I hope 2025 finds you well! As a result of your generous contributions in 2024, UMaine Alumni of the Lowcountry (UMAL) provided $3,298 in scholarship money to three financially deserving students from South Carolina for the 2024/2025 academic year. The Office of Student Aid selected first year students A’nala Anderson from Fort Mill, majoring in Studio Art; Devon Sibley, also from Fort Mill, majoring in Business Administration; and Joseph Galbraith from Hampton, a junior majoring in Survey Engineering Technology, to split the UMAL annual scholarship award. We can be proud of the impact the UMAL scholarship has made in these three deserving students’ lives, and also the impact the total scholarship contributions of $31,077 have made since 2011.
UMAL is pursuing a dual scholarship path, with our annual UMAL scholarship award, and also a $1,000 contribution to an endowed UMAL scholarship, established in 2024 to honor the memory of Bob and Judy Blake. Bob and Judy were Board members of the UMAL for many years. After their passing in 2023, The Judith and Robert Blake Charitable Fund of the Lowcountry was established, and matches 25% of the UMAL endowed scholarship fund, and other endowed scholarships at UMaine. In 2023 UMAL established this endowed scholarship fund with an initial contribution of $2,000. As of December 2024, the UMAL endowed scholarship fund has reached $6,000 of the $8,000 goal, quicker than expected due to contributions received in 2024. Once we have reached the $8,000 goal, an additional $2,000 dollars (25% match) will be provided from the Blake’s fund, resulting in the establishment of an endowed UMAL scholarship of $10,000! UMAL plans to support our annual scholarship fund and also the UMAL endowed scholarship until the endowed scholarship is fully funded at $10,000, which then will provide an annual scholarship in perpetuity to future UMaine students.
The annual scholarship award and the establishment of a UMAL endowed scholarship would not be possible without your continued support as a UMAL member, support of our annual Lobster Maine-ia fundraiser, and your scholarship contributions. Please consider renewing your UMAL membership or becoming a first time member by completing the online membership form.
Thank you for your support!
Scott Ouellette ’89 President
