In this ongoing series on named, endowed scholarships at UMF, we shine a light on the students who are supported by the generosity of alumni and friends — and give you an opportunity to see how philanthropy plays a pivotal role in their success.
By Marc Glass, October 2019
The Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship was created in 1998 to honor the life of Jessica, who graduated from UMF in 1994 with a bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Services. Jessica’s parents and the scholarship’s founders, Ruth and Richard ’70 Simcock, say their daughter found satisfaction, purpose, and meaning in helping others, especially troubled teens.
Jessica Lynn Simcock, 1972–1998
To support students dedicated to Jessica’s calling, Richard and Ruth stipulated that the scholarship be awarded annually to a Maine resident entering his or her senior year who is majoring in Rehabilitation Services at UMF and “has a demonstrated commitment to and extraordinary promise for a career of helping others, especially teens.”
The 2019–20 recipient of the Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship is Mia Emery-Guemmadi ’20 of Woodland, Maine, who says the scholarship “has been such a blessing in my life this year.”
Mia Emery-Guemmadi ’20 of Woodland, Maine, the 2019–20 recipient of the Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship. (Photograph by Marc Glass.)
“The past three years have been a bit of a financial struggle, and I often found myself working nearly 40 or more hours a week to keep up with expenses, which left little time for school and especially for family and friends,” says Emery-Guemmadi. “Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to spend less time worrying about paying school bills and more time focusing on my academics and upcoming internship.”
At UMF, Emery-Guemmadi has worked as a Community Assistant, planning and implementing educational, social, and recreational programming for students residing in Purington Hall and referring them to appropriate educational, social, recreational and health-related services. As part of her degree program in Rehabilitation Services, she has completed a 150-hour practicum at Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta, Maine.
“I hope to someday return to Riverview, or at least be involved in a similar field that involves psychiatric, criminal justice, or rehabilitation work,” says Emery-Guemmadi. “But who knows where life will take me. The Rehabilitation Services program at UMF paves the way to a never-ending spectrum of possibilities.”
As for the support she has received through the Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship fund, Emery-Guemmadi says the generosity of donors has been “transformative” in helping her reach her academic and professional goals.
“I’m deeply grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Simcock and everyone who has contributed to the Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship fund. They have made it possible for me and other recipients to focus on what we love the most — helping people with disabilities.”
Learn more about the Jessica Lynn Simcock Memorial Scholarship, including how to make a contribution to the fund.