Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. V I M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 20 ainebiz: How did you raise the money for the Crewe Center for the Arts? Jacqueline Edmondson: e Crewe Center represents the culmination of more than 30 years of vision and advo- cacy led by Dan Crewe and supported by many arts champions across Maine. Funding came from a combination of pri- vate philanthropy and public investment. e key was articulating a clear value Jacqueline Edmondson, who became president of the University of Southern Maine in 2022, has been instrumental in shaping the university into an arts hub. Under her leadership, USM last year opened the $63 million Crewe Center for the Arts on the Portland campus, honoring brothers Daniel and Bob Crewe, the late songwriter and record producer known for many of the Four Seasons' hits. The center has a performing arts hall and is home to the Dr. Alfred and D. Suzi Osher School of Music. This year, the university unveiled plans for a $15 million fine arts center on the Gorham campus. University of Southern Maine What it does: The University of Southern Maine is a public univer- sity with 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students taking courses online and at campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston-Auburn. Employees: 1,472 Locations: 96 Falmouth St. Portland, 37 College Ave. in Gorham and 51 Westminster St. in Lewiston. Founded: 1878 M EDUCATION LEADER OF THE YEAR Jacqueline Edmondson President, University of Southern Maine P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY A Portland campus becomes an intellectual and cultural hub Jacqueline Edmondson oversees opening of Crewe Center B y A l e x i s W e l l s

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