MMA Recognized for Unique Student Support
MMA is featured in the article “How 3 Colleges Make Mobility a Reality,” published by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a leading newspaper and website dedicated to issues, people and trends in higher ed.
Maine Maritime is noted for its efforts to consistently help students up the economic ladder, along with the University of Wisconsin at Eau Clair and Spelman College.
While citing the recently published study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce that ranks Maine Maritime among the best colleges in the country for its graduates’ long-term economic gain, “more than that for graduates of Harvard or Georgetown Universities — and all but five other colleges in the country,” the article also reports on how MMA provides special support for new students from their first days of college.
Emphasis is given to providing students the tools to navigate college and beyond: “All take a mandatory course to help them make the transition to college and put them on a path toward a career. (Technically, there are two courses, with one tailored for the two-thirds of Maine Maritime students who will earn U.S. Coast Guard licenses in addition to their bachelor’s degrees.) During the course, students learn about time management, practice public speaking, and are introduced to campus services. Some class sessions have an explicit jobs focus, such as how to apply for an internship or the proper etiquette for a business lunch.
“Giving students support from Day 1 is seen as critical at Maine Maritime, where nearly half the students are the first in their families to go to college and a quarter receive Pell Grants.”
The article also describes safety net initiatives and other aspects of MMA programs that provide continuing support, such as “close advising and Student Early Assistance, a team of faculty, administrators, and counselors who intervene at the first signs a student is struggling academically or emotionally.”
As is often cited, the academy “concentrates on hands-on training through internships and co-ops, and students take part in summertime training cruises, where they apply what they’ve learned in the classroom.” In addition, MMA graduates’ “success over an entire career is grounded in soft skills like leadership and teamwork.”
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