PORTLAND —“No one should be guaranteed success, but everyone should have a fair chance to succeed, to go as high and as far as his or her talent, willingness to work, and willingness to take risks will carry them.”

The words of Senator George J. Mitchell offer a succinct, yet apt, description of the hope engendered by the Mitchell Institute, an organization that, for 30 years, has greatly increased the likelihood that young people from every Maine community aspire to, pursue, and achieve a college education.

Senator Mitchell founded the Mitchell Scholarship Program in 1995 to increase educational opportunities for Maine students. Four years later, the Mitchell Institute was established, adding career and personal support programs for Mitchell Scholars, fellowships, and a research component.

Mitchell Scholars are selected based on academic promise, community impact, and financial need.

“Every year, the Mitchell Institute awards a college scholarship to at least one graduating senior from each public high school in Maine. This year, 200 Mitchell Scholarships were awarded. It’s remarkable to see the ways in which the Institute helps these promising students develop leadership skills, find professional development opportunities, and form career networks in addition to the crucial financial support,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank, which recently donated $10,000 to the Institute and its impact.

Each scholar carries a story of drive, perseverance, and achievement in the face of adversity. Fueled by hope and an eagerness to leverage their hard work and determination to improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the world around them. In the 30 years since its inception, over 4,000 Mitchell Scholars have been named and nearly $29 million distributed to deserving young people throughout Maine.

“They have done incredible things for their communities,” said Janice de Lima, Community Reinvestment Act Officer VP at Norway Savings Bank. “In providing this support to the Institute, NSB is helping to ensure the spirit and enthusiasm of young people from every community in Maine are nourished and celebrated, and we’re grateful for the opportunity.”

Through the work of the Institute, Mitchell Scholars graduate from college at a rate (90%) that far exceeds the national average (58%), and the guidance they are offered, both during and after college, helps provide an invaluable roadmap to a fulfilling life.

“As a Mitchell Scholar, I’ve joined a lifelong community dedicated to helping one another thrive,” said Ideh Rohani, a graduate of Edward Little High School who now serves as a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator for MaineHealth. “Having witnessed firsthand how the Institute transforms Scholars and strengthens communities, I am deeply grateful to be part of this network, one that is committed to advancing Maine’s future.”

“This organization isn’t just a scholarship. It’s a lifelong community of support, mentorship, and opportunity. It has helped me become a better leader and more engaged member of my community, and I will always be deeply grateful for its impact on my life,” said Adam Fortier-Brown, a Gardiner High School graduate who is now a law student at the University of Maine School of Law and the Editor-in-Chief of the Maine Law Review.

“The Mitchell Institute has consistently empowered me to explore. I’ve changed directions many times, sometimes by choice and sometimes not,” said Adriana Ortiz-Burnham, a Monmouth Academy alum and development lead for Presente! Maine, which offers aid to displaced and dispossessed Afro/Indigenous-Latines. “The Institute was there through it all, investing material and intangible resources in me and my future, reflecting my potential back at me.”

“When you hear just one of the Scholar stories, you’re moved by what this organization is accomplishing. Having the chance to be a small part of this assistance and the betterment of Maine’s future is an honor for us,” said Walsh. “The Mitchell Institute is changing the course of thousands of young people to a better destination, and NSB, as well as our state, is thankful for the creation and maintenance of that path.”

To learn more about the Mitchell Institute, its work, or to learn how you can help the organization in its mission, visit www.mitchellinstitute.org.