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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 J U N E 2 4 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N / P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T returning to school on the G.I. Bill to earn a geology degree. He pur- sued graduate studies under a Texaco fellowship at the University of Utah and Virginia Tech, earning a master's in geophysics and juggling a career in the oil industry with his work as a volunteer, board member and philanthropy. He died in Feburary, at age 82. Beverly Worthington also had a delayed route to college, first at Lee College in Baytown, a coastal suburb of Houston, and then flight school at Houston's Hobby Airport. Determined to look like a pilot long before she became one, she donned wide slacks and broad jackets over buttoned-up shirts to dress the part. "ere weren't any books to guide you back then, but you knew the way you dressed translated into what kind of sal- ary you were going to get," she says. 80% graduation rate Bothered by the state's declining num- ber of high school graduates and college enrollees, the Worthingtons awarded $66,000 to nine graduates of Rockland High School in 2010, giving a prefer- ence to Pell Grant-eligible students pursuing four-year degrees in science or math. At that time, eligible recipients could choose any college in the U.S. to study science or math. "We believed it was just a dream: What if we could give every stu- dent who graduates from every high school in Maine a scholarship, and how many would that even be?" Beverly recalls. "Could we do it, and could we be efficient in helping stu- dents stay in school? e worst thing we could do is encourage a kid of C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » FREE DELIVERY WITHIN STOREWIDE DELIVERY AREA FOR EVERY WATERFRONT 22 LOCATIONS ACROSS MAINE & NEW HAMPSHIRE LARGEST SHOREMASTER DISTRIBUTOR IN THE COUNTRY WWW.HAMMONDLUMBER.COM/SHOREMASTER 2021 2022 2023 Thank you to our Champion Circle Members who's financial and strategic support are at the heart of all we do. Not yet an MDF Member? Join today and let's develop leaders, drive economic growth, and improve lives TOGETHER! FOR INFO AND TO JOIN: BECOME-A-MEMBER MDF.ORG/MEMBERSHIP/ S O U R C E : Thomas College, using Maine Department of Education data WORTHINGTON SCHOLARS 2010–23 S O U R C E : Worthington Scholarship Foundation MAINE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION RATES 2016–22 The worst thing we could do is encourage a kid of limited means to start college if they couldn't finish. — Beverly Worthington Worthington Scholarship Foundation 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 7,700 8,700 9,700 10,700 11,700 12,700 13,700 14,700 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 GRADUATES −2.6% ENROLLED −21.4% 9 10 10 10 13 30 29 51 85 109 188 209 397 573

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