The Tyler / Grandmaison MELMAC Scholarship

The Maine Principals Scholarship program was the MELMAC Education Foundation’s first initiative. The scholarship sought to recognize the critical leadership and mentoring role of every high school principal and the central role he or she plays in encouraging the dreams and aspirations of his or her students. The Maine Principals Scholarship program provided a $1,000 scholarship to one college-bound graduating senior from each participating Maine high school, public or private, chosen by that high school’s principal. The scholarship was credited toward the student’s second semester of college study. The award was used for the pursuit of all types of higher education, at all institutions of higher education (two- or four-year colleges, within Maine or out of state, public or private).

In April of 2004, the scholarship was renamed the MELMAC Principals Scholarship… Supporting Early Success in College and became a $1,500 scholarship credited to a student’s third semester of study at a post-secondary institution of higher education. The change was made by the Board of Directors and the scholarship is designed to reward students for their persistence while attending college.

In April of 2005, long-time Executive Director of the Maine Principals’ Association and MELMAC Education Foundation Board Member, Dick Tyler, passed away. The scholarship was renamed the Richard W. Tyler MELMAC Principals Scholarship… Supporting Early Success in College to recognize Dick’s contributions to education for over 40 years, including as principal of Morse High School in Bath. Under his leadership at the Maine Principals’ Association, membership was expanded to include elementary school principals and the organization relocated to a new building where the library now bears his name.

The Foundation suffered the loss of another Board Member, Jim Grandmaison, in 2008. Like Dick, Jim Grandmaison was a strong advocate of education beyond high school and dedicated much of his professional career to helping Maine families understand the financial aid process while working as a financial aid administrator at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Most recently, Jim served as Director of Finance and Projects for the Fort Kent School District where every day he championed the value of higher education.

Dick and Jim’s impact on Maine students and the MELMAC Education Foundation will be felt for decades. In June 2010, the Board of Directors renamed the scholarship the Tyler/Grandmaison MELMAC Scholarship and is pleased to acknowledge these two outstanding individuals in such a meaningful way.

Nomination Process

Each spring the MELMAC Education Foundation contacts every Maine high school, public and private, and provides general information about, and an application for, the Tyler/Grandmaison MELMAC Scholarship.

The principal at each participating high school nominates a particular student and submits that student’s name and the reason for the principal’s decision directly to the MELMAC Education Foundation. Recipients of Tyler/Grandmaison MELMAC Scholarships are named at the time of high school graduation. Staff from the Foundation personally award the scholarship when invited by the high school and when schedules allow.

Criteria

The recipient must meet the following criteria:

• has been accepted to college;
• faces significant challenges and obstacles in the pursuit of higher education;
• demonstrates exceptional financial need;
• makes a difference in the lives of others and that of his/her community;
• is a solid school citizen;
• has made a positive contribution to the school environment and/or extra co-curricular activities;
• exhibits a commitment to public service;
• has the potential to make a difference in the world;
• demonstrates satisfactory academic progress in college.

Acknowledgements

The MELMAC Education Foundation is extremely grateful for the work of the members of its ad hoc Maine Principals Scholarship Advisory Committee. In 2001, the Committee defined the criteria and process for the award selections.

Committee members have included:

For more about MELMAC scholarship awards, visit the The Scholarship Awards page.