Record number of Maine high school graduates receive Mitchell Scholarship – newscentermaine.com

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ORONO, Maine — For more than 200 Maine students, the dream of attending college just got a little closer.
This year, the Mitchell Institute awarded its $10,000 scholarship to a record-breaking number of graduating seniors—one from every public high school in the state. 
The financial support, funded through the foundation established by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, aims to break down the economic barriers that often stand in the way of higher education.
“This means the start of the rest of my life, honestly,” Fynley Murchison of Waterville High School said.  
Murchison plans on attending The University of Maine in Orono this fall.
Khalid Muhammed plans to attend his dream school at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He said the scholarship means freedom—freedom from financial stress and a chance to focus on his education.
“It’s a chip that fell off my shoulder … now I’m able to go to school without financial burden,” he said.
“I’m making a name for my mother, my family … I’m representing my whole bloodline,” Muhammed, a first-generation college student on his way to his dream school, explained.
Founded in 1995, the Mitchell Institute has maintained its commitment to supporting one student from each of Maine’s public high schools annually. This year’s increase in recipients reflects a broader push to expand access and reach more aspiring college students across the state.
“Paying it forward for the state of Maine to make sure that students who want to go to college but can’t afford it still can,” Mitchell Institute scholarship director Casey Near said.
One of this year’s scholars, Keeley Bailey-Parsley from Fort Fairfield High School, described how the scholarship is changing her life. 
“I was homeless my senior year so that played a huge role in my choice of college and my offers and opportunities, so I was really blessed to get this scholarship,” Bailey-Parsley explained.
After the months of struggling without a home and working, Bailey-Parsley said she’s now able to start her college career at Eastern Maine Community College without financial worries.
“I’m finally free to pick and choose what I want to do,” she said.
The financial boost is just one part of the Mitchell Institute’s long-term support system. Scholars also gain access to a network of more than 3,800 other scholarship winners who can share their experiences and advice.
“Alumns who are now lawyer or paramedics or firefighters in the state who have gone to college and been a Mitchell Scholar really can help you envision your own future,” Near said.
Mitchell, who spoke directly to the newest class of scholars, emphasized the importance of their energy and vision: “The world, our country, and our state need your enthusiasm and fresh ideas.”
Hoping students across the state can have the opportunity to pursue whatever academic future they desire.
“This is the start of a new beginning,” Bailey-Parsley said, excited for her future as a college student and Mitchell Scholar.

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