Hope House Health & Living Center Employee of Promise receives Maine Development Foundation Scholarship
As a Next Step Maine Employer engaged in Maine Development Foundation’s statewide Employers’ Initiative working to advance the skills and education of Maine’s workforce, Hope House Health & Living Center participated in the fourth annual Next Step Maine Employees of Promise Scholarship Program nominating their employees for scholarship awards to support the completion of a degree or certificate.
Bruce Hews, Jr., Campus Manager, nominated by Ann Giggey, Director, received a 2016 Next Step Maine Employee of Promise Scholarship to support his pursuit of a Substance Abuse certificate from Beal College.
Hews, joined by Ann Giggey, was honored during Maine Development Foundation’s Annual Next Step Maine Scholarship Recognition event on Friday, June 10, in Augusta.
Next Step Maine Employees of Promise Scholarship is part of the Maine Development Foundation (MDF), a private, non-partisan membership organization that drives sustainable, long-term economic growth for the state of Maine. MDF’s strategic focus is a productive workforce.
The program is a free statewide initiative that awards funds to Maine employees who are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree or certificate program. This year’s recipients were selected from 40 employer nominations from a variety of Maine companies and many educational institutions.
“We are extremely pleased with the progress the Next Step Maine program is making to help Maine’s workforce continue with their education and training,” said Yellow Breen, president of Maine Development Foundation. “There were double the number of applicants compared to last year and we raised $35,600 for scholarship funds, which is double from last year, as well.”
Maine Development Foundation announced earlier this month that $35,600 has been awarded to 28 Maine employees for a 2016 Next Step Maine Employee of Promise Scholarship.
The 28 awardees, their employers and family members, were honored this past Friday, June 10th at the Annual Next Step Maine Scholarship Recognition event in Augusta.
Next Step Maine received donations and grant support from the Bangor Savings Bank, Cianbro, Maine Chapter Association for Talent Development, Maine Community Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Pratt & Whitney, Renys, Saint Joseph’s College, and SHRM Maine State Council.
About the Program: Since 2013, the Next Step Maine program has contributed more than $63,900 in scholarships and helped more than 50 Maine employees attain advanced education in their field. Recent alumni of the program have experienced success in a variety of ways, including pay increases, promotion and career advancement. The goal of the Next Step Maine scholarship program is to support and recognize working adults who are going to school while managing jobs, families, and other responsibilities.
Scholarships are available for employees of Next Step Maine employers – committed employers who have joined a no-cost statewide initiative to advance the educational attainment of Maine’s workforce. View a list of current Next Step Maine employers.
To learn more about Next Step Maine and how to become a Next Step Maine employer, please visit www.nextstepmaine.org.