The Quiet Architecture of Hope: Inside Jeff Candura’s Work at the Mitchell Institute

Talk to Jeff Candura for even a few minutes, and a theme rises steadily to the surface: hope. Hope in young people, hope in what education can unlock, and hope in what Maine becomes when opportunity is not determined by zip code or circumstance. It is a quiet, steady kind of hope that comes from watching lives shift in real time, one student at a time.

Jeff did not grow up imagining himself a fundraiser. Early in his career in Colorado, he realized direct service work would be too emotionally heavy for him. “I knew I would take the heartbreak home with me,” he said. “Fundraising felt like a way to support the people doing that work on the ground.” That instinct led him from the United Way in Fort Collins to Tufts University, then to leadership roles in K–12 schools and statewide political work. Arriving at the Mitchell Institute felt like the culmination of everything that came before.

“Someone said recently that the work here is ‘unambiguously good,’ and it struck me,” he said. “We help public high school students in every corner of Maine get to college and graduate. It is specific, effective, and deeply human. Everyone here thinks about the Scholars first. That is rare.”

His belief in the mission is grounded in something personal: a conviction that education is one of the greatest social mobilizers we have. “When you remove financial barriers, you do not just change one life,” he said. “You expand the horizon for everyone around that student. The tragedy is when a student has the ambition and the ability but not the resources. That is something we can fix.”

He is quick to emphasize the importance of the Institute’s statewide reach. “We are serving students in rural towns, coastal communities, new Mainer families, students working two jobs, students caring for siblings, students in mill towns and small cities. No one is excluded. That breadth matters.”

Jeff rarely talks about fundraising as numbers or transactions. He talks about trust. “Everyone wants to help,” he said. “My job is to show them where their gift can have the greatest impact and then let them decide.”

Some moments that stay with him have nothing to do with dollar amounts. He recalls a Scholar alum in Aroostook County who became a nurse and a new parent. “She told me, ‘I cannot give back yet, but I will. The Mitchell Institute changed my life, and I want to give back what I received.’ That kind of gratitude stays with you.”

Jeff sees clearly the evolving landscape facing students. “Students often leave college because of things others might consider minor—a broken laptop, a car repair, a family obligation. Those disruptions can derail a student. The scholarship opens the door, but the fellowships, emergency funds, and wraparound support keep students moving forward. We are not lowering the bar. We are leveling the playing field.”

The past year has brought notable momentum—major commitments, deeper engagement, and expanded support for Scholars. But Jeff situates that progress within a larger history. “No one gives because of a fundraiser,” he said. “They give because generations of people built this place the right way. We are stewarding decades of legacy.”

Looking ahead, he is energized. “Our growth from 135 to 200 Scholars is just the beginning,” he said. “As resources grow, so will the number of students we serve and the depth of support we provide. We are not here to cap impact. We are here to expand it.”

When asked what message he hopes to leave with donors, alumni, and friends, Jeff does not hesitate. “Gratitude,” he said. “You feel it from every corner of this community. People know someone believed in them and helped level the playing field. And because of that, they want to give back—to their families, their communities, and the next generation.” He smiles. “That gratitude is the heartbeat of this place.”

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.
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