Honoring
Gilda E. Nardone (GEN) Scholarship Recipients
NVME Marketing Mini-Grant Recipients
The 2026 Merle Nelson Women Making A Difference Awardee
Thursday, March 26, 2026
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Program at 4:30 p.m.
Hearty refreshments will be served
Fireside Lounge
Randall Student Center
UMA Augusta Campus
“Working with entrepreneurs gives me so much joy and energy,” Stella commented upon starting her new role in mid-March. “There’s always something new to learn or a new problem to tackle.”
NVME Executive Director Janet Smith recently announced the recipients of the 2026 Gilda E. Nardone (GEN) Scholarship. Awards of $1,000 each will help defray the cost of college tuition and other expenses for adult learners pursuing higher education during the 2026-27 academic year. Gilda Nardone presented the scholarship awards to students at Making It Happen 2026—an event to celebrate scholarship, entrepreneurship, and leadership—at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) on March 26th.
New Ventures Maine honored Janice de Lima of Falmouth with the 2026 Merle Nelson Women Making A Difference Award at Making It Happen 2026, a celebration of scholarship, entrepreneurship, and leadership on March 26.