CAPS PROGRAM: COSA


Each spring, 130 graduating seniors — one from every Maine public high school community — are selected to receive Mitchell Scholarships. It is evident from their application profiles that financial support and other opportunities offered by the Mitchell Institute have the potential of making life-altering changes in their futures. One of the most extraordinary statistics evident among Mitchell Scholars is that, in spite of some incredible challenges many have faced, and in large part because of the support services we offer them, they persist in college and graduate at rates of nearly 95%. One of our most effective support programs is the Career Opportunity Summer Awards (COSA) Program.

COSA offers stipends to Mitchell Scholars so that they can pursue career-focused and community service-related summer work. Without funding, these students are often forced to decline promising employment because they cannot afford to live away from home or to take an unpaid internship. COSA enables Mitchell Scholars to take advantage of unique opportunities to accept employment in valuable career-related jobs without facing financial hardship, while also committing to a community service project.

This program is entirely student-driven, meaning that Scholars must find their career- or community service-focused jobs, create a budget that demonstrates the need for a COSA award, and apply for funding.

Since we began offering the program in 2001, a total of 56 students have been supported with stipends. Last summer, we assisted 11 Mitchell Scholars through COSA with $15,500. Thanks to a generous grant in 2005 from the Levine Family Foundation, the Mitchell Institute will be able to strengthen the COSA Program over the next few years — increasing Scholar participation and finding additional ways to enrich Mitchell Scholar career development opportunities.

Applications for the 2008 COSA Awards are available by contacting Patty Higgins at phiggins@mitchellinstitute.org or by calling (207) 773-7700. This progam is only open to current Mitchell Scholars. The due date for applications is April 18, 2008.