Amos Bridge Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Associate Builders & Contractors of Maine

Introduction and history
Amos D. Bridge arrived in the United States from abroad in 1842 at age three and went on to establish Bridgecorp in Connecticut in 1875. From its early days the company operated under a Merit (open) Shop philosophy, with employee pay tied to individual production. Bridgecorp expanded into Maine in 1914 and moved its headquarters to the state during World War II. For roughly 90 years Bridgecorp was a leading name in Maine road construction until the company was sold to Pike Industries in 2004. After the acquisition, Bridgecorp’s workforce and equipment became part of Pike’s Heavy and Highway Construction Division, and Pike has maintained the tradition of membership and participation in Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

Both Amos Bridge and the founder of Pike launched their businesses in the 1870s, and those two long-running company histories are now united. Amos’ great-grandson, John Bridge — a University of Maine alumnus who served as a national officer of ABC in the 1980s — created the Amos Bridge Scholarship Fund at that time. John’s message to applicants: “Remember that entrepreneurship in construction is just as possible today as it was for Amos in 1875.”

Scholarship purpose
The Amos Bridge Scholarship Fund provides financial support to students pursuing programs focused on construction management and related fields — specifically students enrolled in the University of Maine’s Construction Engineering Technology program, the University of Southern Maine’s Certificate in Construction Management, or comparable curricula that prepare students for management roles in the construction industry.

Contact and deadline
Contact: Associated Builders & Contractors of Maine
Application deadline: May 1

Eligibility requirements
- Must be enrolled in an undergraduate program related to construction; priority is given to applicants who intend to pursue careers in the construction industry. Students in architecture and civil engineering are eligible.
- Preference will be given to applicants who are active members of an ABC Student Chapter or who are employed by an ABC member firm.
- Applicants must have completed at least one year of study in an associate or bachelor’s degree program and must have at least one full academic year remaining.
- Academic minimums: overall GPA of at least 2.5 and a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the major. If the applicant has not yet taken any courses in the declared major, a minimum overall GPA of 3.00 is required.