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Free tuition is having a moment in Maine higher education, and that can have a huge impact for Maine students. The Maine Community College System has already seen how its free tuition has helped bolster enrollment. And that free tuition movement can have an even greater impact for Maine young people furthering their education as two private institutions unveil new programs.
Here in Bangor, Husson University has announced the new Cyr Opportunity Scholarship, a powerful example of private philanthropy that will open more educational doors for students from Penobscot County. The scholarship, combined with federal, state and other aid, will allow certain students from this county to attend Husson with free tuition. Those students must have at least a 3.0 GPA in high school and a family income of less than $80,000 a year.
This opportunity has rightfully made headlines, and is being made possible by Joseph and Suzanne Cyr, Husson alumni and longtime school supporters.
“We’re pleased to be the main supporter for this incredible new opportunity for local students that will enable more young people to experience a quality Husson education like we received,” Joseph and Suzanne Cyr said in a press release from the university. The couple owned Cyr Bus Lines and Cyr Northstar Tours before transferring that ownership to their children.
“As a university, Husson wants to ensure that capable, driven students here in Maine can afford a quality education that prepares them for the future. Enabling local students to attend Husson without incurring debt is an investment in our future, their future and the future of our local economy,” Husson President Lynne Coy-Ogan added.
In southern Maine, the University of New England is also starting its own free tuition program. Students from across the country with a GPA of 3.85 or higher, from families with an annual income of less than $100,000 and who will attend full time while living on campus,will be eligible for this free tuition. Like the Husson effort, this new program will be available to begin the next school year, starting in fall of 2025.
“UNE is committed to attracting high-achieving students from across the country to New England, and to Maine in particular, and to guaranteeing that they are poised for success in the workforce when they graduate,” UNE president James Herbert said in a press release. “By removing financial barriers to a quality UNE education, we hope to bolster the workforce pipeline in this region and ensure the long-term vitality of Maine and New England’s new economy.”
We have to wonder if this free tuition model, especially the regional approach being taken at Husson, can be replicated at other Maine schools and for students in Maine’s 15 other counties. Are there other donors across the state willing to step up, like the Cyrs have done so admirably, to help expand higher education opportunities for students from their respective counties?
We applaud donors like the Cyrs who are making these initiatives possible, and schools like Husson and UNE that are implementing them. And we call on others to explore and enact approaches like this. These efforts can harness the power of local generosity and good planning to make higher education more accessible for Maine students.