Local Entrepreneur, Joseph “Joe” Gambino, Jr., Elected Chairperson of the MELMAC Education Foundation’s Board of Directors
Article published March 17, 2003
(Augusta, Maine) – The Board of Directors of the MELMAC Education Foundation announced recently that Joseph Gambino has been elected to serve as chairperson of the Board in 2003.
Gambino is a long-time business owner from Bangor. He and his wife Donna split their residency between Bangor and Northport. They own Gambino’s Pizza and Subs and Northeast Apartments, both in Bangor.
“Maine needs to dramatically increase the rate of high school graduates going on to pursue post secondary study. Of today’s ninth graders who graduate from high school, too many of them will not further their education. Sadly, only a disappointing 65% of those who do attend college will actually graduate," continued Gambino. "A key component of making college more assessable and affordable is the creation of a community college system. Maine is one of only three states in the country that does not have one and it is time to seriously consider its implementation.”
Since January 2001, the MELMAC Education Foundation has given out over $500,000 in grants and scholarships. In 2001, the Foundation announced the Maine Principals Scholarship program in which one student from every Maine high school, public and private, will receive a $1,000 scholarship toward their first year of college at the school of their choice, in state or out of state. The MELMAC Education Foundation also operates the Financial Aid Enhancement Grant Program targeted at Maine’s post-secondary institutions’ financial aid offices to enhance and improve the delivery of financial aid.
The MELMAC Education Foundation is located in Augusta. The Foundation has assets of approximately 28 million dollars. Wendy Ault serves as the Executive Director.