To the Editor:

The University of Maine System is serving more students, and more of them are succeeding.

Last month, we announced that our System had achieved our highest-ever undergraduate return rate, as measured by the percentage of students who were enrolled one year ago and came back to continue their studies at our public universities this fall.

And we couldn’t have done it without the University of Maine at Farmington.

UMF’s impressive return rate of 80.4% is the second highest in our System and under the leadership of President Joe McDonnell, your local university is among those showing the most improvement in student retention.

One reason for these extraordinary results is the Mantor Library-based Learning Commons, where UMF students can access peer tutoring, academic coaching and other services to support their success. More than one-third of Farmington students are now leveraging the Learning Commons and they are earning better grades and persisting in their studies at greater rates than their peers.

I want to publicly thank the faculty and staff at UMF who have shown such dedication to student achievement.

These improved outcomes are a boon to the economic mobility of these students and UMF’s enrollment, which grew year-over-year for the first time since 2017 in part because of strong retention.

Given UMF’s tradition of excellence in preparing educators, counselors, business leaders, environmental scientists and planners, policymakers, and rehabilitation and human services professionals that our workforce and communities desperately need more of, it’s also great for Maine.

Dannel Malloy

University of Maine System Chancellor

Bangor