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Philanthropists Roger & Mary LaBonte Show QCC Some Southern Hospitality

July 2018
  • Dr. Roger & Mary LaBonte
    Dr. Roger & Mary LaBonte

Dr. Roger LaBonte and his wife Mary, of Tennessee, consider learning to be a lifelong endeavor. They also recognize the challenges many people may have due to inadequate resources, which is why they’ve established the Roger S. & Mary E. LaBonte Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship, named in memory of Dr. LaBonte’s mother, Anna (Boehnke) LaBonte, was developed to help those who do not have the ability or resources to acquire a formal education. Dr. LaBonte remembers stories told of his mother coming from Poland in the early 20th century to begin a life in America at the age of 13. A voracious reader and listener, she was unable to obtain a formal education due to societal limitations, which discriminated against women and immigrants at that time.

“Our educational system still makes it difficult for many of our citizens, especially the less financially well-off and vulnerable among us, to acquire a formal education,” he said.

An avid lifelong learner himself, early in his youth Dr. LaBonte left high school in Manachug (a village in Sutton, Massachusetts) without completing his sophomore year, in order to work in a shoe factory before joining the U.S. Navy. Eventually he married his wife Mary, had two children and decided to complete high school at Hayward Adult & Technical High School in Hayward, California. He went to earn his associate degree, bachelor’s degree and finally his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. LaBonte said the support and encouragement of his family, the Navy, and numerous mentors enabled him to reach his educational goals…something not always accessible to everyone.

“This motivated us to help deserving family members and others who may have inadequate resources to stay in school and complete their formal education,” he continued.

Dr. LaBonte said the scholarship gives preference to students who are in a health care program, who are single parents, or a minority. This preference holds a particularly poignant significance for the LaBontes. Their niece, Megan Romero, tragically lost her husband just before the birth of their second child. Ms. Romero wanted to enter QCC’s Respiratory Therapy program and according to Dr. LaBonte, her entire family wanted to help her.

“Megan worked very hard to get scholarships and financial assistance to achieve her goal on her own and has required minimal financial assistance from her family,” he said, adding that she is an inspiration to the entire family. “In honor of Megan’s efforts, we chose QCC and consider her a partner in our efforts to help others through scholarships from this fund.”

Today, the first Roger S. & Mary E. LaBonte Scholarship has been awarded to Fordley Kernisant, a general health science major. He is working to complete his degree at QCC, with the goal of transferring to Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services (MCPHS) and one day becoming a pharmacist.

“Receiving this scholarship will help me pay for books and supplies. It means a great deal to me and will help me so much,” Mr. Kernisant said.

“Everybody deserves an education without financial stress. This scholarship will hopefully help a lot of people and if it takes even an ounce of that stress and feeling of despair off someone’s shoulders, than it is most certainly serving its cause,” Ms. Romero added.

Make sure to check out the August issue of the Wyvern Guardian and learn about Megan Romero's amazing story. 

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