LEWISTON — Friends of John Jenkins, the late state senator and mayor of Lewiston and Auburn, have launched a scholarship fund in Jenkins’ name to recognize his many contributions and honor his legacy. He died Sept. 30 following a fight against an aggressive cancer that spread throughout his body.
Jenkins graduated from Bates College in 1974, and his classmates and friends are seeking donations to fund the new award for deserving students at Bates in his name.
After graduation, Jenkins became active in the Lewiston-Auburn area, serving as a mayor of each city after winning both elections, one of which was as a write-in candidate. He also served as a Maine senator, a commissioner on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Glass Ceiling Commission, and a CBS News wellness consultant.
Jenkins was received the Community Leadership Award from the Maine Bar Association and the U.S. Congregational Recognition Award from the 99th Congress, which was presented by Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
After his many years of studying and teaching martial arts, Jenkins was the recipient of the Critical Skills Instructor Award from the Maine National Guard and was inducted to the Lewiston-Auburn Sports Hall of Fame, the Maine State Sports Hall of Fame, the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the USA International Black Belt Hall of Fame.
The John Jenkins Scholarship Fund will aid Bates students who have aspirations to pursue one of the following areas: community service and activism; public office; student athletics; and/or some discipline in the medical field.
To contribute to the scholarship or for further information, contact Eric Foushee, associate vice president for advancement, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240; email efoushee@bates.edu or call 207-755-5985.
A celebration of life will be scheduled post-pandemic.
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