In the early 1980s, after years of trying, local legislators successfully advocated for a $1.1-million legislative appropriation to develop a university in the Lewiston-Auburn area. That appropriation led to the opening of USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College to 673 students on September 6, 1988 on Lewiston’s Westminster Street. Early in the course registration process, university officials had anticipated a fall enrollment of 300. In January 1989, LAC enrolled 840 students, 167 more than the first semester. Enrollment has continued to grow throughout LAC’s history, but it is only one measure of the region’s support for the college. As USM prepares to celebrate 25 years in the Lewiston-Auburn area, it remains dedicated to serving as a resource for the community that created it.

In November 2001, USM LAC celebrated completion of its first major expansion since opening of more than 20,000 square feet. The project, which was funded with a $3.5-million legislative appropriation, featured new science labs and classrooms; a nursing lab; a science research lab; a multi-use function room; new space for the Franco-American Collection and Archive; and an expanded library and bookstore. The new classrooms and labs, in particular, supported the extension of USM science and nursing programs at USM LAC, programs that were identified as linked to the needs of the greater Androscoggin County area.

In 2007, USM celebrated the opening of a new wing of approximately 14,000 square feet which included space for a new campus learning /outreach center. The space, called LearningWorks, is the hub for the College for ME-Androscoggin, a collaboration among the public and private sectors throughout the region which are committed to identifying and addressing barriers that prevent area residents from pursuing or achieving their higher education goals. The space also is the home for Senior College at LAC, Women Work and Community, The LAC Writing Center and the home for the Maine International Center for Digital Learning.

USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College has been a true educational and economic engine for central Maine — and beyond! Many of its students serve the region through internships and service learning and 90 percent of their over 1,200 graduates still live and work in Maine. Increasingly, LAC’s impact spans not just the state but the globe. Their Leadership Studies program, for example, enjoys an international reputation for excellence at both the undergraduate and master’s level, with innovative courses in both online and campus formats focused on creative leadership, global leadership, and a new LEAN or Continuous Improvement certificate option. Their graduate program in Occupational Therapy, makes significant contributions to the local community while featuring a nearly 100 percent job placement rate upon graduation.

As USM celebrates its 25th anniversary it will continue to serve as a resource for the greater Lewiston-Auburn community while adapting to the needs of a 21st-century education. We invite you to celebrate with us! For more information about USM LAC, visit us online at usm.maine.edu/lac/.