Jonathan LaBonte ’02

Jonathan LaBonte is a 2002 graduate of the University of Maine, with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is presently employed by the Maine Turnpike Authority as Assistant Government Relations Manager. Jonathan is responsible for the public policy and planning aspects of the Maine Turnpike.

He established the Great Falls Scholarship, which benefits students from the Lewiston-Auburn area, in 2002. When asked why, he said, “I was able to go to the University of Maine nearly debt free thanks to scholarships through the University of Maine Foundation and the Pulp and Paper Foundation. I am so grateful for the assistance I received. It is only right that I give back. I want to help make college affordable for other Mainers like myself. The great thing about the University of Maine Foundation is that I was able to establish the scholarship with a small amount of money and build the fund over time.”

Jonathan also gifted a life insurance policy, which will eventually benefit the Great Falls Scholarship. In doing so, Jonathan became a member of the Charles F. Allen Society. The Society, named for the University of Maine’s first President, recognizes and honors alumni and friends who intend to remember the University of Maine or its affiliated organizations by making a bequest or other form of planned or deferred gift.