BAR HARBOR, ME — On Sunday, December 29, 2019, Mission Director of Student Pathways Christina S. Griffith, and Mission Scholarships Program Director Terri Rodick hosted a three-hour Event for Scholars at Trenton, ME‘s Town Hill Community Hall.
Eleven Mission Scholarship recipients and one parent attended the Event. A few days prior, Director Griffith said of the Event, “It will include a bit of checking in/discussion as well as just fun hanging out.”
Mission college exploration and engagement students who will graduate from high school in 2022.
Our newest group of Mission Scholarship recipients — all of whom are 2019 high school graduates.
BAR HARBOR, ME — In 2017, The Council for Opportunity in Education designated November 8t h as a day to celebrate first-generation college students. By first-generation (“first gen”), we mean students who will be the first members of their families to graduate from a four-year college.
November 8 was selected as the date for the annual National First-Generation College Celebration to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Higher Education Act (“HEA”) emerged out of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. Much like other hallmark legislation of that era such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, HEA was intended to help level a playing field that for too long had been weighed against Americans from minority and low income backgrounds.
In addition to creating federal grants and loan programs to help students finance their educations, the legislation made key investments in institutions of higher education. Additionally, HEA ushered in programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, necessary for post-secondary access, retention and completion for low income, potential first-generation college graduates.
62% of our Maine Seacoast Mission Scholarship recipients are first gen.
100% of our college exploration and engagement program students are first gen.
Today and every day, we honor you, your families and communities and celebrate your courage and perseverance as you journey to and through college!
BAR HARBOR, ME — Thank you, Mission Director of Student Pathways Christina S. Griffith for this photo and update about Haley, who “participated in our first College Exploration and Engagement Summer Retreat and is in our first readiness program cohort,” said Director Christina Griffith.
The readiness program provides mentoring and support as the students involved transition to and through college.
Haley was also inducted into “the National Honor Society at Narraguagus High School on Tuesday, October 29th,” said Director Griffith, adding, “Congratulations to Class of 2022 college exploration and engagement student Haley and to fellow Narraguagus students inducted into the National Honor Society.”
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Maine Seacoast Mission, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and Three Partner Colleges Launch Four-Year Davis Maine Scholarship
BAR HARBOR, ME — The Maine Seacoast Mission, the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and three inaugural Partner Colleges — Clark University (MA), University of New England (ME), and Wheaton College (MA) — announce the launch of the Davis Maine Scholarship: a full, four-year scholarship for rural, first-generation college students from Washington and eastern Hancock Counties.
In announcing this new program, Andrew Davis of the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund said, “This is a remarkable opportunity for deserving Downeast high school scholars. We are creating this scholarship for students who excel in their studies, persist through hardship and will be among the first members of their families to go to college. I very much look forward to supporting our college and high school partners on behalf these exceptional young people. It is extremely exciting to play a role in showing the world what Downeast students can achieve.”
Christina Griffith, Davis Maine Scholarship Director at The Maine Seacoast Mission added “Coupled with the family and community strengths from which our Downeast students come, the Davis Maine Scholarship will provide Davis Scholars what they need to prepare for, persist through and successfully complete their undergraduate studies.”
At first, Davis Maine Scholars will be selected from two partner high schools: Narraguagus in Harrington, ME and Sumner Memorial in Sullivan, ME. The first Davis Maine Scholarship cohort will be selected as high school juniors in Fall, 2020. Prior to matriculating to college in Fall 2022, they will receive strategic college transition planning and support with college research, admissions and financial aid information, as well as tools for personal and academic college success. The Davis Maine Scholarship also includes family engagement workshops, given the integral role families play in supporting students through their college studies.
Davis Maine Scholarship Partner Colleges were selected based on their institutional commitment to increasing socioeconomic diversity through demonstrated success with serving first-generation college bound, low-income, rural students through existing programs and resources. Partner Colleges also demonstrated success with freshman retention and four-year college completion rates, especially among first-generation college bound students.
The Davis Maine Scholarship builds on the success of the Mission’s educational programs. For more than a century, the Mission has worked to address multi-generational poverty in rural Washington and eastern Hancock Counties through programs including the Mission Scholarship Program (Founded 1918), and the Ed Greaves Education (EdGE) K-12 youth development program (Founded 2002).
John Zavodny, Maine Seacoast Mission President said, “We are very pleased to be partnering with the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund to continue to provide Downeast communities with greater access to higher education. This strong partnership will result in more college graduates, greater economic opportunity and new roads toward promising futures.”
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BAR HARBOR, ME — Among the Mission’s new scholarship recipients this year, the David and Ann Ingram Scholarship was awarded to Matthew Correia from Sumner High School in Sullivan. Mr. Correia is a volunteer firefighter for Winter Harbor and has trained for certifications in CPR and first aid. The three-sport athlete looks forward to entering Eastern Maine Community College in the fall and will study Fire Science Technology, pursuing his passion.
Mission scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic promise. Most scholarships are renewable, permitting students to reapply for all four years of college as long as they meet the Mission scholarship criteria. Scholarships range in amount from $1,500 – $5,000.
In 2019 Maine Seacoast Mission renewed sixty scholarships totaling $106,500, and awarded twenty-eight new scholarships totaling $59,000.
BAR HARBOR, ME — These photos are from our initial CEECoast College Exploration and Engagement retreat the Maine Seacoast Mission (MSM) hosted, June 30 to July 2 at College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor.
A dozen wonderful sophomores from Sumner and Narraguagus High Schools were selected to participate in this college readiness program providing mentoring and support as the students transition to and through college.
During the retreat the students enjoyed the beautiful COA campus, toured the college’s Beech Hill Farm, which is a working farm growing fresh vegetables, participated with COA professors in workshops, did team building activities and an art project.
Along with MSM Program Director for New Education Initiatives Christina Griffith, MSM Scholarship recipient and recent Husson University graduate Tristan Alley, and MSM Scholarship recipient and EdGE Journey Coordinator Briana West served as chaperones during the retreat.
To learn more email Director for New Education Initiatives Christina Griffith at [email protected].
