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A Magical Night to Remember

Gala 2023 featured a celebration of Mitchell Scholars, the Mitchell Institute's mission, and Senator Mitchell's 90th birthday

By Mitchell Institute

October 30^th, 2023

Those who attended Gala 2023 will tell you that the annual celebration of Mitchell Scholars and the Mitchell Institute's mission to unlock the potential of Maine's young people was as brilliant and fizzy as ever. And if they say it somehow felt even more lively this year, that's because the venue, Brick South, Thompson's Point, in Portland, saw record-setting attendance for the event—154 more guests than last year—as well as a record number of sponsors.

Supporting Mitchell Scholars and the Institute's mission is always a strong draw, but it could well be that guests turned out in unsurpassed numbers because they knew the organization's founder, Senator George J. Mitchell, would be in the house—for the first time in five years, due to the pandemic. And celebrating his 90th birthday was something not to be missed.

Two Birthday Presents for the Senator

Sara Burns, Chair of the Mitchell Institute's Board of Directors (pictured above), informed 570 guests that "tonight we have two wonderful birthday gifts" to share with the Senator.

"First, a tremendous group of longtime and dedicated supporters have offered to match, dollar for dollar, all gifts made to the Mitchell Institute in honor of the Senator's birthday," she said. (Several people have asked if participating in the matching challenge is still possible, which is why we have made the online giving site to support programming for Scholars in honor of the Senator's birthday live for another week.)

"The second gift is an incredible video, featuring Mitchell Scholars, that was shared with Senator Mitchell and his family on his birthday," said Burns. "I am pleased to share it with you now."

Watch the Senator's Birthday Video

Click the image below to watch the video on YouTube.

But, As ever, the night was all about the Scholars

Let's rewind to the beginning, long before guests arrived. More than 80 currently enrolled Mitchell Scholars who were invited to the event turned out early. Some joined alumni in helping to set up the venue. All came appropriately gussied up and ready for some coaching from Scholarship Director Kim Gustafson on how to engage with guests, represent the Institute and themselves, and make career-focused connections.

A Reception to Get the Celebration Started

Over delicious hors d'oeuvres (prepared and served by Blue Elephant Catering) and above the strains of a jazz ensemble composed of University of Southern Maine student musicians, Gala guests got the night started by getting to know Mitchell Scholars.

Over dinner, Scholars provided food for thought about their experience with the Mitchell Institute

To kick off the dinner program, Mitchell Institute President and CEO Jared Cash reminded guests of their shared enterprise.

"Tonight, we celebrate a powerful belief that we hold in common—the belief that the lives of our young people, our communities, and our state can transform, for the better, when we provide affordable pathways to higher education and access to networks of support and guidance," said Cash, pictured above.

"The nearly 100 Mitchell Scholars across the room tonight, sitting at each of your tables, represent the best of Maine and a bright, promising future for our state. Over dinner, I ask many of you who have achieved great milestones in your career to recall the moments when someone you met at the right moment in time opened a door of opportunity or shifted your future for the better. In that vein, I encourage you to connect with the Mitchell Scholars at your tables. Each of them has a unique story to share—they are eager to learn from you as well."

With Poise and Grace, a Mitchell Scholar emceed the evening

Jean-Daniel Liwanga (pictured above), the 2020 Mitchell Scholar from Baxter Academy and a senior Computer Science major at the University of Southern Maine, deftly steered the Gala 2023 program with wit and wisdom beyond his years.

"I am so proud to be a Mitchell Scholar and help represent this organization to you tonight," he began.

"I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 to my amazing parents, who are both here with me this evening. In 2014, they brought me and my three younger siblings to Portland, Maine, to give us a life with better opportunities. I feel so fortunate to have been selected as a Mitchell Scholar. The institute has helped me pursue my dream of being the first in my family to attend college. The scholarship has opened doors for me in ways that I could not have imagined—experiences like helping me prepare my resume to get an internship, making connections to develop myself professionally, and academic resources to help me succeed. Without these opportunities, I would certainly not be where I am today."

The featured Scholar speaker shared a story of loss, grit, and gratitude

Bryanna Alley, the 2020 Mitchell Scholar from South Portland High School and a recent Allied Health Sciences graduate of Plymouth State University, began by sharing the roots of her interest in helping people.

"I distinctly remember setting up a few of my childhood stuffed animals and Barbie dolls to play pretend doctor," she said. "Attending doctor’s appointments and spending a lot of time in the hospital, unfortunately, became a major part of my life when my biological mother suffered a major stroke when I was just four years old."

Two years later, Alley's mother succumbed to a ruptured brain aneurysm.

By the time she was 13, "I didn’t have a relationship with my father anymore. He was not in a position to care for three children and wasn’t able to provide a safe and stable living space for us," she continued.

"When I arrived at my after-school program one day, I was surprised that the other kids weren’t there. Instead, it was just the staff members, me, and a few other people I didn’t recognize. A case worker from child protective services told me that I wasn’t going back home that day, and I was going to stay with a foster family for a while. My first thought was immediately 'what about my siblings?' and they were told the same thing. They were going to a different family, together. I was going to one by myself.

"I was young, and this news was hard. But I knew that this wasn’t a bad thing. I knew that this was good for us. We would be safe and free from abuse, and given the life that we all deserved. I was very thankful that I still got to see my siblings from time to time."

At South Portland High School, Alley competed on the field hockey and swim teams. To support her interest in a healthcare career, she participated in an internship at Maine Medical Center as a standardized patient—a person trained to replicate a clinical encounter consistently and realistically for healthcare students.

Alley said she "worked hard to get good grades" and applied to several colleges.

"What I didn’t realize was just how expensive college was going to be," she said. "When my foster parents talked with me about all of this and the cost of college, I felt defeated. Kids in foster care are not statistically meant to be successful, and I am a first-generation college student as well. We talked about options, and that night, I spent five hours applying to every single scholarship that I could find. That night was a blur, frantically filling out all their questions on applications. I stumbled upon the Mitchell Scholarship that night and I remember reading the quote from Senator Mitchell: 'No one should be guaranteed success … But everyone should have a fair chance to succeed.' I went ahead and filled out the Mitchell Scholarship application."

Alley recounted the ways the Mitchell Institute supported her on her academic journey and beyond: a Fellowship Award in 2021 to help pay for attending a training program to become an Emergency Medical Technician; several career and professional development programs, including her favorite, MILE I weekend at the New England Outdoor Center in Millinocket; and frequent check-ins from Mitchell Institute Project Manager Andrea Mitchell.

"At a time when I’m wondering what my next steps are, the Mitchell Institute staff have reminded me that they are right by my side, and that I am on the cusp of so many new and exciting possibilities that will help me reach my goal of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner," Alley said. "And in my work at a local urgent care center, I am now able to pay forward the kindness I received from those who arrived on the ambulance on that tragic day when I was six.

"In closing, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person who is here tonight, for seeing the potential in us. Thank you to every sponsor and donor who has stepped up and helped scholars, like myself, turn their dreams into a reality. Thank you to each scholar who is here and working hard to make a difference and reach your goals.

Stay motivated and your hard work and determination will pay off. Thank you to every Mitchell Institute staff member who has made this community a reality. And finally, thank you to the Mitchell family and Senator Mitchell for the vision to create this organization."

“I am a first-generation college graduate who has experienced poverty, child abuse, and extreme loss. You saw me, you listened to me, and you helped me realize my potential. Thank you for giving me a fair chance to succeed.”

Watch Bryanna Alley's Remarks in their entirety

Click the image below to view her segment of the program on YouTube.

Senator Mitchell spoke from the heart about the importance of receiving 'life-changing support'

In the night's concluding remarks, Senator Mitchell thanked attendees for supporting Mitchell Scholars and the Institute. He also thanked the Institute's board of directors, led by Sara Burns, for steering the organization to continued growth and "for helping to carry out the vision I had when I started this organization."

At his request, several attendees stood for recognition, including "political leaders who are with us tonight, Governor Janet Mills and Maine State Treasurer Henry Beck," he said, noting that Representative Jared Golden and his wife, Isobel, were unable to attend as Golden remained in Washington, D.C., while the House majority worked to elect a new Speaker—and that Isobel and Beck are Mitchell Scholar alumni.

He also asked the audience to recognize three of Maine's higher-education leaders in attendance: Robert Clark, President of Husson University; Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President of the University of Maine, and James Herbert, President of the University of New England.

He then reminded the audience that the Institute's mission—to increase the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue, and achieve a college education—is more important than ever.

"Young people from every corner of Maine face uphill battles on their way to college—not only financial hurdles, but also the challenges that students face when they are the first in their families to attend college or when English is not their first language," he said.

"The Mitchell Institute levels the playing field for these students, providing the financial and social resources they need to graduate from college and unlock their full potential.

"To date, we have provided more than $24 million in financial support to 3,600 Mitchell Scholars. But more than that, we have helped them gain the confidence they need to succeed.

"We hear over and over again from students that they need more than a scholarship to find their way through college.

"We respond to that need by helping students connect with each other, with their institutions of learning, with potential careers and potential mentors, and with a community of people—this community, right in this room, but also reaching further and further beyond it every single day.

"We are not just cheering them on, we’re working hard to help them succeed.

"Especially for students who are coming from economically disadvantaged or first-generation college households, as I did, it’s affirming to get the honor and recognition of being a Mitchell Scholar—to know that somebody somewhere has seen the potential within you.

"That, coupled with the support that comes from a person, a mentor, a group, an institution that has your back, can be transformative for a young person.

"Thousands of our Scholars have graduated from college and are now strengthening Maine’s workforce and communities through their successes, their ambitions, and their leadership.

"The future of our scholarship program, the future of Maine, and the future of our country lies with these young people, sitting with you here tonight.

"Having all of you here is vitally important, so you can meet them and hear their stories, and be inspired, just as I am every time I get a chance to meet with them.

"By meeting them, you are expanding their networks, bringing them that much closer to their goals and dreams.

"I hope you will continue to be invested in these young people's lives, and help us steer them in fulfilling directions with their educations and careers.

"If it were not for people like you who helped me early in my life, I would not be standing before you tonight.

"Because of the life-changing support I received from others, I feel compelled to do as much as I can for as many students as possible."

“I am proud of the successes of the 3,600 Mitchell Scholars, and I need your help to support the next 3,600. “Please consider financially supporting these Scholars, tonight and on into the future.”

Watch the Senator's Remarks in their entirety

Click the image below to view the Senator's segment of the program on YouTube.

The Announcement of the Bill and Vicki Mitchell Pioneer in Honor of Paul and Yvette Mitchell

The Pioneer Scholar Program, a partnership between generous supporters and the Mitchell Institute, provides the opportunity to recognize specific Mitchell Scholars and Alumni who, through their contributions to school and community and the demonstration of their qualities—as students and as citizens—stand out for acknowledgment. The Mitchell Institute establishes Pioneers in recognition of friends who have supported Maine's premier scholarship organization with gifts of $250,000 or more.

"Tonight, we are announcing the establishment of one new Pioneer, established by my nephew, Bill Mitchell, and his wife, Vicki," said Senator Mitchell.

"Bill has been involved with the Mitchell Institute from the very beginning, and he has been an important resource for many Mitchell Scholars. He and Vicki are passionate about the importance of the programming we offer students," he continued.

"The Bill and Vicki Mitchell Pioneer, in honor of my brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Yvette Mitchell, supports the programs that unlock the potential of Mitchell Scholars and recognizes a Mitchell Scholar who has taken full advantage of these opportunities. Bill and Vicki, please stand and accept our thanks."

Some parting and hopeful thoughts from the Senator about the strength and resiliency of American democracy

Senator Mitchell received a standing ovation for his unscripted and stirring remarks about the current political turmoil in America.

"I believe we are going to meet the challenges we face, many as they are, difficult and complex as they are because I believe in the basic goodness of the American people and the American system of governance ... It is the beacon of democracy, not just in the world but in all of human history," he said.

Watch the Senator's remarks

By night's end, the smiles said it all

Thank-You's Galore

Gala 2023 would not have been possible without the financial support of our many loyal and generous sponsors. Please join us in thanking them.

Event Sponsor:

Central Maine Power Co.

Prime Sponsors:

Barbara Atkins

Back Bay Tower

WEX

Leadership Sponsors:

Abbott

KeyBank

Norway Savings Bank

TD Bank

Major Sponsor:

Tyler Technologies

Program Sponsors:

Bangor Savings Bank

The Bob Crewe Foundation

HUB International

Lee Auto Malls

Unum

Bruce and Becky Epstein

The Family of Buzz Fitzgerald

The Judith Glickman Lauder Foundations

George and Heather Mitchell

Chris and Nancy Pierce

Table Sponsors:

BerryDunn

Bernstein Shur

Bowdoin College

Marjorie McHenry Bride

Consigli Construction

Dead River Company

Chuck de Sieyes and Carol Ward

Mike and Denise Dubyak

Fluid Imaging Technologies

Gorham Savings Bank

John T. Gorman Foundation

Hannaford

Nathan Kinney ’08

L.L.Bean

Lockton

Maine Medical Center and MaineHealth

Martin’s Point Health Care

MELMAC

MEMIC

Mitchell Family

Pine State Trading

Preti Flaherty

ProSearch

Trish Riley in Honor of the University of Maine System

R.M. Davis

The Roux Institute

Ginny Swain

Turner Construction

University of Maine

University of New England

Uprise Partners

Tim and Liz Williams

Wipfli

AND, FINALLY, ABOUT THOSE CHOCOLATE-Covered Pretzels

2023 Gala attendees left with full hearts and a little something for the road: packages of chocolate-covered pretzels produced and generously donated by Paige Piper, the 2008 Scholar from Poland Regional High School, and her husband, Robbie Carroll, co-owners of Chatham Candy Manor of Cape Cod, Mass.

“The Mitchell Institute opened up a lot of doors for me,” said Piper, who graduated from Bentley University and is now a member of the Truc Huynh Alumni Giving Society. “It’s really important to me to support the organization and community however I can.”

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