MCCS Rural Initiative
MCCS Announces Major New Investments in Programs Serving Rural Maine
During the summer and fall of 2007, MCCS President John Fitzsimmons met with focus groups of rural business and community leaders to explore how Maine's community college system could further assist in strengthening the state's rural economy.
On December 19, 2007, President Fitzsimmons released a report detailing the findings from the focus groups and announcing investments totaling $6.2 million in the programs and services the state’s community colleges provide to rural Maine.
Fueled by a $3.5 million gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation, the investments will enable the colleges to dramatically increase the number of community college scholarships available to rural Maine residents, expand distance learning opportunities, and increase rural high school students’ access to the community colleges.
Major gifts from TD Banknorth and the Betterment Fund will help launch Bring College to ME, a program designed to deliver targeted community college degree programs on an intermittent basis to rural parts of the state.
The investments are being made in direct response to the growing gaps in educational attainment and income between urban and rural Maine. As Fitzsimmons noted in making the announcement: "Rural Maine is facing a significant workforce development challenge; we are making a commitment to be rural Maine 's partner in building an educated and skilled workforce."
To learn more about the MCCS rural initiative:
Read the report (PDF)
Read the press release (PDF)
Learn which communities are considered rural for this initiative (PDF)
Read press coverage about the rural initiative
- Editorial: Rural Maine students will benefit from Osher's quiet philanthropy
Portland Press Herald, Dec. 21, 2007 - Editorial: Private program should help graduation rate
Kennebec Journal, Dec. 26, 2007 - Editorial: From country to classroom
Bangor Daily News, Dec. 26, 2007 - State Community College System Seeks Boost In Rural Enrollments
MPBN, Dec. 19, 2007 - Community Colleges Reach Out To Rural Mainers
WCSH 6.com, Dec. 19, 2007 - Education plan targets rural poverty
Portland Press Herald, Dec. 20, 2007 - Community college system reaching into rural Maine
Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel, Dec. 20, 2007 - Plan expands education in rural areas
Bangor Daily News, Dec. 20, 2007 - Community colleges announce rural initiative
Lewiston Sun Journal, Dec. 20, 2007
Read press coverage about the listening tour
- John Fitzsimmons: Can rural Maine prosper economically?
Bangor Daily News, Op Ed, July 14, 2007 - Workshops target poverty in rural Maine
Morning Sentinel, July 18, 2007 - Maine system president goes on the rural road
Community College Times, August 3, 2007