NEBHE Will Present Excellence Award to MELMAC Education Foundation Leader Wendy Ault at Maine State House Event

Media Advisory: Event Thursday at Maine State House
NEBHE Will Present Excellence Award to MELMAC Education Foundation Leader Wendy Ault

For more information, contact John O. Harney at 617-533-9501 or

[email protected]

June 18, 2019

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) will honor Wendy L. Ault, executive director of the MELMAC Education Foundation, with a 2019 Excellence Award at a ceremony to be held in the Maine State House on Thursday, June 20 at 1 p.m.

After a career in higher education and the Legislature, Ault became president of the nonprofit Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corporation (MELMAC) in September 1999. When MELMAC was sold to a for-profit corporation in January 2001, the proceeds from that sale created the MELMAC Education Foundation, which Ault has led since 2001.

Before that, Ault served as the University of Maine at Farmington's associate director of admissions for 17 years. While working at UMF, she was elected to the Maine House of Representatives representing part of Kennebec County from 1988 through 1996. She served all eight years as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, serving as its House Chair during her last term.

Ault also has worked as a reproductive health teacher and the assistant director of admissions at Westbrook College (now the University of New England) in Portland, Maine.

"Wendy Ault and MELMAC have crafted school- and community-based programs to increase students' aspirations for higher education and supported their enrollment and persistence in college. They have sent a message to thousands of Maine college-bound students that, to borrow the well-known phrase, 'You can get there from here!,'" said NEBHE President and CEO Michael K. Thomas.

Since 2003, NEBHE has formally recognized people and groups with New England Higher Education Excellence awards for their exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and advancement of educational opportunity. Past Maine recipients have included former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell, former University of Maine System Chair Patricia Collins and Unum.

About NEBHE

Founded in 1955 by six visionary New England governors, NEBHE brings together leaders of education, higher education, government, business and labor to forge partnerships and advance ideas that enhance the economy and quality of life in the six-state region and around the world. NEBHE works to increase the education opportunities for New England residents and to promote collaboration among the region's colleges and universities to expand access, success, affordability and the economic impact of higher education.