Charting a New Course for First Generation Students

by Emme Demmendaal

Each year, first-generation college students from rural Maine are mapping a new course with assistance from the University of New England and the Davis Maine Scholarship.  

Opening a letter seemed like a small thing to Mali Smith back in the spring of 2021.  

At the time, she was walking to her high school locker with a friend, letter in hand. Smith was graduating from Narraguagus High School next year, and she had been waiting on news that had the potential to change her plans.  

Anticipation mounted as she ripped open the envelope and pulled out its contents. Inside was a note from the Maine Seacoast Mission about a new initiative, the Davis Maine Scholarship program, which offers students from Downeast Maine a full-ride scholarship for tuition and living expenses at three participating universities. The letter informed Smith that she had been accepted into the program鈥檚 inaugural cohort.  

It was that piece of paper that ended up changing her life trajectory, Smith said. 

Davis Scholars attending U N E stand on the walkway above the University of New England lettering on the Biddeford Campus

She hadn鈥檛 yet decided what she would do after high school graduation. She grew up in the Washington County community of Columbia Falls 鈥 population 500. She said the cost of attending school kept her from deciding whether to go to college or work for her family鈥檚 carpentry business in town.  

鈥淚 knew I needed support to make it happen,鈥 Smith said. Like many rural Maine high school graduates, her family didn鈥檛 have the means to send her to school.

The letter from the Davis Maine Scholarship program opened the door to college for Smith. 

It isn鈥檛 just a scholarship. It was an entire path change, not just for me but for my sister, too.鈥 鈥 Mali Smith

鈥淭he scholarship pushed me over the edge to definitively say I was going to go to college at the University of New England,鈥 she said. 

The Davis Maine Scholarship provides up to six first-generation college students in rural Washington and eastern Hancock Counties with the financial support needed to pursue and complete bachelor鈥檚 degrees from a prestigious, private liberal arts college in New England.  

In the scholarship鈥檚 inaugural cohort, four of the six students selected the University of New England (杏吧视频) to pursue higher education.  

U N E Davis scholars Mali Smith, Emilee Hutchins, and Rachel Colby
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杏吧视频 stands as the sole Maine institution collaborating on this distinctive initiative for its track record of effectively serving first-generation, low-income rural students through existing programs.

鈥淓ducation is something that can change your life, but it can change the life of your family as well,鈥 said John Zavodny, Ph.D., president of the Maine Seacoast Mission. Working closely with partner high schools and 杏吧视频, the program provides students with guidance as they apply to college and transition through it, and it also includes a parent workshop and support. 

鈥淲hen we selected our partner colleges, we were looking for institutions who saw real value in the students that we work with and who also had a credible track record and programs in place to support those first-generation, college-going students,鈥 Zavodny said.

Andrew Davis created the scholarship because of his experience at a college in Maine, where he recognized the transformative value of a four-year liberal arts education away from home, he said. The scholarship, named after his family and the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, aims to provide students with a similar experience and continue the legacy of philanthropy in education initiated by his predecessors.

Serving first-generation college students is a tradition that dates to 杏吧视频鈥檚 origins, said Shane Long, M.S., assistant dean of students. Long, along with many University leaders, including the president, provost, dean of students, and other key members of the faculty and professional staff, are first-generation college students.

Education is something that can change your life, but it can change the life of your family as well.鈥 鈥 John Zavodny

鈥淎 large part of 杏吧视频鈥檚 history has been serving underserved students all the way back to St. Francis College,鈥 said Long, referring to one of 杏吧视频鈥檚 precursor institutions. St. Francis College was founded, in the place where the 杏吧视频 Biddeford Campus is today, with the goal of educating young residents who may not normally have attended college, he said.

鈥溞影墒悠 is and has always been a place for students who might not have an opportunity to be at an academically rigorous residential campus with connections to graduate school and the opportunity to participate in research,鈥 Long said. 

Each year, over 30% of 杏吧视频鈥檚 admitted undergraduate students are first-generation students. With this in mind, the University has actively tailored programs to address their unique challenges, Long said, and the Davis Maine Scholars are great examples of the 杏吧视频 first-generation students鈥 journey. 

Katie Bernier, MBA, assistant director of undergraduate admissions, provides Davis Maine Scholars with support through the college selection process and serves as an administrative contact once scholars matriculate to 杏吧视频. 

鈥淎 whole team is available to help (the Davis Maine scholars) find success, from student academic support, faculty assistance, mentoring, and the community the students have on campus,鈥 Bernier said.  

Finding a Community

Emilee Hutchins, from Winter Harbor, credits the program for easing the financial hardship of college and the University for providing support while adjusting to college life. She said it helped her develop connections, pushed her to succeed academically, and gave her tools to thrive beyond school.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really freeing to have this scholarship,鈥 said Hutchins, who is a sophomore elementary-middle education major in the College of Arts and Sciences, adding that she wants to open her own daycare or preschool in her hometown or a nearby town. The scholarship and education at 杏吧视频 have put her further ahead than she thought possible, she said. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 more than I ever thought I could get to achieve my goals,鈥 she said. 鈥溞影墒悠 has an amazing (education) program and the people at 杏吧视频 have really helped me adjust to college life and made sure I was succeeding.鈥  

Hutchins highlighted that the people within the School of Education, from the professional staff to her professors, were there to help her as she navigated the college system for the first time. 鈥淔rom understanding what resources are available to me to balancing my coursework, each person in the department helped me in their own way,鈥 she said. 

Emilee Hutchins

In addition to her first-year classes, Hutchins participated in the Education Club, one of more than 100 clubs and organizations 杏吧视频 students have created to enhance their college experience. 

鈥淚 was three-and-a-half hours away from home,鈥 she said, noting that the relationships and community she built with the club, along with her Davis Maine cohort, helped her ease into college life in her first year. 鈥淎long the way, I met people 鈥 I tried to get out there, and having a home away from home really helped since I didn鈥檛 have my family.

Finding New Pathways

Rachel Colby from Gouldsboro came to the University not sure exactly what she wanted to do besides work in health care.  

鈥淚鈥檝e always liked helping people,鈥 said Colby, who grew up lobstering with her father and younger sister. 鈥淎nd to some people, it sounds kind of crazy because, my whole life, I鈥檝e just been self-employed doing my own thing on the water.鈥

For her, the Davis Maine Scholarship opened doors to college, she said, that would have stayed closed otherwise. When Colby arrived at 杏吧视频, her advisors and professors helped guide her toward discovering a career path that fit her interests.

鈥淚鈥檝e talked to multiple advisors, admissions counselors, and even professors, and everyone鈥檚 there to help you and make sure you have the best experience you can,鈥 Colby said. 鈥淭hey really helped me narrow down what type of things I like to do. 

The other recipients and I are beyond grateful for the opportunities the Davis Maine Scholarship has provided for us鈥.Being away from home and knowing that you鈥檙e not alone 鈥 that you鈥檙e supported 鈥 makes it so much easier.鈥 鈥 Rachel Colby

Davis scholar and U N E student Rachel Colby