AUGUSTA, ME – Twenty-one Maine community college students have been named to the All-Maine Academic Team in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and service.
The All-Maine Academic Team is a program of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges. Students are nominated and selected for the team by their college.
The students receiving the award and a $500 scholarship from the MCCS Board of Trustees are:
Jennifer Bailey, Jefferson, Central Maine Community College in Auburn
Ella Hanson, Durham, Central Maine Community College
Daniel Levis, South Paris, Central Maine Community College
Sophia Nappi, Windham, Central Maine Community College
Nora Caldwell, Corinth, Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor
Alexander Hinkley, Milford, Eastern Maine Community College
Shawn Johnson, East Corinth, Eastern Maine Community College
Patricia Sanchez, Newburgh, Eastern Maine Community College
Desiree Kelley, Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield/Hinckley
Selene Metts, Winslow, Kennebec Valley Community College
Bridgett Wooten, North Yarmouth, Kennebec Valley Community College
Sarah DeMerchant, Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle
Chance Lilly, Madawaska, Northern Maine Community College
Tonya McLennan, San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago, Northern Maine Community College
Joshua Scheff, Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College
Lucia Campillay, Cordoba, Argentina, Southern Maine Community College in South Portland/Brunswick
Bree Michaud, Oakland, Southern Maine Community College
Victoria Muanda, Scarborough, Southern Maine Community College
Wendy Eckert, Baileyville, Washington County Community College in Calais
Brittany Inman, Strong, Washington County Community College
Victoria Fisher, Lebanon, York County Community College in Wells
Daniel Levis (CMCC) and Victoria Muanda (SMCC) were named national New Century Scholars for earning the highest scores in Maine on their All-USA Academic Team applications.
Muanda was named the 2026 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar and will receive a $2,750 scholarship. Levis was named the 2026 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Muanda was also chosen for the prestigious 2026 All-USA Academic Team by Phi Theta Kappa and will receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Muanda was recognized for her academic achievements, campus and community engagement, and overall leadership. Muanda will be recognized during the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual convention in Seattle in April.
Bree Michaud was named a Coca-Cola Academic Team Scholar and will receive a $1,300 scholarship.
The New Century Pathway Scholarship program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, the American Association of Community Colleges, and Phi Theta Kappa. Only one New Century Transfer and Workforce Scholar is selected from each state.
AUGUSTA, ME — Maine Community College System President David Daigler issued the following statement Thursday, following the legislative votes on the supplemental budget, which now goes to Governor Janet Mills:
“We are on the verge of witnessing a once-in-a-generation transformation in Maine’s higher education landscape,” Daigler said.
“Making community college tuition-free a permanent reality gives future high school graduates the confidence of knowing they can attend college. This initiative provides the means and the opportunity for Maine’s high school graduates to pursue college and for the state’s businesses to secure the skilled, educated workforce they need,” Daigler said.
“I am profoundly grateful to the legislature for their support and for sending this bill to Governor Janet Mills for her signature.”
AUGUSTA, ME — A new podcast focused on finding solutions to Maine’s workforce challenges launched today with an interview with Maine Department of Corrections Commissioner Randy Liberty.
“Maine Ideas” will focus on finding practical, actionable solutions to common workforce challenges at Maine companies of all sizes, said host Dan Belyea, the chief workforce development officer at the Maine Community College System (MCCS). Belyea leads MCCS’s Harold Alfond Center for the Development of Maine’s Workforce, which oversees all short-term workforce training programs at Maine’s community colleges.
“Across the country, employers are facing workforce shortages, changing skill demands, and real questions about how to grow in a competitive economy. Here in Maine, we’re not just talking about those challenges—we’re sharing the ideas and partnerships that are helping move the state forward,” Belyea said. “The ‘Maine Ideas’ podcast brings together leaders from business, education, and communities to highlight what’s working and where opportunity is growing.”
The inaugural episode explored how workforce training is contributing to a drastic drop in recidivism.
“Ninety-nine percent of the individuals that are incarcerated today, both in the county jails and in the prison system, will be returning back to our communities,” Liberty said. “The question is, how can we successfully help them transition back? If someone obtains a college degree at the Maine Department of Corrections, they have a .05% return to custody rate.”
The first 16-episode season of “Maine Ideas” will air weekly with new episodes released each Tuesday on Spotify.
Belyea and business leaders will explore innovative workforce strategies, from recruitment and retention to investing in employee growth. Each episode will highlight examples of success and collaboration, with insight into how to tap into career pathways, access existing resources, and learn about emerging workforce organizations and opportunities in Maine. The podcast is ideal for everyone from business owners and human resources professionals looking to implement new ideas to government, industry, and education leaders deeply engaged in workforce development already.
Other guests in the first season of “Maine Ideas” include Katie Shorey, director of engagement for Live & Work in Maine; Kelly Flagg, executive director of Associated General Contractors of Maine; Peter Delgreco, president and chief executive officer of Maine & Co.; and Kate Kinder, executive director of the National Council for Workforce Education.
Legislation working its way through the Maine State Legislature could make a free-community-college program a permanent part of the state budget — but also alter it to limit eligibility and make some students newly responsible for fees. It would be the first time since free-college programs proliferated to around 35 states over the past decade that a state-level program has cut back benefits.
A supplemental budget bill under consideration by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee would permanently add the program to the state’s budget. (It has been funded since 2022 on a year-to-year basis.) It would also change the provisions of the current program in three ways: limiting eligibility to students who have lived in Maine for a year before applying, covering three years of study rather than four, and removing coverage of institutional fees.
The changes were made to ensure the program works exclusively for Mainers and that it remains economically feasible to support, said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System. The residency requirement was added because of concerns that out-of-state students were taking advantage of Maine taxpayer dollars: About 4 percent of students who have received free-college benefits each year hailed from out of state before moving to Maine and applying. The other two shifts were prompted by concerns from lawmakers about the costs of making the program permanent, Daigler said: “It’s really all about that future commitment.”
Making free college a permanent part of the state budget was part of an “affordability agenda” advanced by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat. John Baldacci and John R. McKernan Jr., former Democratic and Republican governors of the state, respectively, endorsed the move in a newspaper editorial.
Daigler acknowledged that there’s something magic about the words “free college” that opens minds and doors for students who might not otherwise think of attending. In 2022, the first year the program was offered, the system expected about 8,000 applicants and received about 12,000. Community-college enrollments of students coming directly from high school have been about 50 percent higher during the past three years than in the three-year period preceding the start of the program.
It is unclear to what extent asking students to pay hundreds of dollars of fees will be an impediment to participating in the program. Studying at a Maine community college costs about $2,100 per semester in tuition and fees. Maine’s free-college program, like most, works on a “last dollar” basis, which means that it covers costs after all other forms of federal and state aid kick in. Students eligible for the maximum Pell Grant will still have their tuition and fees covered. About 30 percent of students in slightly higher income brackets would have to pay their fees, which amount to about $600 a semester.
Despite the increased costs for some students, the revamped program represents a good thing over all for Maine learners, said Laura Perna, a professor of education and senior vice provost for faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. “They’re trying to figure out a way to have some assurance to people that this actually is going to be available now, and it will continue to be available,” she said. “That’s what people need if they’re trying to make plans about going to college.”
The larger issue is that, even with tuition and fees covered, attending college involves other costs that states and institutions rarely address. Students “still need to buy books, and they have to figure out how to get to campus,” she said. Food, child care, and living expenses are also part of the picture. “Perhaps this can be part of a bigger conversation of how we ensure that people who want to go to college actually can afford to go and then fully engage in the experience.”
Daigler does not see the changes in Maine as the beginning of a tide turning against free-college programs. If anything, he said, it’s the opposite. The proposed changes in Maine will reduce the state’s costs from about $12.5 million a year to about $10 million a year, he said, which will allow the program to be sustainable. “That’s budgeting reality. There are a lot of pressures on the state,” he said. “If there was a clawback, they would have said, ‘We can’t fund this.’ And so I don’t think that you’re seeing a reduction. I think it’s a ratification of the importance of the program.”
The supplemental budget bill still has to be voted on by the state House and Senate — and if passed, signed by Mills — to become law. Daigler says he’s “optimistic” that the new program will go into effect.
John Baldacci, a Democrat, served as Maine’s governor from 2003 to 2011. He led the effort to establish the state’s community college system in 2003. John McKernan, a Republican, was Maine’s 71st governor from 1987 to 1995. He has served as chair of The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges since its inception in 2010.
Making the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent for the high school graduates of the Class of 2026 and beyond delivers on a promise the two of us made decades ago — and maintained since — to keep a community college education affordable to as many Mainers as possible.
Now Gov. Janet Mills is working to secure that same promise for future generations, by making permanent the Maine Free College Scholarship. Her plan invests $10 million in state funds annually to guarantee recent high school graduates in Maine a tuition-free community college education. It is a sound and profound decision.
If passed by legislators in Augusta, the investment will pay off for not just for students and their families, but for the state’s coffers in the form of more tax revenue, for local businesses in the form of more skilled labor available, and for communities who will have more vibrant, engaged, and employed residents. Already, more than 23,000 Maine Free College Scholarship-eligible students have participated since the last-dollar scholarship program began in 2022.
The two of us have worked tirelessly, and across party lines, over the past quarter century to evolve the community colleges. As public leaders, we are partners in helping the state’s public two-year colleges find and secure the resources and tools they need to fulfill their state-ordered mandate of creating the educated, skilled, and adaptable workforce Maine needs to fill jobs in Maine’s economy.
That was the vision when Gov. Baldacci led the effort to evolve what were then vocational technical colleges into a true community college system that expanded its academic offerings and offered an affordable pathway to four-year colleges.
At the same time, Gov. McKernan started his tenure as chairman of The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges, leading fundraising and making connections to strengthen the colleges. To date the Foundation has raised over $147 million in support of the colleges’ programs, infrastructure, and scholarships. The Maine Free College Scholarship will allow those philanthropic and grant dollars to stretch even farther.
As a state, we committed long ago to making local, affordable access to quality post-secondary education a priority in Maine. Despite having the lowest tuition in New England, affordability remains one of the greatest barriers to higher education for Mainers. Making the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent is the logical, practical, and necessary next step to true affordability.
We now applaud and welcome Gov. Mills into our mutual efforts to keep growing and strengthening Maine’s community colleges and making sure they remain affordable and accessible to the largest number of Mainers possible.
We urge today’s lawmakers to support this economic engine for Maine, giving young people the opportunity to pursue a tuition-free degree, while knowing their state believes in them and their potential.
AUGUSTA, ME — Across Maine’s varied industries and communities, a steady stream of support is emerging for making the Maine Free Community College Scholarship (MFC) a permanent program.
“I can say without a doubt that the MFC program has made a tremendous difference in the lives of many Maine students graduating from high school,” Stan Pelletier, a school counselor of 25 years told Maine legislators in a letter supporting the scholarship. “I have, on repeated occasions, had a conversation with a student that goes something like this: ‘I never thought I could go to college. Where do I sign up?'”
The $10 million proposal to make Maine’s community colleges tuition-free for recent high school graduates in Maine is part of Governor Janet Mills’ supplemental budget currently being debated in the State House.
Dozens of letters of support were sent by a broad coalition that includes business leaders; higher education allies including Educate Maine, FAME, and the Maine School Management Association; economic policy advocates including the Maine Center for Economic Policy; student-facing advisors and faculty at community colleges; parents, grandparents, and – of course – community college students themselves.
“When I found out about this program, college stopped being just a dream and became a real possibility,” wrote student Anna Rose Ross. “This program didn’t just help me pay for tuition – it gave me stability, purpose, and a future. Because of this opportunity, I am not only building a better future for myself, but also honoring my mom’s sacrifices and creating something brighter for both of us.”
One York County high school counselor described using “an entire box of tissues” one recent day in her office because students realized “in real time, that their plans for life after high school were no longer financially possible.”
“This reality stands in stark contrast to what I witnessed when the Maine Free College Scholarship was in place,” Marshwood High School counselor Kyle Lontine wrote in a letter to Maine lawmakers. “I urge you, as you make critical appropriations decisions, to fully fund and reinstate the Maine Free College Scholarship. Because no student should have to sit across from a counselor and grieve a future they worked hard to build, and no state can afford to push away the very people it is depending on to build its future.”
Business owners and advocates describe the scholarship as an economic investment that will strengthen local economies for generations to come.
“Local employers across healthcare, manufacturing, trades, education, hospitality, and public service depend on (Northern Maine Community College) graduates to fill critical workforce needs. Without accessible and affordable pathways to education, many of these students would not have the opportunity to enroll, complete their credentials, or remain in Aroostook County,” wrote LaNiece Sirois, executive director of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce. “The (chamber) strongly supports the approval and continued funding of Maine Free College. Investing in our students is an investment in our workforce, our businesses, and the long-term vitality of our region.”
Critical Insights polling in fall 2025 found that Maine voters strongly support the scholarship: 80% of all Maine voters support continuing the scholarship, and the support is stronger this year than in the past.
Education allies noted the scholarship promotes progress in multiple education initiatives in the state from PreK-12 to Maine’s public universities: improving Maine’s high school graduation rates; increasing transfer rates to the University of Maine System; and increasing the state’s goal of 60% of Mainers holding a degree or credential of value.
“The past investment in this program led to increased enrollment for young men, similar retention rates compared to other programs, and strong outcomes for transfer students,” Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd wrote.
The Maine School Management Association’s Robbie Feinberg wrote: “Giving more students access to education after high school will encourage more to finish high school – and help more students stay in Maine.”
Deborah Cormier of Sanford said one of her two grandsons with the scholarship is now transferring to the University of Southern Maine engineering program as a Presidential honors student: “I hope this free community college program can continue, and keep helping to send well educated individuals into our Maine society. Thank you!”
The current scholarship proposal is a lower-cost version of the Maine Free College scholarship already approved for the graduating classes of 2020 through 2025. A proposal to continue the scholarship failed to win legislative support last session. By limiting scholarship access to students who have lived in Maine for at least a year, shortening the amount of time students have access to the scholarship, and limiting scholarship dollars to tuition only, the new proposal will cost $10 million a year, instead of $12.5 million a year.
Lawmakers will decide budget priorities and send their budget to the governor by April 15.
Broad-based Support for Governor Mills’ Proposal to Make Maine Free College Scholarship Permanent
Educators, students, business leaders, workforce advocates, and Maine families across the state are urging passage of the current proposal to make the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent for the high school graduating class of 2026 and beyond.
Here’s what they’re saying:
Broadcasters: This video features students at Eastern Maine Community College talking about the Maine Free College Scholarship. Please credit Eastern Maine Community College.
Educators:
“Allowing this program to lapse for the Class of 2026 has created an immediate and visible impact. I am seeing it firsthand in my office, in the form of students reconsidering their futures, delaying their plans, or abandoning them altogether. This is not a theoretical policy discussion. It is a present and personal reality for the students I serve. Choosing not to sustain (the scholarship) places us in the position of having proven what works, and then walking away from it.” – Kyle Lontine, M.S., Marshwood High School counselor.
“This program is not a hand out, it is a thoughtful investment in the future of our economy and the quality of life of Maine citizens and families to come.” – Stan Pelletier, a school counselor of 25 years.
“This scholarship has been instrumental in providing access to higher education for many students who otherwise would not have had the opportunity. By making this scholarship permanent, we are ensuring that future generations of Mainers will have the chance to pursue their educational and career goals without the burden of overwhelming debt.” – Michelle McNeil-Brown, Business and Accounting Chairperson, York County Community College.
Business Leaders:
“The (chamber) strongly supports the approval and continued funding of Maine Free College. Investing in our students is an investment in our workforce, our businesses, and the long-term vitality of our region.” – LaNiece Sirois, executive director of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce.
“At a time when Maine desperately needs more workers, more young families, and more long-term residents, removing free community college would move us backward. Keeping it moves us forward. It strengthens our workforce. It supports our businesses. It keeps young people here. It gives Maine a fighting chance against the demographic challenges we all acknowledge.” – Jean Ginn Marvin, Nonantum Resort Innkeeper and MCCS Trustee.
Students and families:
“When I found out about this program, college stopped being just a dream and became a real possibility. This program didn’t just help me pay for tuition – it gave me stability, purpose, and a future. Without it, I don’t know how I would afford school, and honestly, I don’t think I would have believed college was an option at all.” – York County Community College student Anna Rose Ross.
“If Free College had not been an option for me, I do not believe I would have attended college at all. The cost of tuition would have been a barrier that I could not overcome. Rather than worrying about how I would pay for school or how many hours I needed to work, I have been able to dedicate my time and energy to my studies. That has made a real difference in my success and in my confidence. Free College has provided me with the first steps toward gaining an education that I once believed was out of reach.” – Washington County Community College automotive student Amelia Drake.
Gov. Janet Mills spent Wednesday morning trying on virtual reality headsets, visiting veterinary technician training labs where stuffed dogs and cats sprawled on operating tables, and examining skulls in a human anatomy classroom at York County Community College.
As she interacted with the students, she emphasized how more than half of those enrolled at the southernmost community college campus are taking advantage of Maine’s free community college program.
“That’s why I’m here,” 18-year-old Elyana Odess told the student sitting next to her.
As lawmakers weigh the scholarship’s future, Mills’ visit was part of a push to make it permanent, describing the pilot program as “vital” to developing a skilled workforce and keeping young people in Maine.
During her last State of the State address in January, Mills emphasized the importance of the program, which was first introduced in 2022. Since then, more than 23,000 students have enrolled in community colleges for free, boosting transfer student enrollment for Maine’s public universities and bolstering the workforce.
The Legislature opted not to include language in last year’s budget that would have made the scholarship permanent, despite the governor’s request, leaving colleges unable to promise free tuition to the high school class of 2026.
This year, the Maine Community College System is more optimistic. After working with Mills, the proposed annual cost of the program has been reduced from $12.5 million to $10 million. The governor’s proposed supplemental budget includes $2.5 million in one-time funding to cover the class of 2025 and adds $10 million annually to the state’s baseline spending for future years.
“When they put it in the baseline, they’re saying, “These are the programs that we’ve committed to fund on an ongoing basis,’” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System.
“Right now, the community colleges can’t make a commitment to the class of 2026 because we don’t know that the funding is there,” Daigler said.
The Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is still working on its proposed changes to the two-year budget. The community college funding is among several significant requests they are weighing.
Even if the ongoing funding is included a future governor or Legislature could still remove it. Mills is termed out after this year. That’s why the system is pushing for language to make the program permanent, Daigler said, to give colleges the confidence to make long-term commitments.
Impact of free college
At York County Community College, a dozen current and former students from across the state told Mills how instrumental access to free college had been for them. Some were first generation college students, others had been homeschooled and were unsure about whether they would get in, and one had been unsure about pursuing higher education before she learned she could go for free.
“I was lost in high school, and the thought of taking on a four-year loan for something that I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do…” Casey Rand, a Wells resident, told Mills. Then she learned about free community college, and is now looking forward to continuing her education at a four-year university debt free.
“I’m very grateful to be able to participate,” Rand said.
Mills told Rand and the other students about her own circuitous path to higher education, which included two gap years during which she waited tables, night school at a commuter college and finally, returning to Maine for law school.
“I’m so impressed with the varied curriculum, and the tools that you have, I never would have envisioned when I was in and out of college myself,” she said. “These are life changing differences we’re making.”
The free college pilot has been overwhelmingly popular with voters, according to a survey last fall of more than 600 Mainers across the political spectrum. More than 80% of respondents said they support the initiative, with 63% in strong support, and only 9% said they somewhat or strongly oppose it. Compared to previous years’ polling, support for the program has increased, the report found.
A separate report by Lightcast, a labor market analysis organization, found that the Maine Community College System adds $1 billion to the state’s economy annually. For every public dollar invested in the community colleges, $2.70 is returned back into the state over the course of a student’s working lives, the report said. That’s because those students have a higher earning potential, so they’re paying higher income taxes, in addition to filling in gaps in Maine’s aging workforce, Daigler said.
Changes to the program
The Maine Community College System worked with Mills to propose changes to make the program less expensive and more effective while also prioritizing Maine students. To qualify, high school graduates would now have to prove Maine residence, or have lived in the state for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the date of admission. Previously, students had to be living in Maine while enrolled, which allowed people from out of state to move to Maine and qualify for the scholarship.
Qualifying students would also now have slightly less time — three years instead of four — to complete a two-year associate degree. And under the changes, the free college scholarship would also only cover 100% of tuition, rather than both tuition and fees. Full-time tuition is $2,880 per year, and fees are $1,276 per year.
Mills described the changes as “getting rid of bells and whistles.”
“It’s a growing program in terms of the number of people taking advantage of it, we like that,” she said. “We’re trying not to grow the budget accordingly, but to keep it at a level where it’s sustainable.”
Daigler explained that the changes — particularly the exclusion of fees — would not impact all students, since free college is a last-dollar scholarship, and many community college students are eligible for federal grants or private scholarships to cover their expenses.
“I think the more accessible it can be, the better,” said Zoe Lefluer Keif, a registered nurse who graduated under the pilot program from York County Community College. However, she noted that making the scholarship available for future generations of high school graduates is more important than keeping the pilot version she was able to access.
Maine is one of about 35 states that offer tuition-free community college. And since the fall of 2022, more than 20,000 Maine students have taken advantage of it. More than a third are the first members of their families to ever attend college. But unless lawmakers approve Gov. Janet Mills’ plan to make funding for community college permanent, supporters fear enrollment will decline at a time when Maine needs to train and hire more skilled workers.
Erika Hanks is a second-year student at Eastern Maine Community College studying graphic design. She works three jobs, including at the campus food pantry.
“It’s small, but it’s definitely mighty…it can make a world of difference for somebody who’s struggling,” Hanks said.
Last year, it was Hanks who was struggling.
“When I first came to college, I was, like, broke, like, $3 in my savings broke, and I remember there would be lunch and learns around the campus, and even if I didn’t go to them, they would invite me in to take leftovers,” Hanks said.
Hanks said balancing three jobs and schoolwork is tough, but she’s thrilled to have the chance to attend college.
“The second that I heard that I had the chance to go to college, I could envision myself as like a college girl, like a city girl, and the feeling was a lot like, I can’t even describe how excited I was in the moment,” Hanks said.
Neither of Hanks’ parents has a college degree, and while they encouraged her to pursue higher education, they couldn’t afford to pay for it. She couldn’t finance it on her own. So when she learned about the free community college scholarship, she said it was a game-changer.
“It felt like that my possibilities for jobs opened up because, like, I looked around living in Waldo County is a very rural area. A lot of people are born there. They work at your local, local grocery store until they die,” Hanks said.
Free community college immediately appealed to many students when it started four years ago, said Lillian Barry, a school counselor at RSU 24 in Sullivan.
“It was like, this is the smartest, most financially savvy step that you could make, like the barriers were eliminated,” Barry said.
But without additional funding, the current class of high school seniors will be ineligible for the free community college scholarship. And Barry said she can already see the shift in their thinking and planning.
“It’s less about, you know, their skills and their interests and their passion and more about back to that financial piece,” Barry said.
Martha Johnston with the Finance Authority of Maine helps families figure out how to pay for education. She said community college was always going to be affordable for most students, but the word “free” helped motivate them to take the leap and apply.
“Now that we don’t have that message anymore, we might see a reduction in the pipeline for those high-demand workforce programs, healthcare, and skilled trades that we need. So that if the affordability message starts to get watered down and people think they can’t afford it, you know, we might see a softening in that pipeline,” Johnston said.
Maine Community College System Officials say that since the start of the free tuition program, industrial trades, healthcare, and business programs have all increased enrollments by about 50%. And almost 2,000 free college students have gone on to pursue advanced degrees. And that’s one of the reasons why Maine Community College System President David Daigler is trying to keep the program intact by making changes that he said could save about $2.5 million a year.
“Based on what I’ve heard from the administration, based on what I’ve heard from the legislature, based on what I’ve heard from the public, if you talk to your legislators, I’m optimistic we will get this program back up and made permanent,” Daigler said.
Under the changes, the program would cover tuition but not fees, require students to live in Maine for at least one year before applying, and limit the time students have to finish their degrees. Because students are required to accept all federal and state aid before they can use Maine Free College Scholarship funds, only about half of the students who apply receive those funds. Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that the state is essentially subsidizing wealthier families. Republican Senator James Libby said it also undercuts other institutions that aren’t free.
“If they want to go to the University of Maine, that is probably right for them, and it might have the specific programs that a community college does not have,” Libby said.
Libby said instead of the free community college program, he is in favor of a program that would pay for first-year college students at any Maine higher education institution.
Free community college is widely supported, but some faculty in the community college system have raised concerns about the equity of the program and the strain the extra students put on the system. Tia Zukowski, faculty member at Central Maine Community College, said making the program permanent and providing more resources to the system to support the influx of students would be helpful.
“Our colleges have always been accessible to Maine students, but access is not the same as equity, and we really want to support the faculty and the staff who have been taking on extra work to support all of these students. We’ve really done a wonderful job, but we’re concerned about resources continuing to be stretched thin,” Zukowski said.
Daigler said he is sympathetic to those concerns.
“How can we continue to grow if we don’t have any additional resources. You know, we’re looking forward, and we’re saying, okay, students, there are more students, and those students need more resources,” Daigler said.
Daigler said he hopes to bring forward a new bill to the legislature for more student support in the future. His main focus now is ensuring the program is made permanent.
Back at Eastern Maine Community College, Erica Hanks also hopes the program is extended, not just because of her experience, but the change that she witnessed in her peers when the program was extended back in 2024.
“It was actually kind of inspiring to see the kids who didn’t even care if they turned in their homework or, like, what grade they got, because it didn’t matter anyway, to like asking questions, and like being awake during class, showing up to school. Like, you could really see a change in just the attendance and the attentiveness,” Hanks said.
If the final budget at the end of the session includes funding to make the free community college program permanent, this year’s class of graduating seniors would be eligible. But if the funding is eliminated, Maine would be the first state in the country to first offer students the option of free tuition and then take it away.
AUGUSTA, ME — Maine’s community colleges generate more tax revenue than they receive, returning $2.70 to Maine taxpayers over the course of students’ working lives for every dollar of public money invested in the colleges, according to a recent economic impact study.
For community college students, the payoff on their investment is even greater. For every dollar of the $35.1 million in tuition and $60.5 million they gave up in earnings while they attended a Maine community college, students received $6.40 in increased earnings over the course of their working lives – a whopping 20.2% return on their investment of time and money.
That’s according to a recent economic impact study by Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics. The report comes as state lawmakers are considering whether to make the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent – a $10 million a year state investment that would cover 100% of community college tuition for recent high school graduates in Maine.
“Our primary focus every day is on providing students with an excellent education, but our bottom-line fiscal impact on the state can’t be overlooked,” said Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler. “Our graduates may be the backbone of Maine’s skilled workforce, but the community college system itself is a major player in supporting and lifting up Maine families, employers, and communities. This analysis shows that the state’s investment in MCCS is plowed right back into the state’s economy in multiple ways.”
Lightcast’s report, which analyzed the fiscal year ending June 2025 (FY25), found that overall, the Maine Community College System adds $1 billion to Maine’s economy annually through the combined impact of operations and construction spending, and the spending impact of its students and alumni.
In the analysis year, MCCS provided $115.2 million in payroll and benefits to its 1,760 employees, 95% of whom lived in Maine, with most of the money spent in Maine on housing, groceries, meals out and entertainment, and other household expenses. In addition to direct payroll, MCCS injected another $65.8 million into the economy on expenses related to facilities, supplies, and vendors providing professional services. Construction spending was modest in the analysis year, at $3.3 million.
That’s the equivalent of having one out of every 78 jobs in Maine supported by the activities of Maine’s community colleges and its employees and students. That’s a bigger economic impact than the entire arts, entertainment, and recreation industry in the state, according to the analysis.
“Maine’s public higher education institutions exist to serve the people of Maine. This analysis clearly demonstrates that we are good stewards of the state’s investment, and Maine’s community colleges provide considerable and demonstrable economic benefit for the state’s economy, for Maine businesses, and for Maine families,” Daigler said. “Maine Free College is a modest investment for such a considerable payoff both to the students directly and the communities we serve.”
The Lightcast analysis also measures and quantifies the societal benefit of having MCCS in the state at $2.4 billion, which takes into consideration that additional education statistically correlates to lifestyle changes that result in avoided medical costs associated with smoking, obesity, substance abuse and depression; savings from avoided costs in the judicial system; and income assistance savings from reduced welfare and unemployment claims.
The seven-college system has an annual degree-seeking enrollment of 15,833 students, and serves more than 33,000 individuals annually through a combination of degree programs, customized short-term workforce training, and early college programs. Tuition and fees for a full-time in-state student are $4,156 a year, the lowest in New England.
###
Maine’s seven community colleges are the smart and affordable choice for lifelong learning in Maine, with the lowest tuition and fees in New England. The colleges serve more than 33,000 people a year, through two-year associate degree and one-year certificate programs, short-term workforce training, early college programs, advanced certificates, and other learning opportunities.
Lightcast is a global leader in labor market intelligence, empowering smarter decisions for businesses, education institutions, and governments worldwide. With the world’s most comprehensive database—spanning over 3 billion job postings, 600 million career profiles, and 100+ government sources—Lightcast delivers unparalleled insight into skills, jobs, companies, professional profiles, and workforce trends across 165 countries. Our proprietary taxonomies, advanced AI, and expert guidance transform complex data into clear, actionable intelligence.
AUGUSTA, ME — Maine’s community colleges received $19.4 million in federal funding for critically needed facilities and equipment in a range of programs, as part of the federal budget package signed by President Donald Trump.
“These investments championed by U.S. Senator Susan Collins will have lasting and widespread impact for the students at Maine’s community colleges,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). “Investments in equipment, program development, and key facilities benefit generations of students who are tomorrow’s skilled workforce in Maine.”
“We deeply appreciate Senator Collins’ persevering effort and the support of U. S. Senator Angus King to ensure Maine’s community colleges have the resources they need to give students a high-quality, affordable education directly tied to our state’s workforce demands,” Daigler said.
The federal funding will go toward the following projects:
York County Community College:
$6.5 million towards a new $15 million student housing project on campus. (Collins and King)
Eastern Maine Community College:
$6.5 million to build a new simulation lab and renovate an existing lab for nursing and health care programs. (Collins)
Southern Maine Community College:
$2.2 million to create a new heat pump training lab and renovate an existing facility to expand the plumbing program. (Collins)
Kennebec Valley Community College:
$1 million for equipment for the short-term workforce training mechanized logging program. (Collins)
$180,000 to purchase equipment for the college’s electrician training program. (Collins)
Central Maine Community College:
$1 million for equipment for a nursing simulation lab. (Collins)
Northern Maine Community College:
$1.3 million for equipment and program development to train industrial electrical and instrumentation technicians. (Collins and King)
$650,000 to purchase labor and delivery simulation equipment for the college’s nursing and health care programs. (Collins and King)
