The deadline for applications is Monday, March 31, 2025.
The Maine Policy Scholars program is a unique opportunity in which one student is selected from each of the seven schools in the University of Maine system. That student — selected by faculty committee from a set of applicants — will receive a $5,000 scholarship, a $1,000 research budget, and a transformative opportunity to work with state political, non-profit, and academic leaders while learning how to address an important social problem facing Maine through policy research.
UMA’s Maine Policy Scholar will take the 2025/2026 academic year to research an issue of policy relevance to Maine and present a final report in the form of a memo to the governor or legislature. The program engages students from the University of Maine System in the public policy process. After conducting extensive research — drawn from a combination of academic literature, non-profit publications, analysis of data, and interviews — the scholar is expected to produce a final report which outlines the problem, the current state of knowledge regarding that problem, and recommended policy solutions to address the problem. A scholar’s topic, which can be of local or statewide significance, should be well-defined, amenable to research, and of real concern to Maine or a segment of its people.
This is a professional networking opportunity as much as it is a research opportunity. During the year, the scholars from all campuses gather on multiple occasions as a group with academic advisors, community mentors, and statewide leaders of the program. Scholars work with a community mentor who is well-versed in the topic and will contact additional members of the Maine policy community as needed. Finally, they will meet regularly with the UMA Maine Policy Scholar faculty advisor on campus for guidance in focusing the work, checking progress, and getting input on research. At the conclusion of the year, UMA’s Maine Policy Scholar will not just know, but be known. Past UMA Maine Policy Scholars have gone on to work in state government, to lead advocacy organizations, and to introduce legislation to the Maine State Legislature.
Application Information
The deadline for applications is Monday, March 31, 2025. The selection committee seeks a completed brief 1-page application form and a short statement describing the applicant’s goal for policy research in Maine — just two pages long — but students should be conscientious about how they use those two pages to make their case, since a number of students will apply and only one student’s application will be accepted. Completed applications should be sent to vickie.ireland@maine.edu.
Interested students should review the Maine Policy Scholars program webpage and Maine Community Foundation webpage to obtain more detail about the program and to review examples of previous scholars’ work.
Prior experience in research is much less important than strong commitment and clear vision of a research plan. Students will learn as they go, and that starts with the application — interested students are welcome to send draft applications to vickie.ireland@maine.edu for feedback before the deadline.