LEWISTON — For years, Androscoggin County high school students have taken college courses through the Early College program. This fall, a similar program will be launched for adults.

“We’re calling it ‘First Class’ because it will enable adults in Androscoggin County to take their first college course tuition-free,” said Jan Phillips, associate dean for community relations at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College and chairwoman of College for ME—Androscoggin. “We also think they ought to feel like first-class students.”

The program came about after College for ME—Androscoggin received a matching challenge grant from a New England foundation called Jane’s Trust to help adults go to college.

“If we raised $30,000, they would match it,” Phillips said. “We had to do it by Dec. 1.”

On Friday, Phillips told an audience during the annual awards luncheon that the group had raised $55,000.

The $85,000 will start the endowment, which is small for an endowment, but it’s a start, Phillips said, adding that they hope to grow the endowment to $100,000.

Interest from the principal will help send adults to colleges in Androscoggin County.

College for ME—Androscoggin has also been awarded $10,000 a year for three years from the Maine Community Foundation for scholarships.

“We haven’t worked out the details, but it’s a nice pairing because First Class gives people the samples,” while the organization will have a bit more ability to help with college costs, Phillips said.

The hope is that First Class will do the same thing that Early College has done for teenagers, said Joan Macri, associate director of Learning Works at USM-LAC.

“It takes people who are not confident that they’re college material and gives them that first class,” she said. “Suddenly, they see they can handle it and they can be successful. They feel confident to move on.”

First Class will pay only for the first class, but the experience could buy adults time to do the financial aid search, explore courses and careers, Phillips said.

According to the 2000 Census, only 16 percent of adults in Androscoggin County had bachelor’s degrees, and 25 percent had associate’s degrees. Since 2000, the number of degree-holders has gone up by about 5 percent, Phillips said. But still, those numbers are below Maine and New England averages.

[email protected]