Summer is here with record student enrollment at Maine’s public universities

The University of Maine System has achieved its eighth consecutive semester of enrollment growth as summer courses keep students on track to in-demand degrees and high-paying careers in the Maine workforce, with more than 12,600 undergraduate, graduate and law students - a 9.5% increase from last year

ORONO, Maine - A record 12,610 students are advancing their college and career goals and the size and skill of the state's workforce by taking courses this summer through Maine's public universities.

While some classes started in May, as summer officially begins, the University of Maine System (UMS) has achieved its eighth consecutive semester of demographic-defying growth, with 9.5% more students enrolled than at this same time last year and 28.7% more than five years ago.

Since enrollment tracking began at the System level two decades ago, no previous period of enrollment growth exceeded four semesters (Summer 2018-Summer 2019).

"At a time when many postsecondary institutions in the Northeast face enrollment challenges, the University of Maine System is growing because students and families recognize the unmatched value of affordable, high-quality education from Maine's public universities," said Chancellor Dannel Malloy. "This record summer enrollment reflects the strength of our public universities, the relevance of our academic offerings and the success of our strategic efforts to help more learners stay on track to earn degrees that lead to high-paying careers and upward mobility. As Maine's largest provider of talent, we are proud to be expanding educational and earning opportunities and the workforce to power our state's economy and future."

Summer enrollment gains are driven by demand for System degree programs and a commitment from Maine's public universities to improve retention, timely credential completion and pathways to high-paying careers, which has been supported by investments in student success from the Harold Alfond Foundation through UMS TRANSFORMS (External Site).

To keep students - many with work and caregiving responsibilities that prevent full-time enrollment during the traditional fall and spring semesters - on track to door-opening degrees, Maine's public universities have expanded summer offerings, with more than 1,700 unique courses available this summer.

Five of the System's seven universities are posting year-over-year summer headcount gains, led by the University of Maine at Presque Isle (+60%). UMPI's flexible, online competency-based YourPace adult degree completion program (External Site) now accounts for about one-fifth of students enrolled within UMS this summer and one-third of total summer credit hours.

"The summer courses offered through UMPI allowed me to stay on track and complete the remaining requirements for my bachelor's degree, enabling me to begin my master's program this fall," said UMPI student Caitlin Deppe. "The flexibility of the YourPace program allowed me to accelerate my progress while balancing other responsibilities, and the support from faculty and staff was instrumental to my success. The engaging coursework strengthened my knowledge and prepared me for future opportunities. This degree aligns with my professional goal of working with teams to support leadership development and organizational change initiatives."

The University of Maine at Fort Kent (+24%), the University of Maine at Farmington (+20%) and the University of Maine at Augusta (+4%) are also serving more students this summer, and more aspiring attorneys (+29%) are gaining real-world lawyering experience and expanding access to justice through University of Maine School of Law courses and credit-bearing summer fellowships and externships.

"Summer classes have been essential for helping me in timely completion of my degree," said UMF Psychology student Emma Yankowsky, who recently changed majors. "Finding out that we could take summer classes was a game-changer. I quickly made up for any classes that didn't count towards my degree and got right back on track. The fast-paced course load is right for my learning style and keeps me accountable and focused. I feel like the focus I keep during the summer also carries over into the fall and spring semesters. I stay in the swing of having homework and lessons, and that definitely shows in my fall and spring performances. My grades are better and I feel that everything feels more manageable because I've stuck to the routine of having consistent work to do."

Meanwhile, the total number of UMS credit hours being taken is up 25% from last summer, and more than 73% over five years.

Maine's public universities are increasingly vibrant during the summer, with active academic programs, world-class research and development, and camps, conferences and other community events that generate revenue so the System can maintain the region's most affordable student tuition.

Some UMS universities offer incoming students a reduced-cost summer course to ease the transition to postsecondary education and promote degree progress. There are also August bridge weeks that engage first-year students in meaningful hands-on research - including at the R1 University of Maine (External Site) - to improve retention and student belonging and success. These research learning experiences are funded through the Harold Alfond Foundation-supported UMS TRANSFORMS and are not reflected in the summer enrollment data.

Additionally, nearly 700 Maine high school students are earning postsecondary credit for free this summer through the System's early college programs, mostly at UMaine and the University of Southern Maine.

Maine's public universities will conduct a formal count of students - known as a census - on Aug. 15 and expect enrollment to continue to climb until then, especially at UMPI, where a new eight-week YourPace session starts on July 6.

As part of the System's ongoing commitment to transparency, summer enrollment data is available on its public dashboard (External Site).

About the University of Maine System

The University of Maine System (UMS) is the state's largest driver of educational attainment and economic development and its seven public universities and law school are the most affordable in New England. Over the past two decades, UMS has awarded 106,362 degrees and spurred and strengthened thousands of small Maine businesses through its world-class research and development activities. For more information, visit https://www.maine.edu.

Media Contact:

Samantha WarrenChief External & Governmental Affairs Officer207-632-0389 / [email protected]