Saint Joseph’s College Leaders Celebrate TramutoPorter Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Gala

CASCO, MAINE — Representatives from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (Saint Joseph’s) joined community leaders, advocates, and global partners on July 30, 2026, at Camp Sunshine to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Gala of the TramutoPorter Foundation.

Representing the College were President Joseph Cassidy and Dale J. Brooker, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. Their attendance highlighted Saint Joseph’s longstanding partnership with the Foundation, which maintains an annual Compassionate Leadership Scholarship at the institution.

Shared Mission: Developing Compassionate Leaders

As Maine’s only Catholic, liberal arts college founded by the Sisters of Mercy and guided by mercy values, faith, and academic excellence Saint Joseph’s is deeply committed to being a place where community grows and learners develop into compassionate community leaders.

Because Saint Joseph’s welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds and faiths, the Foundation’s work closely mirrors the College’s core vision: equipping students to lead with empathy, action, and purpose in a complex world.

“Compassion is not a soft ideal. It is a force that changes lives, strengthens communities, and shapes a more just world.”

— Donato J. Tramuto, Co-Founder

Celebrating 25 Years and a Multi-Million-Dollar Future

Founded in 2001 in the wake of September 11th, the Maine-based TramutoPorter Foundation spent the evening reflecting on 25 years of expanding educational access, supporting health equity, and uplifting communities globally.

Co-Founder Donato J. Tramuto, who celebrated his 70th birthday the night of the Gala, marked the milestone by announcing a multi-million-dollar philanthropic endowment commitment. This investment ensures perpetual support for compassionate leadership initiatives across education, hearing equity, and human rights.

Sustaining Regional & Global Impact

The event celebrated both new initiatives and longstanding commitments that advance education and human dignity:

• Sustained Scholarship Support: Ongoing endowment commitments at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Boston University School of Public Health, and Jefferson College of Population Health.
• Expanded Regional Programs: Investments in Camp Sunshine, the Ogunquit Playhouse, Lasell University, Regis College, and the Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf.
• Global Human Rights & Health Equity: Continued partnerships with Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights, Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Italia, and health programs in Kenya.

Chaired by board member Joanne Bean, the Gala served as both a celebration of the past quarter-century and a launching point for the next. The presence of President Cassidy and Dr. Brooker reaffirmed Saint Joseph’s College of Maine’s dedication to partnering with visionaries who share a commitment to mercy values, transformative education, and the continuous development of compassionate leaders.