Let’s Get Social: April 2025 ICYMI, here’s a sampling of what was liked, loved, and shared on our social media channels in April 2025.
USM Leaders Played Host to Mitchell Scholars, staff at campus reception
On Thursday, April 3, University of Southern Maine President Jacqueline Edmonson and senior leaders played host to USM-enrolled Mitchell Scholars and Mitchell Institute staff for the school’s annual reception. Held at the Glickman Family Library on USM’s Portland Campus, the reception gave President Edmondson and Mitchell Institute President and CEO Jared Cash an opportunity to honor Scholars, introduce them to campus leaders and resources, and help them build connections with other Scholars — all over cupcakes, coffee, tea. The gathering also provided Scholarship Director Casey Near with an opportunity to talk up the Institute’s array of programs and supports and to thank USM campus ambassadors Deklin Fitzgerald and Tori Leavitt for rallying fellow Scholars to the annual event.
We Thanked Four Alumni for helping us select 200 New Mitchell Scholars
April is a magical and very busy time of the year at the Mitchell Institute because it’s Scholarship application reading season! We took to social media to thank our first-ever group of Mitchell Scholar Alumni application readers for helping us select 200 Mitchell Scholars (the largest class ever!) that will be named later this spring. Our inaugural alumni readers are — bookended by President and CEO Jared Cash (far left) and Scholarship Director Casey Near (far right) — Alfine Nathalie, the 2008 Mitchell Scholar from Falmouth High School; Jessica Drescher, the 2007 Mitchell Scholar from Bangor High School; Spencer Traylor, the 2011 Mitchell Scholar from Penquis Valley High School; and Ideh Rohani, the 2002 Mitchell Scholar from Edward Little High School. If you are a Mitchell Scholar Alum who is interested in reading applications, Scholarship Director Casey Near is planning to expand our Alumni application reader pool for next year — so stay tuned for more details this fall.
Bates Leaders Played Host to Scholars, Staff at Campus REception
Seven days after the Mitchell Scholar reception at USM, Bates College President Garry Jenkins hosted Mitchell Scholars, one professor (an Alum!), Institute staff, and Bates enrollment leaders for a reception at his home overlooking the college’s Historic Quad. The gathering gave Mitchell Scholars, along with Mitchell Institute President and CEO Jared Cash (a 2004 Bates grad!) and Scholarship Director Casey Near, a chance to meet with campus leaders, including Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Leigh Weisenburger, Director of Admission Darryl Uy, Director of Student Financial Services Wendy Glass, and Assistant Dean of Admission Dan Abbatello. As for the one Alum in attendance, we were delighted to be joined by Bates Assistant Professor of Politics Alexandra McAuliff, the 2009 Mitchell Scholar from Waterville Senior High School.