University of New England

3 local students awarded Osher scholarships

The University of New England has selected three local students as its first Osher Scholars. The Bernard Osher Foundation, whose namesake grew up in Biddeford and became a highly successful businessman and noted philanthropist, gave UNE a $1 million grant last spring to support undergraduate students from Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach.

The students are all freshmen:

• Ashley Binette, a Biddeford High School graduate now majoring in psychology.
• Pui Ki Mak, a Thornton Academy graduate now majoring in medical biology.
• Cassandra North, an Old Orchard Beach High School graduate now majoring in business administration.

The Bernard Osher Foundation Endowment at UNE will ultimately provide seven students—called Osher Scholars—with $7,000 annual scholarships. The scholarship recipients will be selected each year. Among other criteria for the award are strong academic and leadership skills, and financial need. All income from the endowment will be used for direct support of the students, with none of the money used for administrative costs.

First preference for the new Osher Scholars will be high school seniors from the three local communities who meet all the criteria and want to attend UNE. If all the scholarship slots are not filled by these students, the geographic area to draw from expands, first to include students from anywhere in York County, then Maine, then out of state.

Bernard Osher grew up in the Biddeford area with his three brothers Alfred, Harold, and William, and his sister, Marion. He graduated from Bowdoin College (which awarded him an honorary degree in 2000), then went into business. He owned Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach. Osher later moved to northern California, where he ran Butterfield and Butterfield Auctioneers, which he sold to eBay in 1999. He is married to Barbro Osher, the Consul General for Sweden in San Francisco. She is the chair of the Bernard Osher Foundation. The Oshers live in the San Francisco area and visit Maine regularly.

The Bernard Osher Foundation was established in 1977. The foundation’s philanthropic interests include higher education, the arts and culture, and other areas. The Bernard Osher Foundation has provided financial support for local students at UNE since 2001, when the foundation donated $128,000 for four, four-year student scholarships.

(Press release issued Dec. 15, 2005)