In Presque Isle, Governor Mills Promotes Her Plan to Make Free Community College Permanent

Presque Isle, MAINE-- Governor Janet Mills today visited Northern Maine Community College to highlight her proposal to make her Free Community College initiative permanent.

Since the Governor's Free College program began in fall 2022, more than 22,300 recent high school graduates have enrolled tuition-free at Maine community colleges. This morning, the Governor met with NMCC students utilizing the program to prepare for in-demand industries including nursing, automotive technology, and building construction.

Governor Mills has proposed making the Free College program permanent as part of her Affordability Agenda (PDF), the cornerstone of her supplemental budget proposal under consideration by the Legislature.

"My grandparents were Aroostook County potato farmers, and I spent nearly all of my childhood summers with them in Ashland -- experiences that instilled in me a lifelong respect for the hard work that sustains communities in the County," said Governor Janet Mills. "As Governor, I've been proud to make record investments to expand education and career training in Northern Maine, ensuring that the next generation has the skills and knowhow to keep the County strong for generations to come."

"We were pleased to welcome Governor Janet Mills to Northern Maine Community College today and appreciate her taking the time to meet with our students and tour our Building Construction Technology program," said NMCC President Doug Binsfeld. "Visits like this provide an important opportunity for our students to share their experiences and highlight the impact programs like the Maine Free College Scholarship are having on their education and future careers."

While in Presque Isle, the Governor also visited Presque Tech Center to see firsthand how the school has used more than $800,000 in investments by the Mills Administration to enhance programs preparing students for careers in agriculture, agriculture mechanics, and the building and design trades.

Through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan and a 2022 CTE Equipment Bond she signed into law, Presque Isle Tech Center has upgraded equipment and expanded training opportunities to prepare students for Maine's agricultural economy and other high-demand industries.

Governor Mills' investments in career and technical education include more than $20 million from her Jobs Plan to expand career and technical education across the State, including $4.5 million in awards to 23 CTE programs to purchase and upgrade equipment that enhances student learning experiences and strengthens career preparation.