Senator Collins Speaks at Inaugural Patricia and Donald Collins Leadership Award Presentation at UMaine

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Orono, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at the inaugural Patricia M. and Donald F. Collins Leadership Award ceremony at the University of Maine (UMaine). This endowed scholarship award was established in memory of Patricia and Donald Collins, both Class of 1949 graduates of UMaine, former mayors of the City of Caribou, and the parents of six children, including Senator Collins. Patricia Collins also served as the first female chair of the UMaine System Board of Trustees, the Catholic Charities of Maine Board of Directors, and the Catholic Foundation of Maine Board of Trustees. Donald Collins was a Bronze Star and two-time Purple Heart recipient as an infantry sergeant during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, and later served as a member of the Maine State House of Representatives and the Maine State Senate.

The inaugural recipient of the award is Keegan Tripp, a member of the University of Maine Class of 2026. Keegan is the President of the University of Maine Student Government, a board member of the University of Maine Alumni Association, and a recipient of the John M. Nickerson Scholarship for political science students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement. Keegan also interned at Senator Collins’ state office in Bangor.

“My parents believed deeply in the value of education, civic responsibility, and giving back to their community, and they exemplified those principles throughout their lives,” said Senator Collins. “It is incredibly meaningful to honor their legacy through this endowed scholarship. I know that they too would be proud of Keegan, whose leadership, character, and outstanding academic achievements made him an excellent candidate to be the first-ever recipient of this award.”

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