MARS HILL, Maine — Caitlyn and Caleb Harris of Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill are among the young Mainers receiving tuition awards under a new program at the University of Maine Presque Isle.
The Harrises, seniors at the high school, will both be starting at UMPI in the fall and were each awarded $3,000 in annual tuition assistance through UMPI’s For Maine Families tuition awards.
Caitlyn is planning to double major in child psychology and social work, while keeping options open for careers in several related fields. Caleb is planning to major in criminal justice and possibly seek a career in law enforcement, following in the footsteps of his father, Lt. Brian L. Harris of the Maine State Police.
“I’ve been taking a psychology class at UMPI and I like it,” Caitlyn said, referring to college credit classes available to high school students.
“My dad’s been a trooper for 24 years and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do after watching him everyday,” Caleb said.
The two are planning to commute to UMPI from their family’s home in Mars Hill.
Last fall, UMPI, the University of Maine Fort Kent and two other University of Maine System colleges launched new tuition assistance initiatives aimed at improving college affordability and increasing graduation rates.
So far, UMPI has given 156 students financial aid awards under its program. Of those students, 84 are Pell Grant eligible and receiving packages that will completely cover their $7,884 tuition and fees. Another 72 students, including the Harrises, are receiving awards under the For Maine Families program that will amount to more than $3,000 a year.
With the average Maine college student graduating with roughly $30,000 in student loans, paying for college is on the minds of many high school students, Caleb Harris said.
“I think it makes a lot of kids worry about going to college and all the money they have to spent just to get an education,” he said.
For more information about UMPI’s tuition program, visit http://www.umpi.edu/way-it-should-be/.
