AUBURN – About 40 area legislators and other community leaders gathered recently at Central Maine Community College to hear about the State of the College. Breaking with the tradition of a report from the president, four students presented their perspectives.

Chris Rainville, an education major, served as Master of Ceremonies and introduced general studies student Janaya Millett of South Paris, liberal studies post-graduate Caroline Ward of Winthrop and business major Justin Carver of Minot.

Millett was a straight-A student at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and was involved in a number of extracurricular activities. She chose the Auburn school as a place to start her college education because it is accessible and affordable. She plans to continue her studies in a four-year program.

Ward was accepted into Smith College in Massachusetts but deferred her plans so she could take advantage of being named a George Mitchell Peace Scholar and spend time studying in Ireland.

Carver started at the college when it was still Central Maine Technical College and told the group how much the renovations to the library last year and the dining commons have helped in the transformation into a community college – and how much it is appreciated by the students.

Fund-raising for the projects has been the focus of the First Decade Campaign of the CM Education Foundation; 12 members of the foundation board attended and were pleased to hear that their work has had an impact.