July 31, 2024
MCCS President David Daigler and UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy shake hands after signing the Transfer ME agreement, while Governor Janet Mills applauds.
Under a new agreement, Maine community colleges will also proactively notify their students about direct transfer pathways to Maine’s public universities and provide coordinated advising
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s public universities will guarantee admission to graduates of the state’s community colleges starting this fall.
Under the terms of a historic Transfer ME agreement signed today by Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler and University of Maine System (UMS) Chancellor Dannel Malloy, Maine’s community colleges will proactively notify their students about the opportunities to continue their postsecondary education through UMS.
Interested students will receive coordinated advising from the two systems and be directly admitted to UMS universities that offer an aligned program. After completing their associate degree, MCCS graduates can seamlessly transfer to a Maine public university of their choice without filling out an application, paying application fees, or providing essays, recommendation letters and transcripts.
“This partnership will make it easier than ever for Maine community college graduates to continue pursuing their education at one of Maine’s public universities, building upon my Free Community College initiative, which has enabled thousands of students to attend community college at little or no cost to them,” said Gov. Janet Mills, who participated in the announcement. “I thank the Maine Community College System and University of Maine System for heeding my calls to make it even easier for Maine students to get a great education at an affordable price with a good-paying job waiting for them in the end.”
Transfer ME builds on more than 180 existing articulation agreements that allow MCCS graduates to transfer to Maine’s public universities and have all their Maine community college credits count, with further pathways being formalized.
Notification will begin this fall to qualifying students who have earned at least 30 community college credits and are enrolled in eligible degree programs, including behavioral health, biotechnology, business, education, hospitality, human services, psychology and pre-engineering. A complete list of programs and additional information is available at www.maine.edu/students/transferME.
“Transfer ME removes barriers to opportunity. We want all Mainers to know how successful they can be at the University of Maine System and in their careers. While we have long welcomed transfers from the Maine Community College System, instead of waiting for their students to come to us, we will now reach out to them together and provide a well-paved pathway to our public universities. We think this will be a real game-changer in raising awareness, aspirations and access to affordable, door-opening bachelor’s degree programs and upward mobility,” said Chancellor Malloy.
“What students want and need is a clear-cut, simple route to a four-year degree, without a lot of paperwork and barriers. This agreement does just that,” President Daigler said. “We expect this to be an enormously popular program that increases the number of Maine community college graduates continuing their education.”
Under the leadership of President Daigler and Chancellor Malloy and in response to state workforce needs, there is a growing commitment to collaboration between Maine’s two public postsecondary systems, which together enrolled 46,942 degree-seeking students in the 2023-24 academic year as well as tens of thousands of Mainers in free early college courses, short-term training and non-credit bearing educational programs.
Just 54% of Maine’s high school graduates are now choosing college despite demand from the state’s employers for more workers with postsecondary degrees and credentials. Maine has a statutory goal that 60% of adults will hold a postsecondary degree or credential of value by 2025 – up from the current 55% – which is also reinforced by the State’s 10-year economic strategy.
To ensure more Mainers can benefit from the transformative power of public postsecondary education and further strengthen the size and skill of the state’s workforce, MCCS and UMS have partnered with the Mills Administration and the Maine Legislature to advance postsecondary education access and affordability.
For example, in 2022, MCCS and Gov. Mills launched a free tuition program to encourage more recent high school graduates to go to college, including those who may not have believed they could afford higher education. Since the launch of the program, which is currently funded for graduates or the equivalent in the high school classes of 2020-25, MCCS annual enrollment has increased by 20%. It has also led to the first year-over-year increase in the number of MCCS students transferring to Maine’s public universities since before the pandemic.
Maine’s community colleges are the largest source of transfer students to UMS. In 2023-24, 737 students from MCCS transferred to UMS compared to 681 the previous year.
While Transfer ME is the first system-to-system agreement of its kind in the state, there is a history of working together that Transfer ME leverages. For example, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and the University of Southern Maine (USM) have long partnered to make it easier for students to transition between the two institutions. More than 125 SMCC students who plan to transfer to USM now live in that university’s new Portland residence hall and can participate in student life offerings there. Additionally this spring, the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, and MCCS formalized Black Bear Advantage, a co-enrollment program.
“Maine employers need more workers with postsecondary credentials and this seamless transfer will help to ensure that more Mainers will benefit from postsecondary education and also increase the size and skills of Maine’s workforce,” said Finance Authority of Maine CEO Carlos Mello.
“I applaud the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System for continuing to reduce barriers for students by developing seamless pathways between the two systems,” said Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd, a UMS graduate. “Transfer ME will lead to more students in degree programs and more graduates ready to thrive in Maine’s workforce.”
Today’s Transfer ME signing ceremony took place at the Spring Point Children’s Center at SMCC. Through a partnership with SMCC, the University of Maine at Farmington has delivered its early childhood education bachelor’s degree program there since 2007, making it more accessible to recent community college graduates and other place-bound working adults in southern Maine.
As a result of legislation enacted in 2015 to foster greater collaboration, MCCS and UMS report annually to the Governor and Maine Legislature on their ongoing shared efforts to promote efficiency, cooperation and strategic planning. The 2024 joint report is here.
June 27, 2024
Five-year Grant Will Fund 70,500 Short-Term Workforce Students
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – The Harold Alfond Foundation (HAF) is investing $75.5 million into short-term, workforce training programs at Maine’s community colleges over the next five years in what is the largest grant ever for the Maine Community College System.
“This is truly a transformational investment that will directly benefit Mainers and Maine businesses across the state,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). “Maine faces persistent workforce shortages across all industries and age groups, and employers are desperate for skilled workers, fast. These programs, developed side-by-side with Maine employers large and small, give Maine workers free access to the skills they need to enter and progress in today’s workforce.”
The grant was announced Thursday at Southern Maine Community College. This is the third HAF grant awarded to The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges for short-term workforce training programs. The first, in 2018, was for $3.6 million, and the second, in 2021, was for $15.5 million. All together the three HAF grants total almost $100 million, supporting short-term workforce training for 100,000 people.
“We are very grateful to the Alfond Foundation board for their long-term vision and commitment in fueling the spectacular growth of short-term workforce training at Maine’s community colleges, particularly at a time when it is so critically needed,” Daigler said, referring to the economic disruption of the pandemic.
It was the second HAF grant, combined with $35 million in one-time, pandemic relief funds from the state through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, that launched the community colleges’ robust roster of short-term workforce training programs, overseen by the system’s new Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce. Since 2022, more than 26,000 students have taken short-term workforce training classes through the Alfond Center.
The training has three distinct components: basic occupational skills training for people looking to enter a field or career; upgraded skills training for current workers so they keep up with evolving industry standards; and scholarships for workers looking to pursue an associate degree or certificate.
“These programs are critical to building Maine’s skilled workforce, and we’ve seen outstanding results at Maine’s community colleges in recent years. We’re proud our grantmaking will lead to so many people getting the relevant, responsive job skills so needed by our economy,” said Greg Powell, chairman of the Harold Alfond Foundation.
Short-term workforce training programs generally just take days, weeks, or months to complete, and are free or discounted for the students. They are offered on a rolling basis throughout the year, onsite at the colleges, at workplaces, online, and through third-party, industry-approved instruction.
The short-term programs are in addition to the community colleges’ traditional offerings of two-year associate degree programs and one-year certificate programs, which are largely workforce training as well. More than 80 percent of degree-seeking students at Maine’s community colleges are enrolled in career and occupational programs.
“We want to give anyone who is looking for training, at any point in their working life, the opportunity to learn new skills,” said Dan Belyea, chief workforce development officer for MCCS and the director of the Alfond Center.
One of the longest-running short-term programs is in welding, which comes with a guaranteed interview at Bath Iron Works, a $500/week “earn while you learn” incentive, and campus housing for some students. Dozens of short-term healthcare programs are also available, including four weeks-long phlebotomy classes, six months Advanced EMT classes, and nine-months long medical assistant programs.
June 5, 2024
AUGUSTA, ME – Community college graduates in Maine can now transfer directly to degree programs at six of Maine’s independent four-year colleges under the new Maine Transfer Guarantee announced Wednesday.
“The Maine Transfer Guarantee takes the guesswork out of higher ed planning for many Maine students and families,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System. “This provides clear benchmarks and guideposts to students and their families mapping out what can often be a confusing higher ed journey. Now they know exactly how to get from their associate degree to a four-year degree and beyond.”
Under the program, community college graduates meeting GPA requirements are guaranteed admission in programs at College of the Atlantic, Husson University, Thomas College, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Unity Environmental University and University of New England. More detailed information is available at the Maine Transfer Guarantee student portal.
The agreement is the latest statewide Transfer Guarantee program coordinated by the New England Board of Higher Education. Other New England Transfer Guarantee programs exist in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. A New Hampshire program will launch this year.
“The Maine Transfer Guarantee is a big step forward in simplifying transfer with the goal of helping students stay on track to earn the bachelor’s degree they seek by removing barriers that previously slowed them down, such as credits lost in the transfer process that add both cost and time to degree,” said James Herbert, president of the Maine Independent Colleges Association and president of the University of New England.
Maine’s community colleges already have guaranteed transfer agreements with Maine’s public universities, including a block transfer agreement that guarantees transfer of up to 35 credits of general education requirements, and AdvantageU which guarantees community college Liberal Arts graduates admission with advanced standing to a Maine public university.
The New England Transfer Guarantee initiative, aimed at establishing systemic state transfer programs, is funded by the Teagle Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Davis Educational Foundation and the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation.
Maine Transfer Guarantee Partners
“Increasing access to four-year degree pathways will play a key role in helping to ensure the wellbeing of Maine’s diverse communities and overall economic health. College of the Atlantic is pleased to partner with the Maine Community College System on this innovative, vital program,” says COA President Dr. Darron Collins ’92.
“We are pleased to continue our longstanding history of welcoming transfer students to Husson University with this new guaranteed transfer agreement for Maine community colleges. This will ensure that students seeking to continue their education will have access to scholarships and also receive transfer credits at Husson,” said Lynne Coy-Ogan, president-elect, provost, and senior vice president for academic affairs at Husson. “It is our hope that this opportunity will encourage more students to choose Husson as they continue their education beyond community college.”
“Saint Joseph’s College has a long history of supporting transfer students who have graduated from Maine’s community colleges. We are excited to be part of the Maine Transfer Guarantee agreement ensuring that more Maine students can seamlessly transition from their community college to Saint Joseph’s College. Maine students have terrific higher education options and we are proud to be one of them,” said Saint Joseph’s College of Maine President Joseph Cassidy.
“Thomas College is pleased to join the Maine Transfer Guarantee. Higher education is the path toward a strong economic future for Maine students and the Maine economy. This guarantee helps remove barriers and makes a baccalaureate degree accessible and affordable for even more students,” said Thomas College Provost Thomas Edwards.
“The Maine Transfer Guarantee is a big step forward in simplifying transfer with the goal of helping students stay on track to earn the bachelor’s degree they seek by removing barriers that previously slowed them down, such as credits lost in the transfer process that add both cost and time to degree,” said James Herbert, President of the Maine Independent Colleges Association and President of University of New England.
“We are proud to be a part of the Maine Transfer Guarantee, which opens up new opportunities for community college graduates to seamlessly continue their education at Unity Environmental University or any partnering institution. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible, high-quality education focused on environmental stewardship. By reducing barriers to transfer, we can help more students achieve their academic and career goals, ultimately contributing to a more educated and environmentally conscious workforce,” said Unity Environmental University President, Dr. Melik Peter Khoury.
April 18, 2024
BANGOR, Maine — On Thursday, April 18, the University of Maine (UMaine); its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias (UMaine Machias); and the Maine Community College System (MCCS) signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize Black Bear Advantage, an innovative co-enrollment program that will benefit community college students statewide and ultimately grow the size and skill of the Maine workforce.
Black Bear Advantage creates a seamless pathway with minimal loss of community college credit for students transferring to UMaine or its regional campus, UMaine Machias, following the successful completion of an associate degree from a participating MCCS college.
“We are grateful for this partnership with the Maine Community College System, which promises to expand academic opportunities and enrich the futures of Maine students. This collaboration builds upon the solid educational foundations laid by community colleges, empowering students to broaden their horizons,” said UMaine President and Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “As Maine employers increasingly seek out individuals with a four-year degree, Black Bear Advantage comes at an advantageous time. This co-enrollment program will support the continuing development and growth of tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers and leaders who will carry Maine into the future.”
Students who pursue the Black Bear Advantage will receive multiple benefits, including co-enrollment and a guaranteed next step to UMaine or UMaine Machias. While attending a participating MCCS college full time, students will take one in-person or online course at UMaine or UMaine Machias each semester to fulfill lower-level degree requirements for the specific degree program. These courses will be counted toward the participating MCCS college and UMaine or UMaine Machias degree programs. After successfully completing an associate degree, students can transfer to UMaine or UMaine Machias to complete their bachelor’s degree with minimal to no credit loss. This program will allow students to earn two degrees in four years.
“We know many of our students transfer to and thrive at UMaine. This new co-enrollment agreement puts community college students on the path to UMaine or UMaine Machias at the start of their academic experience, it welcomes community college students from across the state and it streamlines the path to transfer for them,” said MCCS Vice President and Chief Academic Officer Janet Sortor. “This unique partnership between the universities and Maine’s community colleges provides collaborative support and resources to students to help them achieve their goals.”
As part of the agreement, UMaine and UMaine Machias will also offer academic advising and transfer support, an accelerated transfer process, a waiver of application fees and priority registration. The agreement will also offer a co-enrollment scholarship of $2,000 when students transfer from a participating MCCS college following the successful completion of the associate degree and begin full-time studies.
The Black Bear Advantage program underscores our commitment to providing accessible pathways to higher education for students across Maine,” said UMaine Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost John Volin. “We are excited to work closely with Maine’s community colleges to empower students and facilitate their academic and career aspirations.”
The program’s initial phase will focus on degree programs with existing articulation agreements between participating MCCS colleges, UMaine and UMaine Machias. These programs encompass a wide range of disciplines, including business, engineering technology, education, social work and psychology.
Maine’s public universities and community colleges have a long tradition of working together. The two public systems are doing so now more closely than ever before given the needs of Maine students and employers and the institutions’ imperative to achieve efficiencies through partnership. There are now more than 180 formal articulation agreements that allow MCCS students to transfer into the University of Maine System (UMS) and have all their Maine community college credits count. The two public systems prioritize the development of these pathways based on state workforce needs and by identifying which UMS programs MCCS students most want.
For a complete list of the individual program articulations supported by the Black Bear Advantage program for each of the participating MCCS colleges, please visit the UMaine and UMaine Machias transfer agreement website.
About the Maine Community College System: Maine’s seven community colleges have the lowest tuition and fees in New England and serve more than 30,000 students a year through early college, short-term workforce training, associate degree, certificate, and advanced certificate programs.
About the University of Maine: As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts/.
April 2, 2024
AUGUSTA, ME – Nineteen Maine community college students have been named to the All-Maine Academic Team in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and service.
The students receiving the award and a $500 scholarship from the MCCS Board of Trustees, are:
Chelsey Chapman, Pittston, Central Maine Community College in Auburn.
- Jonathan Gosselin, Topsham, Central Maine Community College.
- Brianna Proctor, Wales, Central Maine Community College.
- Mason Rogers, Kensington, NH, Central Maine Community College.
- Katahdin Javner, Chester, Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor.
- Elizabeth Sivret, Calais, Eastern Maine Community College.
- Kiera Clark, Skowhegan, Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield/Hinckley.
- Catalina Fernandez-Grant, Belfast, Kennebec Valley Community College.
- Luz Maria Seda Libby, Palermo, Kennebec Valley Community College.
- Crystal MacGown, Bath, Kennebec Valley Community College.
- Lucas Castles, Gorham, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle.
- Troy Hipsley, Houlton, Northern Maine Community College.
- Jalen Lucas, Edinburgh, Trinidad & Tobago, Northern Maine Community College.
- Islakeno Mahabir, Enterprise, Trinidad & Tobago, Northern Maine Community College.
- Destiny Eppinger, Oxford, Southern Maine Community College in South Portland/Brunswick.
- Fatimah Lamloom, Portland, Southern Maine Community College.
- Brandon Marshall, Scarborough, Southern Maine Community College.
- Kayla Taylor, Raymond, Washington County Community College in Calais.
- Amanda Kenney, Wells, York County Community College, in Wells.
In addition, Catalina Fernandez-Grant (KVCC) and Elizabeth Sivret (EMCC) have been named Maine New Century Scholars for earning the highest scores in the state on their All-USA Academic Team applications.
Sivret has been named the 2024 Maine New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar and will receive a $2,250 scholarship.
Fernandez-Grant is the 2024 Maine New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
Katahdin Javner (EMCC) was one of only 50 students nationwide named a Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and will receive a $1,500 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.
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.
March 25, 2024
AUGUSTA, ME – Maine’s community colleges received almost $15 million in recent federal funding, with more than half of the funds directed at adding health care training facilities and technology at multiple colleges.
The funding, included in the federal budget package signed by President Joe Biden over the weekend, is particularly timely since Maine’s community colleges recently doubled their nursing program capacity and significantly expanded short-term workforce training programs in health care to meet industry demand.
“We deeply appreciate the work by U.S. Senator Susan Collins and U.S. Senator Angus King in securing these funds to train more health care workers on cutting-edge equipment,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). “There is such a desperate need right now in Maine for health care workers, and we’re seeing high demand for our health care programs.”
The federal funding will also be used to add virtual reality teaching tools, expand a plumbing lab at one college, provide temporary housing for students enrolled in short-term workforce training programs, and expand high-demand academic programs.
“Maine’s congressional delegation works tirelessly to assure that Maine’s community colleges have the resources we need to educate and train Maine workers. I would especially like to thank Senator Collins who spearheaded the complex budget negotiations to bring this funding to fruition,” Daigler said.
The federal funding will go toward the following projects:
Central Maine Community College:
- Expand Kirk Hall by 7,200 square feet to train an additional 100 nurses annually, add a surgical technology program, update the science lab, improve the exercise science and physical fitness specialist programs, and enhance short-term workforce training programs in healthcare. ($3.25 million) Collins
Eastern Maine Community College:
- Instructional Space and Professional Development: Improve instructional areas and curriculum enhancements by adding new simulation, laboratory and classroom equipment; use funds to support faculty training and professional development. ($1.65 million) Collins
Kennebec Valley Community College:
- Enhanced Radiology Lab: Improve existing lab to enhance simulation tools and improve training for students in Radiologic Technician program. ($513,000) Collins
- Expanded Plumbing Lab: Expand and update plumbing lab to improve tools and expand capacity to increase the number of students in program. ($803,000) Collins
Northern Maine Community College:
- Andrews Hall Renovation: Renovate Andrews Hall to expand temporary housing for short-term workforce training students, helping to keep those in the industry trained and credentialed. ($500K) Golden
- Diesel Equipment and Technology: Expand the diesel hydraulic program to enroll 36 students to meet workforce demands. ($410,000) Collins and King
- Technology Upgrades: Extend warranties for five human patient simulators, upgrade wireless technology and install fiber between buildings to support advanced technology training across campus. ($550,000) Collins and King
Southern Maine Community College:
- Health Care Simulation Lab: Build a new simulation lab to provide health care students with realistic hands-on technology. ($4.1 million) Collins
- Maine Fire Service Institute storage facility: Facility to store and maintain safety equipiment and teaching props for current equipment and future equipment needs. ($500,000) Collins
Washington County Community College:
- Technology Upgrades, Professional Development, Virtual Reality Technology: Purchase high-tech equipment such as virtual reality technology for labs and classrooms and provide professional development in the tools. ($1.63 million) Collins and King
York County Community College:
- Equipment purchase, Technology Upgrades, Supplies: Investments in new welding machines, pipe-fitting equipment, and testing equipment for the Sanford Instructional Site; new virtual reality lab and virtual reality training tools for the trades and multiple other programs; updated equipment for Cyber Security program; and supplies and equipment for dental, nursing, and vet tech programs. ($986,000) Collins
March 1, 2024
Contacts:
SANFORD, Maine – A coalition of Maine defense industries, the community colleges and universities, members of Maine’s congressional delegation, state agencies, and the U.S. Navy unveiled a new partnership today dedicated to attracting and training thousands of new employees for critical jobs in the state’s defense industrial base.
Maine’s largest defense contractors — General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, and Navy-run Portsmouth Naval Shipyard — all need new, highly skilled employees. With broad support from the Department of Defense, the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) will guide and support training initiatives across the state by building a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable workforce development system. Educational partners include the Maine Community College System, the University of Maine System, Maine Maritime Academy, and The Roux Institute of Northeastern University.
The Alliance is critically needed in Maine, where the defense sector employs more than 20,000 people at over 150 companies. Defense spending in Maine totaled $3.2 billion in 2021.
Over the next five years, defense contractors and the subcontractors who support them must significantly ramp up hiring, adding between 1,200 and 1,700 skilled workers each year. When including replacements needed for retiring workers and natural turnover, Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard alone anticipate needing to fill over 7,500 positions.
The Alliance will focus on recruiting more people into the defense industry, delivering a wide array of training opportunities for those seeking employment in the industry, and upgrading the skills of the industry’s incumbent workforce.
The initial and most tangible outcome of the collaboration is $5 million in funding from the Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program, executed by BlueForge Alliance to launch MDIA and expand manufacturing and trade programs at York County Community College (YCCC) in Wells.
In addition to expanding existing programs, YCCC will build a 10,000-square-foot addition for a state-of-the-art welding lab at the college’s Sanford facility at 60 Community Drive, creating the YCCC Center for Excellence in Manufacturing and Trades (CEMT). The project is critical to expanding defense industry workforce development, allowing YCCC to train up to 1,500 people a year in a variety of trade programs.
YCCC will fund the $6.5 million project with $3.5 million in SIB funding for MDIA; $1.5 million in YCCC funds; and $1.5 million in federal funding secured by Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Angus King through last year’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.
Editors note: Gov. Janet Mills; Sen. Angus King; Rep. Chellie Pingree; the Hon. Nickolas Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition; and MCCS President David Daigler will be speaking at Friday’s event. Leaders from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works; Maine Defense Industry Alliance; BlueForge Alliance; Program Executive Office, Strategic Submarines; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; Pratt & Whitney; Maine Maritime Academy; the University of Maine System; and the Roux Institute of Northeastern University, will also be in attendance.
January 18, 2024
A recent report shows a surge in enrollment across Maine Community College System campuses from 2022 to 2023 and credits the state’s Free College Scholarship program.
Nearly half of the students enrolled at Maine Community College System campuses during the 2022–23 academic year took part in the state’s Free College Scholarship program.
According to a recent report, more than 6,550 out of approximately 14,200 students attending one of the seven MCCS institutions were enrolled through the state initiative, which launched just months before classes began in fall 2022.
Ryan Morgan, CEO of the Campaign for Free College Tuition, was thrilled but not surprised by the program’s success. He said it was designed to be “as accessible as possible” for the target population—students who earned a high school degree or GED during the pandemic and experienced dramatic disruptions to their education as they entered the workforce.
“The more accessible the program is, by definition, the more interest there is and the higher enrollment is going to be,” Morgan said.
And it’s paying off. Although the Maine Free College Scholarship wasn’t the only factor in increased enrollment, MCCS administrators attribute much of the 12 percent growth in fall 2022 and 16 percent jump in fall 2023 to the new scholarship program.
National data suggest most community colleges have had a far more modest comeback from their pandemic enrollment woes than those in the Maine system—two-year colleges nationally saw an average of just 0.5 percent enrollment growth between spring 2022 and 2023. A similar free college program introduced in New Mexico in 2020 only led to a 7 percent enrollment increase in its first year.
But enrollment in Maine has skyrocketed and even exceeded pre-pandemic levels, reaching 19,477 students in fall 2023. Some MCCS institutions now have more students than they can fit on campus. Central Maine Community College, for example, had to lease out an entire hotel to house some of its students.
Morgan and others believe the program is on track to gain longer-term support from the state because of the impressive results.
“All signs point in the right direction for the governor and state Legislature to renew the program,” he said.
‘Re-Bolstering’ a Generation
Although a growing number of states across the country have introduced free community college programs to counter declining enrollment rates and workforce shortages, Maine’s is one of a few programs specifically aimed at traditional-age college students rather than returning adult learners.
First proposed in February 2022, the program was backed by $20 million in state funding and had bipartisan support. It guaranteed that any Maine resident who had or was scheduled to graduate high school between 2020 and 2023 could pursue a two-year degree or one-year certification without paying a dime for tuition.
MCCS president David Daigler believes getting recent high school graduates whose lives were most disrupted by the pandemic into college will have ripple effects on the state’s economy.
Maine has the oldest population in the nation, with a median age of 45.1, and for every 10 workers ages 60 to 64 who are exiting the workforce, there are only seven students ages 15 to 19 who will soon enter it. The proportion of students who opted out of college rose from an average of about 40 percent to 50 percent during the pandemic, Daigler said. The percentage of young men was even higher, with rates as high as 60 percent.
But Daigler said the Free College Scholarship is “re-bolstering” the next generation.
Enrollment in skills-based programs shot up 300 percent, from 3,000 students in 2021–22 to 12,000 in 2022–23, according to the report. And the percentage of students enrolling in trade occupation programs climbed from 71 percent to 81 percent.
“The modern workforce requires skills,” he said. “When you get those skills that come through a community college, you’ve now got an opportunity to make a difference, not just for your family, not just for yourself. That continues generation after generation.”
Some University of Maine System faculty and administrators fear the free college program is pulling students away from the state’s public four-year campuses—which experienced a 5 percent decrease in enrollment from fall 2021 to 2022. But advocates of the Free College Scholarship believe that while the program may be a factor in declining enrollment in the university system, it’s not the only factor. Others include general demographic shifts and doubts about the value of college. Supporters of the program also hope it will open the door for more transfers to four-year colleges.
Even Daigler had initial hesitations about introducing a free college program, especially because MCCS already had the lowest tuition in New England. But he got fully onboard after seeing such positive outcomes.
“I personally am a convert,” he said. “When we lift a person’s income, we also increase the income taxes that they pay and reduce their need for public assistance … This is a positive investment. It’s not just a social good.”
Hopes for a Permanent Program
The program was already granted a preliminary extension with an additional $15 million of state funding in July 2023 to extend the benefits to students graduating as late as 2025.
Education advocates hope the scholarship will be made permanent.
Piet Lammert, longtime public high school counselor and the founder of DiriGo!, an independent college application consulting business, credits the scholarship for changing the perception of community college. Although many students already receive financial aid to help pay for college from other state, federal and third-party grants, he believes there is power in the word “free.”
“A lot of the kids that enrolled because of the Free College Scholarship would have qualified for Pell Grants anyway, and it would have been free for them regardless,” Lammert said. “But this new sense that college was immediately accessible, regardless of income, got people in the door that wouldn’t have gone before.”
Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center confirm Lammert’s observations. Nearly 11.5 percent of the MCCS students enrolled through the free college program in 2022 had graduated from high school in 2020 or 2021 and worked for at least a year before going to college.
Lammert said public perceptions of community college as “less than” a four-year university, combined with hesitation about affordability, were keeping students from enrolling. But making the scholarship permanent would allow students and parents alike to count on community college as a viable, credible, surefire post–high school option.
“When you put your kiddo on the school bus to pre-K that very first day, if you know that the state has got you covered through grade 14 … that’s so empowering,” he said.
Governor Janet Mills, who sponsored the Free College Scholarship, is pleased by the first year’s report.
“In just two short years, our initiative has empowered thousands of young people to earn a degree or a certificate and put them on the path to a good-paying job, creating new economic opportunities and brighter futures for Maine students,” she said in an email. “Maine is strengthening our workforce and ensuring that the cost of higher education is not a barrier to success.”
But Heather Johnson, Maine’s commissioner of economic and community development, said although the governor’s cabinet is “really encouraged” by the recent report, it is “hard to know” at this point if the free college program will be expanded further.
She added that data on student outcomes in the workforce will be telling—the first class of two-year free college learners are scheduled to graduate in May.
“That will be helpful as well in adding to the data that is showing the positive momentum of this program,” she said. “But historically, we have absolutely seen the value of these programs both in productivity per worker as well as wage growth.”
“The administration will try to work closely with the community college system and the Legislature to determine what that path forward could be,” she added.
January 5, 2024
SMCC President Kristen Miller
AUGUSTA Maine — The Board of Trustees of the Maine Community College System (MCCS) has confirmed the recommendation of MCCS President David Daigler and appointed Dr. Kristen Miller as the next president of Southern Maine Community College (SMCC). She will begin in February.
Miller was most recently the vice president of academic affairs at White Mountains Community College in New Hampshire, where she has worked since 2014. She previously served as associate vice president of academic affairs and as an admissions counselor there.
“Dr. Miller is the right person at the right time to lead SMCC,” Daigler said. “Her proven leadership as an innovative administrator, classroom instructor, and experience in implementing Guided Pathways and workforce training make her an outstanding choice who is well prepared to continue the strong forward momentum at Southern Maine Community College.”
While at White Mountains Community College, Miller played key leadership roles in several initiatives that are also underway at SMCC, including organizing academic offerings around Pathways, and proactively working with local businesses to ensure students get the education and training needed to meet current and future workplace needs in high-demand jobs.
“It is an honor and a privilege to join this remarkable institution, and I am truly humbled by the trust placed in me by President Daigler and the Board of Trustees,” Miller said. “I want to express my deepest appreciation to all those involved in this selection process. Your confidence in my abilities is both inspiring and motivating. I assure you that I am fully committed to upholding the values of academic excellence, inclusivity, and innovation that define this college.”
Miller also has experience as an educator: She has been a lecturer in education at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire since 2020, and previously worked as an adjunct professor of English at White Mountains Community College, and as a high school English teacher at Kennett High School in North Conway, New Hampshire.
“I am very pleased to welcome Kristen Miller as the new president of Southern Maine Community College,” Board Chairwoman Joyce Maker said. “She embodies the core values and goals that have brought so much success to SMCC, making her an excellent choice to lead SMCC now and into the future.”
Miller has a doctorate in higher education leadership from Capella University in Minnesota, a master’s degree in education and education leadership from the University of New England in Maine, and a bachelor’s degree in communications and English from Sonoma State University in California.
Miller serves on the board of trustees for Starting Point Services for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, and on the board of directors for New Hampshire’s Jobs for America’s Graduates. She is also a member of the Educational Justice Institute of New England Board of Higher Education, and the Mount Washington Valley Career and Technical Center Advisory Board.
Miller was selected from an initial field of more than 50 candidates following a national search. She succeeds Joe Cassidy, who left in August 2023 to become president of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. SMCC Dean of Administration Tiffanie Bentley has served as interim president.
Southern Maine County Community College is the system’s oldest, largest, and most diverse college, with more than 6,000 students and offering 40-plus programs of study at the Portland and Brunswick campuses, online, and at satellite locations across southern Maine. The college also offers robust Early College and short-term workforce training programs. It is one of seven colleges in the Maine Community College System.
December 28, 2023
Maine’s free community college program has helped remove inertia and fear of education costs.
Maine’s free community college was launched with bipartisan support and the stated goal of “ensuring that high school students … have the opportunity to get a tuition-free education and enter Maine’s workforce with a reliable, good-paying, and in-demand job.”
And that’s exactly what it does. It wasn’t designed to cover all costs, but rather to relieve the burden of paying tuition on top of those costs. This program is a great first step down that road for recent high school graduates. I want to make sure that important information that may have gotten lost in the Dec. 10 Press Herald article on the state’s free community college tuition program is shared (“Maine’s poorest students still face burdens, despite state’s free community college program”).
The Finance Authority of Maine, as a state college affordability agency, has witnessed how free community college has captured the attention of students who did not believe they could afford any type of education beyond high school, enabling new pathways for them to pursue. Quite simply, these students would never have looked at college were it not for the widespread nature of this program. With an average 14% increase in community college students who qualified for a Pell grant, Maine community colleges have experiencing double-digit growth in enrollment by this low-income population over the last two years – despite lingering effects of the pandemic and other headwinds facing higher education attainment.
It’s also worth noting that Maine led the nation with the largest increase of high school seniors filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid during 2023. While FAME knows that hardworking college-access professionals across the state, including our own, deserve significant credit for this increase, we also know that Maine’s free community college program helped remove inertia and fear of education costs.
Most students work hard to stitch together multiple grants and aid, not to mention working, to help pay for college and cover costs beyond tuition. This is why FAME works every day to help Maine students and families afford education and training after high school. The free community college scholarship still allows any student to bring outside scholarships to the table after their free community college scholarship has been received. This means there is an opportunity for all students to have room and board, books and supplies or other education expenses at least partially covered by scholarships. FAME shares extensive information about how to find scholarships on our website and as part of our college access outreach counseling.
Free community college is one of many programs intended to support growing Maine’s skilled workforce which also helps Maine people establish a secure personal economic future. For example, the Maine State Grant, Maine’s largest need-based grant program administered by FAME represents an annual investment of $27 million to support approximately 14,000 Maine students attending the broad array of higher education institutions in Maine, not just community college. This is no small investment and represents a steady stream of bipartisan support from the Maine Legislature, which has more than doubled the program’s funding since 2015. FAME agrees there is more that can be done for our financially disadvantaged students, and we will continue to work collaboratively with the Maine Legislature and gubernatorial administrations to address college access and affordability in Maine.
FAME is in its fifth decade of service to the state and its fourth in service of education advancement. It has always been and will remain part of our mission to explore more robust ways to support college access and affordability across the education and training spectrum. We applaud the efforts of free community college and similar programs launched by the University of Maine System, such as the Pine Tree State Pledge and the Downeast Promise Scholarship. We can all work together to get the message to students and families that there is money available to help with the cost of education and training after high school – free college programs make the collective impact of those additional resources even more meaningful.
AUGUSTA, ME – Community college graduates in Maine can now transfer directly to degree programs at six of Maine’s independent four-year colleges under the new Maine Transfer Guarantee announced Wednesday.
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