How can I keep my header image on my title page from pushing all content to next page?

Question

I'm very new to Latex. I am trying to make a title page that has an organization graphic at the top, but placing the image before \maketitle pushes the title, date, abstract etc to the next page. Is there a way to force the remainder of the content to stay on the first page below the graphic?

Minimal working example

\documentclass[11pt, letterpaper]{article}
\usepackage[left=1in,top=1in,right=1in,bottom=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{abstract}
\renewcommand{\abstractname}{}    % clear the title
\renewcommand{\absnamepos}{empty} % originally center
\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage[strings]{underscore} % protect underscores in most circumstances
\usepackage[section]{placeins}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\renewenvironment{abstract}
 {{%
    \setlength{\leftmargin}{0mm}
    \setlength{\rightmargin}{\leftmargin}%
  }%
  \relax}
 {\endlist}

\title{
    My Award Winning Paper 
\thanks{This is a test.This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. This is a test.  }
}

\author{\Large Bill BIllerson  \\ \normalsize\emph{University of Newtopia} 
\and 
\Large Jim Jimmerson  \\ \newline\normalsize\emph{University of Duderino}
}

\normalem
%%%% BEGIN MAIN DOCUMENT %%%%

\begin{document}

\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=6.5in, height=2in]{example-image} 
\end{center}
\maketitle

\thispagestyle{plain}

\begin{abstract}
    \hbox{\vrule height .2pt width 39.14pc}
    \vskip 8.5pt % \small 
\noindent \small{ \lipsum[3-6]} 
\vskip 8.5pt \noindent \emph{Keywords}: test, test, test, test \par
    \hbox{\vrule height .2pt width 39.14pc}
\end{abstract}

\end{document}

Thank you!

Answer 1

Better to create your own custom title page as demonstrated by @GonzaloMedina --- https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/155274/197451

Edit and punch in your details-- if problems persist please revert

\documentclass{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}
\usepackage{array}

\begin{document}

\begin{titlepage}
\centering

\includegraphics[height=1cm,width=2cm]{logo1}\hfill
\includegraphics[height=1cm,width=2cm]{logo2}\par\vfill

{\sffamily\small University of Science\par\vfill\vfill}

{\Large\bfseries THÈSE\par\vskip1em}

{\small pour obtenir le titre de\par\vskip0.5em}

{\large\bfseries Docteur en Sciences de l'Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis\par\vskip0.5em}

{\small Discipline : Mathématiques\par\vfill}

{\sffamily\small Presented by : Person\par\vfill}

\begin{minipage}{.9\textwidth}
\hrulefill\par\smallskip
\centering
{\bfseries
Équations différentielles stocastiques : resolubilité forte d'équations singulières dégénérées; analyse numérique de systèmes progressifs-rétrogrades de McKean-Vlason}
\par\vskip-.3\baselineskip
\hrulefill
\end{minipage}\par\vfill

{\small
Thèse dirigée par \textbf{Francois Delarue}\par\vskip0.5em

souteme le 6 décembre 2013\par\vskip1em

devant le jury composé par\par\vfill

\begin{tabular*}{12cm}{@{} l @{\extracolsep{\fill}} ll>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}r@{}}
M. & Cédric Bernardin & Examinateur & Profésseur des Universités \\
Mmme. & Cédric Bernardin & Examinateur & Directeur de Recherche INRA \\
M. & Cédric Bernardin & Examinateur & Profésseur des Universités \\
M. & Cédric Bernardin & Directeur & Profésseur des Universités \\
M. & Cédric Bernardin & Rapporteur & Directeur de Recherche INRA \\
M. & Cédric Bernardin & Rapporteur & Profésseur des Universités
\end{tabular*}
}

\vfill

\end{titlepage}

\end{document}