A University of Maine at Presque Isle alumnus who credits his time at UMPI as the starting point to a successful career is “paying it forward” by working with the Foundation of the University at Presque Isle to establish a new scholarship that will provide financial assistance especially for students hailing from Aroostook County.

David W. Watson recently signed a trust agreement with the University’s Foundation to establish the Watson Family Scholarship Fund, which will help support students from Aroostook County who need financial assistance to secure their goal of acquiring a university education.

A native of Westfield, Maine, Watson graduated from UMPI in 1985 as class Salutatorian with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He immediately went to Harvard Law School where he graduated cum laude and earned his Juris Doctor degree.

Today, practicing at Goodwin Procter in Boston, Mass., he is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department and chair of its Private Investment Funds Practice. Watson focuses his practice on public and private securities offerings, private fund formation, partnership law, mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance and general corporate matters. He works with clients ranging from small startup fund managers to established international financial organizations raising billions of dollars around the globe. Watson also participates in Goodwin Procter’s Capital Markets, Real Estate Capital Markets and Private Equity/Venture Capital Practices.

“We are so pleased to see this scholarship established not only because it provides our hard-working students with greater opportunities for financial assistance as they strive to earn their degrees, but also because it highlights both the success our alumni are able to achieve after graduation and the kind of impact our campus community has on students,” UMPI President Linda Schott said. “We are delighted that David Watson felt so strongly about his experiences here that he wanted to ensure the success of future graduates and we look forward to seeing the great things those future graduates do in their own careers.”

The first scholarship from the new fund will be awarded in the Fall of 2013 in the amount of $1,000.

For more information or to contribute to the Watson Family Scholarship Fund, please contact UMPI’s Office of Development at 768-9568.