The University of Maine and UMaine at Presque Isle (UMPI) have been working over the past months on efforts to build relationships with local businesses. Recently, agreements and collaborations have been officially implemented amongst The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and Momentum Aroostook to receive tuition discounts and free YourPace sessions, a model of education designed for students who are attempting to balance work, school and family. These agreements had been reached at the end of January and were implemented at the beginning of February.
President of UMPI Ray Rice has played a vital role in the expansion by approaching the University of Maine Graduate School of Business and inquiring about a potential discount program. He also worked to advocate for more opportunities for students at the graduate level within the business discipline. Rice’s advocacy has been a catalyst for the collaborations’ approval.
The major highlights of the collaborations and the program is the discount that students will receive towards business graduate school through UMaine. These discounts will exempt participants from application fees, offer a streamlined admissions process as well as academic advising directly with the Dean or Director of Graduate Programs. The collaboration and community relationship-building efforts ensure that students form strong relationships through Maine MBA networking events, seminars and workshop invitations, on-campus opportunities and job posting access among current MBA students and alumni network
Additionally, students will be able to take advantage of a free eight-week session through the UMPI online YourPace program, which would cost students $1,400 out of pocket.
The primary objective of the collaborations is to encourage members of the Northern Maine community to pursue higher education, particularly at the graduate level.
“UMPI is always looking for opportunities to partner with local organizations to offer greater access to affordable education,” Rice stated.
“We are so pleased to have the University of Maine Graduate School of Business expanding upon the incentives being made available to the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and Momentum Aroostook and providing graduate-level course offerings to our local business community,” Rice said. “A cornerstone of UMPI’s mission is to support our local economy and collaborate with area business and industry to support workforce development, and all of these discounts help us to do that. We are especially grateful to the University of Maine Graduate School of Business for establishing this new discount and creating greater access to graduate-level programming for people here in the County.”
As a part of the initiative, there has also been a 12% discount implemented through the Maine MBA Workforce Partners Program, which is accessible to any active members of the Maine Chamber of Commerce. The participants will benefit from lower tuition rates, aiding students in their pursuit of a Master of Business Administration at the UMaine Business School.
The UMaine Graduate School of Business has degrees in accounting, business analytics and finance and will be accessible to students at the Portland and Orono campuses, as well as online.
For those interested in learning more about the Workforce Partners Program, and collaboration with the UMaine Grad School of Business program visit umaine.edu/business/partners/ or contact the UMaine School of Business at 207-581-1973 or mba@maine.edu.
