Waltham High School Senior wins a full-ride scholarship to Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in the #MakeMercyReal TikTok Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2026

Media Contact:
Alison Nason, Marketing/Communications Director
Office of Marketing & Communications
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Email: anason@sjcme.edu
Phone: (207) 893-7644,

Waltham High School Senior wins a full-ride scholarship to Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in the #MakeMercyReal TikTok Challenge

Waltham High School senior Leah France receives four-year tuition, room, and board scholarship during a special campus presentation celebrating compassion, inclusion, and community action.

STANDISH, ME / WALTHAM, MA – October 19, 2026 — On Thursday, October 15, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (SJC) presented Leah France, a standout senior at Waltham High School, with a full-ride scholarship, covering tuition, room, and board for all four years as the first official winner of this year’s  #MakeMercyReal TikTok Challenge.

Representatives from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Waltham High School, district leadership, Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, along with students, friends, and family, gathered to celebrate Leah during last week’s presentation ceremony.

Now in its second year, the nationwide social media challenge invites prospective first-year students to submit TikTok videos demonstrating how they translate compassion into meaningful action in their communities and blends the College’s tradition of service with the dynamic, creative power of social media. The contest builds on a successful inaugural year in which two Maine students received full four-year scholarships for exceptional service-driven leadership.

Leah, an aspiring Nursing major and future student-athlete on SJC’s Women’s Lacrosse team, captured the selection committee’s attention through her dedicated work with Best Buddies and Unified Sports, including attending the Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University. Her high school career has been defined by a passion for building meaningful friendships between individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As she prepares to join SJC’s Nursing program, Leah aims to carry forward the Sisters of Mercy mission by creating inclusive healthcare spaces and fostering unity through athletics.

“I am still in shock from this life-changing surprise,” said scholarship recipient Leah France. “I am extremely grateful for my family, friends, and community, who have shaped me into a person who is able to win a challenge such as #MakeMercyReal. This is such a cool way for Saint Joseph’s to support their students and set them up for a lifetime of success.”

“We are not just looking for students who have good grades or impressive stats on the field; we are looking for students who have big hearts—students whose daily actions reflect a commitment to making the world a better place,” said Joseph Cassidy, President of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. “The #MakeMercyReal Challenge allows us to attract and empower the kind of leaders our world desperately needs: those who mirror the core mission and values of our college by putting compassion into action. This challenge is our way of saying that character and kindness are just as valuable as your transcript.”

Waltham High School Principal William Conard celebrated Leah’s local impact during the event, invoking Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous call to service: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Second Submission Round Now Open Students nationwide still have an opportunity to enter. The second submission window for the #MakeMercyReal TikTok Challenge is open now through December 31, 2026, with additional full-ride scholarship winners to be announced in Spring 2027. High school seniors interested in applying can learn more at https://go.sjcme.edu/make-mercy-real.

About Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is where community grows – on campus, online, and around the world. Since its founding in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, the College has transformed learners into leaders who sustain their communities by offering immersive career readiness on a liberal arts foundation. Student success is enriched by a lived mission and the practice of core values. Saint Joseph’s beautiful campus on the shores of Sebago Lake boasts over 40 undergraduate programs – including nursing, education, the sciences, health & wellness, and business – and a competitive Division III athletic program. Its pioneering online certificate, undergraduate, and advanced degrees empower professional leaders in every corner of the globe. Learn more at www.sjcme.edu.