AUGUSTA – The trustees of the Maine Higher Education Assistance Foundation announce that a scholarship of $1,000 has been awarded to Kevin Rodriguez, a graduate of Portland High School attending the University of Maine at Farmington. Rodriguez is a senior majoring in business economics.

The foundation was established in the 1950s to support a guarantee fund for student loans. The founders included a wide range of banks, businesses, community organizations and individuals. In 1990 the trustees, the Maine Bankers Association’s board of directors, seeking to continue the original intent of the founding members, began a scholarship program funded by the return of the original loan guarantee funds.

This year the trustees selected 13 Maine colleges and universities to receive scholarships. The participating schools choose scholarship recipients. All recipients must be in the second-, third- or fourth-year, must be a Maine high school graduate, must be majoring in a business related subject, must have good academic standing and must have financial need. All scholarships are awarded for second semester expenses.

Schools receiving scholarships this year are the University of Maine Fort Kent, University of Maine Machias, the University of Maine at Orono, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Southern Maine, the University of Maine Presque Isle, the University of Maine Augusta, the University of Maine Lewiston/Auburn, the University of New England in Biddeford and Westbrook, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Husson College, Thomas College and Southern Maine Community College.

Previous scholarship recipients from the University of Maine at Farmington include Sarah Dailey, Heidi Doucette, Corey Ellis, Penny Henry, Lacy Bamford, Mathew Daigneault, Gary Marden, Rebecca Mackenzie, Sunny Stutzman, Doreen Hartley and Patricia Gordon.

The Maine Higher Education Assistance Foundation is administered by the Maine Bankers Association and is located at 132 State St.