Tip Ackerman spent much of her life believing a college education was not in her cards.

“I didn’t realize college was an option for me or that those doors were open,” she said. Last fall, Ackerman joined the University of Maine at Farmington’s (UMF) Class of 2025 at the age of 62. She is now on her way to earning a bachelor’s degree in education and forging a new career path as a teacher.

Ackerman is just one of the thousands of Maine learners supported by the Maine Community Foundation scholarship program. These scholarships have provided thousands of educational and career-advancement opportunities to Maine students since its first scholarship fund opened in 1984.

Four decades later, MaineCF’s 700 scholarships support a broad range of learners from all corners of the state. The foundation has awarded more than 32,000 scholarships totaling more than $72.2 million.

MaineCF scholarships have evolved as Maine has evolved since the 1980’s. Today, a student might be on a traditional post-secondary path at a four-year university. Or they may have newly arrived in Maine from another country and seek to earn a high-school diploma. Like Ackerman, they might be an adult looking to pursue a passion discovered later in life.

The James and Marilyn Rockefeller Scholarship was created in 2007 to support adults who are on a “road less traveled” and seek educational experiences that will change their life and the lives of those around them. This became the foundation of MaineCF’s Adult Learner Scholarship, which has since awarded 2,306 scholarships totaling $5.1 million.

The Adult Learner Scholarship has opened doors to new careers and helped nontraditional students earn credentials to advance their current careers. These are adults who often have families and full-time jobs but want to attend school for the first time or return to school.

It wasn’t until Ackerman was 59 that she thought about earning a college degree. After working as a landscaper, painter and for the U.S. Census Bureau, she found herself volunteering in a kindergarten classroom.

“That was it,” she said. “Within hours, I knew where I wanted to be.” She earned a high school equivalency diploma a couple of months later and enrolled at Washington County Community College to pursue an associate degree.

She was awarded several MaineCF adult learner scholarships to fund her education there.

In 2021, Ackerman enrolled at Washington County Community College to pursue an associate degree. She was awarded several MaineCF adult learner scholarships to fund her education there. An avid hiker and lover of nature, Ackerman is grateful for her internship at Sipayik Elementary School, with the Passamaquoddy Nation, which deepened her understanding of where values around community, environment and nature-based education meet.

“As someone who experienced early parental loss, displacement and chaotic changes, I always found my own secure attachment in the woods and in nature,” said Ackerman. “When I discovered there was a whole movement around nature-based education, I was really, really excited.”

She credits her instructors at WCCC for the inspiration to continue her education. Once she graduates from UMF, Ackerman plans to work in nature-based and trauma-responsive early education and curriculum development.

“The support from MaineCF and encouragement of my instructors really helped me see the trail that was opening up for me”, she said. “This was instrumental in understanding how my own early years could become something of value and believing in those dreams.”

Wyatt Ford, an Ira M. Cobe Fund scholarship recipient, used his passion for fly fishing and nature to earn a bachelor’s degree in zoology at the University of Maine. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in wildlife and conservation management at Unity Environmental University. His goal is for a career with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ashley Conti photo

The Ira M. Cobe Scholarship Fund has itself evolved from offering traditional scholarships to funding a broad range of educational opportunities over the past 32 years.

The fund opened in 1991 with an initial intent to support “poor boys and young men” living in Waldo County pursuing post-secondary education. A 2001 amendment to the fund opened scholarships to girls.

Today, the Cobe fund has several components. It supports students pursuing higher education, camperships at local summer camps, awards grants to Waldo County elementary, middle, and high schools and for educational opportunities such as class trips, college visits and summer school tuition. The fund has awarded scholarships totaling $3.4 million.

In addition to traditional college scholarships, the Cobe fund provides support for high school students on different career paths. Students pursuing a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate can receive scholarships for required items such as scrubs, stethoscopes and supportive footwear. Those entering trades such as welding or building construction can purchase protective boots.

“Those are all very expensive items. Some students don’t have an extra dime to spend on equipment,” said Bonnie Kein, student services coordinator at Waldo County Technical Center. “They wouldn’t be able to participate in these programs without Cobe scholarships.”

The right equipment helps students get a head start on their careers. Once they earn a certificate, they are ready to enter the workforce with everything they need to succeed.