LEWISTON — Friday is the fifth annual College Day in Androscoggin County, when everyone is encouraged to wear college garb.

Those who do can get a free cup of coffee at one of eight Lewiston-Auburn businesses: The Bread Shack, Cumberland Farms, She Doesn’t Like Guthries, Italian Bakery on Bartlett Street, Starbucks, Masgali Restaurant, Rolly’s Diner and the Library Cafe, said Joan Macri of College for ME-Androscoggin, which sponsors the day.

In an effort to get more people wearing and talking college on College Day, this year there will be two new components: the free coffee and new stickers.

Macri explained why.

Schools have done much to promote higher education on College Day. They display college posters and logos. Some kindergarten students get shirts that proclaim them a future graduate. Teachers talk to students about their college experience, different majors and the differences between a two-year degree and a four-year degree.

“The schools are on top of this,” Macri said. “Where we haven’t been successful is getting the public to talk about college on the day in line at the post office or at Shaw’s, on the street. That’s the piece we’re trying to tackle.”

Therefore, there’s a two-prong effort in Lewiston-Auburn: Asking area businesses to give coffee to college-garb wearers, and new stickers available at public libraries and at city halls in Lewiston and Auburn.

The stickers allow those who can’t wear college garb at work, including hospital workers, to join in.

At St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Central Maine Medical Center, workers must “wear scrubs, and they all have degrees. So our two major hospitals could not participate,” Macri said.

The College for ME-Androscoggin culture building committee came up with stickers that read: “The College for ME is ….” The wearer fills in the name of the college.

CMMC emergency room nurse Shaad Masood will be one wearing a sticker on his scrubs.

Masood, 32, graduated from Lewiston High School, the University of Maine and the CMMC College of Nursing.

Friday will be a great day to celebrate college and all those who support students, Masood said, “parents working an extra shift” to pay for their student’s tuition, teachers, family members and employers supporting adult students.

“It’s not just about the student,” Masood said. “It’s about everyone else involved in making an environment, a culture, suitable for college education.”

What he likes about his job, Masood said, is getting to know and help people in his community, “kids to older adults.” Those coming to the ER often have injuries, cuts or broken bones, sicknesses from the flu and fevers. The job is challenging, he said. Critical thinking and analyzing problems on the fly is essential. He likes that stimulation.

Without his education, “I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing. It would be tougher,” Masood said. He would earn less.

But it’s not just about the money, Masood said. A higher education allows him richer experiences, the ability to work with people “who think outside the box, who are compassionate.”

He’d like to see more people experience college, even if it’s taking one course.

Lewiston has five colleges: University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College, Central Maine Community College, Bates College, Kaplan University and CMMC College of Nursing. “This is a college town,” Masood said.

College Day is for everyone, Macri said. Those who didn’t graduate are encouraged to wear a hat, tie or shirt or sticker of a college attended by someone close to them or wear garb or a sticker of their favorite college sports team.

Macri defines college as education beyond high school, which could include a certificate, a two-year degree or four-year degree.

On Friday, the College for ME-Androscoggin’s eighth annual College Awards will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn. It will celebrate success of students, employers and mentors.

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

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