From the Desk of EdGE Secondary Program Director Christy Oliveri August is the time when, if you loved school (like me), or have school-age kids, you begin thinking about back-to-school: autumn, book supplies, and college campuses filled with the excited and anxious faces of new students. The Mission’s Davis Maine Scholarship moved into “back to school” mode a month ago, which means we have a new “class” of Scholars ready to begin their first year in college. This year, all four of them are attending the University of New England (UNE) in southern Maine, though they can choose between Wheaton College, Clark University, and UNE. The Maine vibe at UNE and the oceanfront are hard to beat. But it is not just that it is in Maine, it is also that UNE is the closest to these student’s homes, although “close” can mean four to five hours away. One of this year’s Scholars hails from Calais, and though she will attend college in her home state, the drive home can be daunting. 
Homesickness, common amongst new students, is something our Scholars regularly encounter. All their exciting new college experiences can also be challenging since they are all first-generation college students, which means their parents did not graduate from college. Without that “college knowledge,” navigating the application process, visiting, choosing a school, and all the paperwork that comes with financial aid and enrollment can be overwhelming. As its own program, the Davis Maine Scholarship helps make that whole process less frightening and more doable, The Mission takes Scholars on college visits, helps them complete the FAFSA and the common application, and assists with the myriad of other forms and tasks that must be completed before they arrive on campus (think health insurance, parking, and billing). We give Scholars a laptop before they leave for college. This year, some received their computers early because they didn’t have one at home. The Mission is regularly of the strengths and the benefits these Scholars come to us with. They come from rural Maine with supportive and often very close immediate and extended family. Those families want to visit their kids, which the Scholarship helps them do through a stipend for a certain number of visits per year. Scholars often have at least one younger sibling watching them go off to college admiringly, waiting their turn. Our Scholars often return home during the summers to work and save money or contribute to family income. One Scholars roofs every summer with her dad—a great skill to have when she owns a house one day. They have new experiences as well. A Davis Maine Scholar at Clark participated in a project research this summer, so the program supported her in living on campus for the season. This July, the Class of 2029 Scholar cohort traveled to Boston for a retreat before heading off to school. Our Maine kids sweltered in the humid heat of the oceanfront in Quincy, explored Chinatown, and hung out at the Aquarium. They explored public transportation together, and taking the subway in Boston and a weekend trip on Amtrak might seem familiar in the future. 
Scholars from previous Davis Maine cohorts join these retreats and assume the role of mentors. The two that joined this year, a junior and a sophomore, provided advice about the first year experience, safety on campus, buying books, living in a residence hall, and all the other questions our scholars have about college (while Mission staff gave them privacy and space to ask all their burning questions about college!). Through all the new experiences, it is probable that ordering food through Door Dash may have won the day. You cannot order groceries to be sent to your house in Downeast Maine. One student said she could be in danger of spending all her money on delivery in college, which led to the Scholar mentors to talk about budgeting and make recommendations. September is here. The time to leave home and head to school has come. Goodbye to friends and partners who are attending other colleges or are jumping into a career. Goodbye to family and their Downeast home. But hello to a brand-new experience that is guaranteed to be life changing. To learn more about the Mission’s work with first-generation college students, please visit the Davis Maine Scholarship web page.
