Advancing Opportunity Through Service: Mitchell Scholar Alum Sean Sibley Joins the Truc Huynh Alumni Giving Society 
The Mitchell Institute is proud to introduce Sean Sibley, a 2010 Mitchell Scholar from Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, as the newest member of the Truc Huynh Alumni Giving Society, a recognition honoring alumni who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening opportunities for future Scholars.
For Sibley, joining the giving society represents both gratitude and purpose.
“It feels like an opportunity to give back,” he said. “It feels like being part of a special group of engaged Mitchell Scholar alumni who have the capacity to support the Institute’s mission. I am fortunate to be in that position. The giving society exemplifies how alumni can remain connected and help ensure the Institute continues creating opportunities for students from communities like mine.”
Sibley’s path since becoming a Mitchell Scholar reflects a clear commitment to education, service, and community health. After earning his nursing credentials, he launched a career that now spans more than a decade in both clinical practice and higher education.
Today, he serves as a family nurse practitioner providing primary care to the University of Maine community while also working as a faculty member in the University’s School of Nursing, where he has spent the past seven years teaching undergraduate and graduate students and leading the Family Nurse Practitioner track.
“I am ultimately an educator and a health care provider,” he said. “I teach because I believe in giving people opportunities to advance themselves so they can engage in meaningful work that matters to them and supports their communities.”
That belief in education and the transformative power of support deepens his connection to the Mitchell Institute.
“The Institute is all about creating opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to succeed in higher education,” he said. “That aligns directly with my own mission as an educator. I want people to have the chance to move forward, to grow, and to do work that fulfills them.”
Sibley’s generosity reflects a hope that future Scholars will experience the same sense of stability, encouragement, and possibility that strengthened his own path.
“I hope the scholarship can be the difference that allows a student to attend the school that truly aligns with their goals,” he said. “I hope it supports them in moments when an unexpected expense could derail their progress. Ultimately, I hope it leads to more completion, more persistence, and more engagement among Scholars.”
He also emphasizes the power of the alumni network, which is now one of the most diverse, accomplished, and far reaching professional communities in Maine.
“The Mitchell Institute network is so diverse and now so vast,” Sibley said. “We need to lean on each other and collaborate on the work we are striving to do. Whether it is donations, participation in events, mentoring Scholars, or simply being available, engagement holds enormous promise. When we come together, we can do extraordinary things.”
For 30 years, the Mitchell Institute has helped Maine students overcome barriers to higher education. By providing financial support, personal guidance, and a lifelong network, the Institute empowers Mitchell Scholars to graduate, build meaningful careers, and strengthen Maine’s communities and workforce through their success and leadership.