PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The support of the county’s four colleges to an innovative and relatively new region-wide program will extend from one year to two the scholarship support granted to graduating seniors from each of northern Maine’s 16 high schools annually.
That announcement was made last Friday by officials with the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative (AAI), who were joined by leaders of Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Fort Kent, University of Maine at Presque Isle and Husson University, which has a division of extended learning site in Presque Isle.
AAI is designed to boost educational attainment and economic development in northern Maine. It was publicly launched last April, and has since gained statewide attention and been cited as a model partnership between business, community and educational entities.
Just as the Gauvin County Scholarship Fund of the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative is gearing up to award its first $1,000 scholarships to an Aroostook County graduating senior at each of the 16 county schools, all four county colleges and universities have stepped forward to sweeten the deal to help provide those students with an affordable local undergraduate education.
“By extending the scholarships for another year, the students will gain added access to financial support that will sustain their being able to attain a post-secondary education in Aroostook County. Currently, there is more financial assistance available for the first year of college, and students must struggle during their later post-secondary years. This way, they will get an extra ‘boost,’” said Sandy Gauvin, president and co-founder of AAI. “We are most grateful for the support and visionary leadership these four county colleges are demonstrating with this important investment in the future of our youth.”
AAI was all set to issue the first scholarships for the 2014 school year when one of the local college presidents suggested the addition of a second year equivalent from the school. The Aroostook Aspirations board of directors liked the idea of adding the school-funded equivalent toward the students’ second year, and representatives from the group approached the other three schools that, as it turns out, were all eager to contribute.
“The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative has created wonderful new opportunities for high schoolers in Aroostook County and gives them incredible support in getting a college education close to home,” said UMPI President Linda Schott. “UMPI is so pleased to be a part of this inspiring initiative. We look forward to helping AAI scholars on their path to a college degree and hope their college experiences in the county inspire them to impact their region as future business and community leaders.”
UMFK President Wilson G. Hess agrees.
“UMFK provides numerous aspirational opportunities for high school students in an ever-increasing number of Maine’s rural communities. The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative provides an additional opportunity for students throughout the St, John Valley — indeed, throughout all of Aroostook County — to obtain marketable skills by earning a two-year or four-year college degree,” he said.
AAI’s mission is to help primarily first-generation and/or economically disadvantaged Aroostook County youth, and by doing so, help boost the economy. In an area of the country that struggles economically, the scholarship initiative is a benefit for both the students and the future economic prosperity of the region.
“It is clear that education is our greatest economic development opportunity,” said Husson University President Robert A. Clark. “Delivering quality learning experiences that prepare professionals for their future careers is Husson’s vision of student and community success toward this goal. Thus, Husson University is pleased to work with the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative to support students in pursuit of their university degree.”
Each college or university will make their second-year scholarship contribution in their own unique way. The scholarship equivalents will save students money on the cost of their education in non-traditional ways; for instance, one school is reducing the tuition by $1,000. Another school will provide books, which can be quite costly, free of charge to the student.
“NMCC is pleased to support Aroostook Aspirations Initiative in hopes of increasing access to higher education for students in The County,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “This is a significant and effective investment in our economy, communities and families.”
“The county colleges were some of our first partners in our initiative. They were eager to help our students and have not only provided us with direction, they have made many important suggestions regarding how they can help our students,” said AAI co-founder Ray Gauvin.
Recognizing that the mission of the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative is to “support the educational goals of youth in the region and mobilize the future prosperity of Aroostook County,” April Flagg, AAI’s executive director, sees the additional support from the colleges as an important boost in the relatively young program’s development.
“We realize that education is the great equalizer, and that given fair opportunity and access to post-secondary education, the future will be brighter for the young people of The County. The scholarship will provide a financial assist to students who might not otherwise have that fair access and opportunity,” said Flagg. “We have an aging population here in Aroostook County. As a matter of fact, the number of people between the ages of 18 and 44 in our workforce has diminished to the point that we don’t have enough trained workers to sustain the businesses that are located here. In addition, new businesses will not want to locate here because we don’t have enough of a workforce for them to utilize. We need to turn this around for the future of northern Maine.”
County school officials are also praising the work of AAI and news that area colleges will fund the second-year scholarship for Gauvin Scholars, all of whom will come from local schools. Tim Doak, superintendent of Fort Kent’s SAD 27 and president of the Aroostook County Superintendent’s Association, attended the announcement and spoke on behalf of his counterparts across the region.
“It’s paramount for the universities and colleges, school districts and businesses to look toward the future. The work of AAI in partnership with all of these entities will help keep kids here in The County and grow business into the future,” said Doak. “The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative is showing leadership in this area by providing support for the colleges. Through this effort we have a tremendous homegrown opportunity to help build a more skilled and educated workforce, in turn improving our local economy and encouraging new business and expansion of existing enterprises.”
AAI also offers crucial support and encouragement. For example, the initiative sponsors an inspirational/aspirational weekend that provides award recipients with opportunities to develop skills such as leadership, self-confidence, financial education and decision-making. The event features speakers from area businesses, successful local entrepreneurs, and an array of others. The weekend culminates with a community service project that the students will participate in cooperatively. The initiative also offers summer internship opportunities to scholarship recipients and encourages entrepreneurship.
“This scholarship is important in many aspects, but overall it is important because it will help students who may not have been able to receive a college education receive the support the need to do so,” said Flagg. “The scholarship is a gateway to the rest of the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, which, among other things, will help students be celebrated and recognized at a fall gala, give students tremendous networking opportunities and access to a powerful support system, learn job and career skills, participate in entrepreneurial training if they so desire, and have access to internship opportunities in The County.”
“This support by the colleges touched us deeply,” said Ray Gauvin. “They have all been very generous in the ways they can help the Gauvin Scholars. Through the generosity of the county colleges, students will be able to continue their education, become skilled workers, stay in northern Maine, and become an important part of the fiber of Aroostook County, now and in the future.”
Representatives from Aroostook Aspirations Initiative and the participating colleges and universities made the announcement at a press conference that was held in three locations — UMFK, UMPI and at the Houlton Higher Education Center. The sites were connected via videoconference technology courtesy of the three facilities.
