The Maine State Society of Washington DC is pleased and proud to welcome our 2026 scholars. Each year, the MSS has the great privilege of helping students attend Maine colleges and universities through the foresight and efforts of our supporters, donor and volunteers. These gifted Mainers are our future!
$1,500 Marjorie Pearson Scholarship Recipient: Leah Cromarty
Leah is a rising senior at the University of Maine in Orono, where she has earned a 3.814 GPA while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Psychology. She is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician. Leah submitted a professional resume highlighting her ongoing work as an electrocardiography technician, along with her experience as a research assistant, researcher, and laboratory aide. Leah is a leader on campus and within her community. She serves on the University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, is the founder and president of the Pre-PA Club, and is the chapter president of the Phi Beta Phi sorority. In these roles, she has held multiple leadership positions and consistently contributes an average of 50 volunteer hours each semester. Since 2024, Leah has volunteered with Partners for World Health and participated in an international medical mission trip to Costa Rica in 2025. She is a graduate of Westbrook High School.
In her essay, Leah reflects on how she embodies Maine’s state motto, Dirigo, through her commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership. She has volunteered throughout her life, supporting food pantries, veterans, blood drives, and community fundraising efforts. In college, she has focused her service on healthcare-related organizations where she can make a meaningful and lasting impact. Leah views leadership as an act of service to others and credits her volunteer experiences with shaping her personal and professional growth. She is committed to continuing a life of service and leadership throughout her career.
$1500 Dirigo Scholarship Recipient: Edgelynn Venuti
Edgelynn is a rising Senior at the University of Maine, where she has a 3.743 GPA and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Ecology, with a minor in Spanish. Edgelynn’s resume details her ongoing work as a research assistant for MAINECAN, the Maine community-led Energy & Climate Action Network, and for the Saltmarsh Habitat and Avian Research Program (SHARP), as well as experience as a Peer Success Coach on campus. A lifelong New Englander with family ties to the Downeast region, Edgelynn officially moved to Maine as an adolescent and graduated from Washington Academy in East Machias.
In her essay on how climate change affected her point of view, Edgelynn details how witnessing the effects of climate change from a young age transformed her concern into active leadership, inspiring her to become a student organizer, policy contributor, and youth advocate working for environmental and community change. In high school, she founded the Sunrise County Climate Coalition and partnered with local organizations to oppose a proposed silver mine due to concerns over protection of local water resources. As a University of Maine student, she served as a youth representative on the Maine Climate Council's Coastal and Marine Working Group, contributing to updates of the state's Climate Action Plan. Edgelynn has been active with Maine Youth for Climate Justice, speaking at the Youth Day of Action at the Maine State House in 2024 and serving as emcee in 2025, emphasizing youth engagement and civic participation. Edgelynn explains how climate change motivated her to use her voice, develop leadership skills, and pursue advocacy rather than succumb to fear about the future.