Honorary

The Ricker College Board of Trustees convened for its annual meeting on October 27th at the Atrium Restaurant in Houlton.

Gerald Wilson, Chairman of the Board, presided over the meeting at which Mrs. Judith Metcalf of Houlton and Reginald Corey of Littleton were newly elected to the board along with the reelection of Patricia Chase, Marie Hutchinson, Gerald Riley and Gerald Wilson.  Officers elected to serve for 2001 were Gerald Riley, Chairman of The Board; Donna Baietti, Vice Chairwoman; Marie Hutchinson, Secretary and Rev. Daniel Watson, Treasurer.  Gary Bossie and Gerald Wilson were appointed to serve, with the elected officers, as members of the Executive Committee.  David H. Cotton will continue to serve as Executive Director.  Jay Brewer, who had served the allowable term of twelve years, retired with a vote of true appreciation by the board.

Director Cotton reported on numerous matters including the fact that 143 scholarship recipients are currently in college, each receiving a $1,000 scholarship which is renewable for four years.  He also reported that the board, since 1985, has distributed over 1.5 million dollars to assist graduates from high schools that serve Aroostook County students.

The Ricker College board serves no viable college today, but is a private, non-profit, charitable corporation which administers funds bequeathed to the board for educational purposes.  The board maintains its office at 106 Main Street in Houlton.  It makes its contacts with prospective recipients through the guidance offices of high schools.

At its recent annual meeting, the Ricker College Board Of Trustees Executive Director D.H. Cotton reported that Sharon Callnan of Houlton had been granted a scholarship as of 10/99.  She replaces Shawn Scully who had not resubmitted his reapplication inspite of several reminders. Director Cotton also reminded members that twelve years ago the first recipients of scholarships graduated.  There were two of the forty students then in college.  This coming May of 2000 thirty (30) students will graduate from the 142 in college.  Twelve years ago our cost was $40,000.  This year it will be $145,700 following distribution of current recipients:

    2.  The new recipients are attending 16 different colleges with a larger than normal proportion than usual in the University System.

    3.  The University of Maine System will have 19 of our awardees with 12 residing at Orono.  Unusual is the fact that no new recipients entered Bates, Bowdoin or Colby this year, possibly due to expenses but very likely because of the goals of the college class of 2003 which contains many students headed for engineering or physiotherapy degrees.  Environmental engineering is a popular new goal this year.  Teaching, Nursing and liberal Arts are somewhat in remission this year and no students are headed for pharmacology this year for the first time in several years....  Eight students left their first college to transfer to another.  One recipient was dismissed from our program....  The largest graduating class was at Presque Isle followed by Caribou, Fort Kent and Houlton.

    4.  Director Cotton mentioned that he was the only faculty to attend the fiftieth reunion of the class of 1949 RCI.  Nevertheless, the class had a good time.

At its recent annual meeting, the Ricker College Board Of Trustees elected officers for the coming year as well as members of the board for a three year period.

Gerald Wilson and Gerald Riley were elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board respectively.  Both are from Houlton.  Jay Brewer of Monticello was elected treasurer and Donna Baietti of Houlton was elected secretary.  David H. Cotton of Houlton was reappointed to serve an unspecified term as executive director.

John Clark, James Ward and D.H. Cotton, all of Houlton, concluded their allowable terms of twelve years.  Elected to replace them on the board were Carolee Brandt of Houlton, Otis Smith of Hodgdon and Dana Wright of Littleton.  Total membership of the Board is fifteen (15) persons.

Financial advisor, Thomas Pierce of H.M. Payson and Co. was guest speaker.  He assured members that the sky had not fallen in and that the availability of scholarship funds for the next year will not be less than last year's.  The executive director reported that 135 college students are presently receiving scholarships at a cost to the board of $137,500, that being the minimum amount required by law to be spent for academic year 1998-99.

   Persons interested in learning more about Ricker College Scholarship Program should contact: D.H. Cotton (207)532-4475 -  P.O. Box 1016, Houlton ME 0473.