First Leon A. Gorman Endowed Scholarship Awarded to Nicole Labbay
The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges — News Release
CONTACT:
Jane Phillips
207-321-6153
SOUTH PORTLAND, ME — Nicole Labbay of Bowdoin, a student in the Architectural and Civil Engineering Program at Central Maine Community College (CMCC), was awarded the first Leon A. Gorman Endowed Scholarship at a ceremony held earlier today at L.L.Bean’s Corporate Headquarters in Freeport.
The Leon A. Gorman Endowed Scholarship was established in 2014 by the children of Leon and Lisa Gorman in honor of Mr. Gorman’s 80th birthday. The scholarship supports Maine community college students who demonstrate strong academic achievement, financial need, and a commitment to community service, a hallmark of the scholarship’s namesake.
Since Leon Gorman’s passing in September 2015, eighty gifts have been made to the scholarship fund, including a $125,000 gift from L.L.Bean. Last week, Lisa Gorman announced a major new gift to the fund, ensuring that in future years the full-tuition scholarship will be awarded to a student at every one of Maine’s seven community colleges.
“We are pleased to be able to play a part in helping the people of Maine get the education they want and deserve,” said Lisa Gorman on behalf of her family.
This year’s recipient maintains a 3.55 GPA while serving as a volunteer coach for high school field hockey and softball. She has also volunteered building trails at Crystal Springs Farm and helped coordinate Bowdoinham Days Festival. She is currently assisting in the design of CMCC’s new hockey locker room at the Norway Savings Bank Arena.
“The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges is proud to be the recipient of these funds that will benefit deserving students for generations to come while honoring the vision and commitment of Leon Gorman,” said Jane Phillips, the foundation’s president.
Leon Gorman, the longtime president and CEO of L.L.Bean, was deeply committed to the people and places of Maine. Recognizing the power and potential of Maine’s community colleges to transform people’s lives, Mr. and Mrs. Gorman worked quietly behind the scenes supporting the colleges. The couple was central to the 2009 establishment and success of The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges for which Mrs. Gorman continues to serve as vice chair.
Photo: Nicole Labbay (7th from right) was presented with the first Leon A. Gorman Endowed Scholarship at a ceremony in Freeport today. She was joined by her parents and representatives of the Gorman family, L.L.Bean, and the Maine Community College System.