Florence B. Trueman Scholarship Helps Students of Calvert County
As a career court stenographer, Florence B. Trueman used shorthand to quickly and accurately capture every word of important proceedings. Self-taught in her craft, she knew there were no shortcuts to learning a new skilljust education and practice. Education was important to her throughout her life, so it was no surprise to her friends that in her final days it was on her mind.
She loved Calvert County and wanted to do something for the people who lived there. She set up an endowment for scholarships for Calvert County students so that the fruits of her lifes work would continue to help people, said Scott Whitney, Truemans friend and administrator for her trust.
Now, through a matching fund agreement with the College of Southern Maryland Foundation, Truemans scholarships will go twice as far.
Our CSM Foundation Board is honored to be entrusted with the Trueman endowed scholarship fund. They love to see the impact of their efforts double by the number of students they can help afford college. Because our tuition is half the cost, scholarship funds at CSM can fund many more students, said CSM Vice President of Advancement Michelle Goodwin, who added that funds for one full-ride scholarship at an in-state, four-year college could assist eight students attend or complete college at CSM.
Trueman moved to Calvert County in 1952. She worked with former Maryland Comptroller Louis Goldstein and the Calvert County Hospital before she began as a court reporter in 1957. She covered the circuit courts for Calvert, Charles and St. Marys counties for 25 years. Trueman was a member of the Maryland Shorthand Reporters Association, a life member of Sigma Phi Gamma, a member of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 104 at Prince Frederick and past president of the Soroptimist and Lioness clubs.
Florence loved people and she loved to travel. She and her husband [former Calvert County Commissioner H. Gordon Trueman] owned a bus and would take groups of people to events outside the area, said Barbara Bates, a colleague and longtime friend. She was active in the community, always trying new things and interested in having fun, said Bates.
Eligible scholarship recipients must be legal residents of Calvert County, graduates of a Calvert County high school and be enrolled as full-time students at CSM. Applicants must possess and maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average or higher, demonstrate financial need and write an essay to explain any hardship.
The initial amount of the scholarship fund is $30,000 and will be matched by the CSM Foundation with subsequent amounts to be added over time.
Planned gifts can create a lasting legacy for families. CSM welcomes gifts made through different planned giving arrangements, said Goodwin.
For information on planned giving, contact Goodwin at 301-934-7635 or michellg@csmd.edu.
To match funds for the Florence B. Trueman Scholarship Fund, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Foundation/ or contact CSM Development Director Martina Arnold at 301-934-7649.
To apply for the Trueman scholarship, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Financial/scholarships/. Deadline for consideration for the 2014-15 academic year is May 15.