitude.
Students interested in applying can contact the SMCC Foundation office at 207-741-5559 or [email protected].
