Mitchell joins scholars
On Sunday, August 5, Senator George Mitchell hosted a brunch for the 2007 class of Mitchell Scholars from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Black Bear Inn in Orono. Senator Mitchell was the keynote speaker for the event. Also in attendance were members of the Mitchell Institute Board of Directors, university and college leaders and other supporters. Since 1995, the Mitchell Institute has awarded nearly $5.7 million in scholarships to almost 1,400 Maine high school graduates.
Each year, 130 graduating seniors – one from every Maine public high school – are chosen to receive Mitchell Scholarships. As of this year, annual scholarships averaging $5,000 each were awarded on the basis of academic potential, community service and financial need. Recipients must be residents of Maine who will be entering their first year of a two- or four-year accredited college or university.
For the fifth year, KeyBank provided funding for 16 Mitchell Scholarships (one for each county in Maine) in the amount of $6,000 each ($1,500 each year). These awards are targeted to first-generation college students. Additionally, UNUM provides funding each year for five Mitchell Scholarships honoring diversity leadership and for professional leadership programming.
Nearly one-third of the Mitchell Scholars selected in 2007 are first-generation college students and almost 60 percent are from non-college tradition families.
“The annual brunch with the Mitchell Scholars is one of the highlights of my summer,” said Sen. Mitchell. “I always look forward to the opportunity to meet these commendable young men and women and to congratulate them and express my pride in their achievements.”
Jason Long, a 2001 Mitchell Scholar, said, “I consider an academic scholarship to be an investment, not just a gift. It makes sense, then, that a scholarship program should do everything in its power to make sure its investments mature successfully. This is where the Mitchell Institute shines; it is more than just a scholarship, it is a web of support that nurtures and directs Maine students to achieve their full potential.”
In addition to scholarships, the Institute has developed a variety of support programs that create opportunities for summer employment in professional settings, encourage community service, and offer leadership training and professional development. The Mitchell Institute believes that the exceptionally high college persistence rate of between 90 and 95 percent among Mitchell Scholars is due in part to these and other meaningful support programs. While Maine ranks very high nationally in high school graduation rates, it does not fare as well as most of the nation in college enrollment and completion rates.
The work of the Mitchell Institute also includes an ongoing research component. A long-term study of the Mitchell Scholars began in 2000 to gauge the effectiveness of the scholarship and support programs and to learn more about the Scholars’ college and career experiences. Additionally, the Mitchell Institute’s Barriers II research report, which explores the growing gap between college intentions and enrollment, was released last month.
Additional information about the Mitchell Institute is available at www.mitchellinstitute.org.
Recipients from Aroostook County include: Kevin Baker Jr., Ashland Community High School; Kenny Chamberlain, Wisdom High School; Justine Cyr, Fort Kent Community High School; Kyle Dempsey, Maine School of Science and Math; Logan Edwards, Southern Aroostook Community School; Casey Egan, Fort Fairfield High School; Chelsey Ellis, Limestone Community High School; Logan Ouellette, Van Buren District Secondary School; Kaelin Rideout, Central Aroostook High School*; Amanda Scott, Hodgdon High School; Tyler Stoliker, Madawaska High School; Victoria Tanenbaum, Presque Isle High School; Joshua Tardif, Caribou High School; Briana White, Easton High School; Troy Wilcox, Washburn District High School; and Jessica Willey, Houlton High School.
* Signifies recipient of the KeyBank Mitchell Scholarships, which are targeted to first-generation college students. Semifinalists Named in the 2008 National Merit® Scholarship Program
The names of five local students were included in the approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 53rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program were announced by officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Jessica Laplante a student at the Van Buren District Secondary School, Nadine Byers and Harry Michalide of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone, Timothy Scheidler who is home schooled in Fort Fairfield and Jordon McGuire who attends the Greater Houlton Christian Academy were selected as semifinalist in the 2008 Merit Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $34 million, that will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must advance to the finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several requirements. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title.
More than 1.4 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2008 National Merit program by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. The semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self descriptive essay and information about the semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Approximately 15,000 semifinalists will advance to the finalist level and it is from this group that all Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen.
Three types of Merit Scholarship awards will be offered in the spring of 2008. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state representational basis. About 1,100 corporate-sponsored scholarships will be provided by some 300 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, approximately 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution. Merit Scholarship winners of 2008 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join some 250,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
Sheth receives PhD
Dr. Suzette Carol Sheth, of Presque Isle, received a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in business organization from Capella University of Minneapolis, Minn. Her dissertation addressed the issue of perception and satisfaction or lack of it amongst Medicare recipients of government-sponsored medical programs. She presented a paper at a conference at Oxford University in England in July of 2006. Her paper entitled “Can we afford to live the systemic failure of Medicare” was well received by the academic community focused on study of values in education and business. The paper was also published in a book, “Conflict and Sleep of Reason Vol. XI” published by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Sheth has served as Health Director for Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians as well as Meskwaki Indians in Iowa. She is often consulted on American Indian health care delivery issues. She plans to pursue a career in health care business organization.
Fort Fairfield Class of ‘54 scholarship fully funded
FORT FAIRFIELD – At its reunion in 1999, the FFHS Class of 1954 voted to commemorate its 50th reunion by establishing a scholarship fund for the high school. Norm Stevenson, chair of the Class of “54 Scholarship Committee, is pleased to announce that the Class of ’54 Scholarship is sufficiently funded to support a continuing annual minimum $4,000 award.
Stevenson noted that “we are pleased and proud to have created a legacy of significant educational support more than a half century after leaving FFHS. Our fund’s balance is in excess of $110,000 as a result of the generosity of 67 percent of our class and the impressive financial results achieved by Maine Community Foundation.”
“The High School Scholarship Committee and guidance counsel staff has done a great job representing our selection criteria, and I’m certain that we will be as impressed with this year’s recipient as we have been with the previous three,” he added.
Although the formal fund-raising efforts have been completed, contributions are always welcome. Stevenson noted that it would be great to receive additional contributions to offset the impact of inflation so that our scholarship continues to be a significant amount 50 years from now. The Class of ’54 Scholarship Committee welcomes inquiries about the fund. The Committee members are Roger Bernard, Charles Bruce, Judy DeMerchant Cohen, Ellen Cassidy Corrow, Phil DeMerchant, Pete Huntress, Norm Stevenson and Judy Smith Young.
For information about how to contribute to this tax-exempt fund, please call the Maine Community Foundation toll-free at 877-700-6800.
