Najla Frayha

The Mitchell Institute's mission is to increase the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue, and achieve a college education. Each year, the Mitchell Institute awards a $10,000 Mitchell Scholarship to at least one graduating senior from every public high school in Maine. Selection is based on academic promise, financial need, and community impact. Since our founding in 1995, the Mitchell Institute has awarded more than $25 million in scholarship, fellowship, and contingency funds to more than 3,600 Scholars and Alumni who hail from every community in Maine. Through nearly three decades of experience and evidence-based research, we know that student success in college depends on more than money. That's why the Mitchell Institute offers Scholars a broad range of wraparound supports and resources during and after college to help them hone leadership skills, find and pursue career exploration opportunities, and develop networks that are vital to finding satisfying and purposeful work. This additional support and guidance during college increases Mitchell Scholars’ chances of attaining a degree, finding meaningful employment in Maine, and strengthening their communities long after college. Today, Scholars and Alumni say that this combination of financial and personal support makes a world of difference for them and their families. Our research on Mitchell Scholars demonstrates that our methods work: While 44% of recent Mitchell Scholars were the first in their families to attend college and 80% came from households earning less than Maine’s median family income, they graduate at a rate 27 percentage points higher than the national average. What's more, over 50% achieved earnings early in their careers that were higher than their entire family household income at the time they applied for the Mitchell Scholarship.