Mitchell Institute Executive Director Colleen Quint was on hand Oct. 29 for a reception at the Edmunds Conference Center at NMCC; was the featured speaker at the Maine LEAD breakfast at UMPI and attended a reception at the Nadeau Teleconference Center at UMFK, both on Oct. 30.
The Aroostook events were also attended by Mitchell scholars, alumni, parents, and education and community leaders.
“The Mitchell Scholars from Aroostook are wonderful representatives of our scholarship program,” said Quint. “Seeing current scholars and alums, as well as their parents, really brought home how closely the family and community values of The County are reflected in our work.”
In its first 10 years, the Mitchell Institute has made scholarship commitments totaling over $7 million to 1,650 Maine students. The financial aid is combined with career and personal support for the scholarship recipients, as well as research and policy work designed to remove barriers to college in Maine.
Quint noted that just under 200 students from Aroostook County have received scholarships during this time and over $800,000 has been committed to their pursuit of higher education thus far.
”While I was not able to be in The County for these events due to my commitments abroad, I want to convey how proud we are of the achievements of the Mitchell Scholars from Aroostook County. They are bright and hard-working and distinguish themselves in our program,” said Sen. George J. Mitchell.
Nearly 40 people attended the central-southern Aroostook reception hosted by NMCC President Tim Crowley. “As a new student at NMCC, and as a Mitchell Scholar, I have a great appreciation for all of the opportunities that are being made available to me,” said Dustin Graham, this year’s Mitchell Scholar from Presque Isle High School. Mitchell Institute Board member Ray Gauvin, a longtime businessman from the region, spoke about how impressed he has been with the outcomes of the scholarship program.
At the Maine LEAD breakfast the following morning, UMPI President Don Zillman introduced Quint, who spoke to the business, civic and education leaders about the impact of the Mitchell Scholarships on Maine students in general, and, more specifically, on students from Aroostook. In particular, Quint noted that 70 percent of Mitchell Scholar alums are currently living and working in Maine, and fully 90 percent intend to do so within the next five years. Mitchell Scholars from Aroostook County have a six-year college graduation rate of 88 percent, higher even than the overall 82 percent Scholar rate, which exceeds the state average by 45 percent.
Isaac St. John, who graduated from Houlton High School in 2009 is one of the Unum-Stephen B. Center Diversity Leadership Award recipients for 2009. He is attending Bates College this fall.
A member of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, St. John takes great pride in his heritage, but recognizes the stereotypes that are sometimes associated with Native Americans. His personal goal is to try to foster a better understanding of the Native American community within the larger community of Maine, and to help Native American youth achieve their full potential. To that end, he is a Youth AIDS Advocate in his community and a mentor through the Boys and Girls Club. He has also worked on issues of alcoholism and drug abuse.
Chris Rogeski, a Mitchell Scholar from Fort Fairfield who graduated from Thomas College, credits summer internship opportunities made available through the Mitchell Institute with bringing him back home to Aroostook, where he now works in Caribou for ADP Taxware, Inc.
Dara Kidder McIntire, a Mitchell Scholar from Ashland who graduated from Bates College and now works at the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy at the University of Maine, traveled to Presque Isle from Bangor with her husband, Jesse McIntire, who is also a Mitchell Scholar. Both Dara and Jesse spoke from the heart when they shared their experiences with the financial as well as personal supports they received from the Mitchell Institute over the years.
After meeting with various key business and civic leaders in the area, Quint traveled to UMFK where President Dick Cost welcomed her to a reception for scholars, parents and friends in the St. John Valley. Alex Michaud, last spring’s Mitchell Scholar from Wisdom High School, came home from the University of Maine’s Orono campus to attend the event with his parents. Mitchell Scholar Justine Cyr attended with her mother, who noted that Justine is the youngest of three girls, each of whom was selected as the Mitchell Scholar from Fort Kent in her senior year of high school.
Among the class of 2009 Mitchell Scholars are:
Dustin Graham from Presque Isle High School will attend the University of Maine at Presque Isle this fall. An active student, Dustin was elected as class president all four years of high school. He was inducted into the National Honor Society, attended Dirigo Boys State, and was part of the Civil Rights Team. He has also been active in Aroostook Teen Leadership since the eighth grade.
Graham took a rigorous college preparatory academic schedule and was a very successful student in the classroom. He has been most known, however, for his deep passion to contribute to society and his commitment to community service.
Matthew Harvey is the 2009 KeyBank Mitchell Scholar from Fort Kent Community High School. He will be attending University of New England this fall as the first in his family to attend a four-year college. A natural leader, Harvey served as a student member of the Leadership and Organization for his school’s accreditation through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Wellness Committee and the Varsity Club.
Harvey was a varsity athlete in soccer and basketball, and has also committed his time as a volunteer for Special Olympics and Toys for Tots. He has also coached younger students through the Aroostook Youth Basketball League.
Additional information about the Mitchell Institute is available at www.mitchellinstitute.org.
