Delicious food, fizzy beverages, and Mitchell Scholar fellowship were on the menu once again this year at Earls Kitchen + Bar in the Prudential Center, as Scholars, alumni, and guests came together for an evening celebration on Wednesday, April 24.
The 2024 Boston Mitchell Scholar event drew 50 attendees, who left with full hearts, stronger connections, and sated appetites.
Jared Cash, President and CEO of the Mitchell Institute, said the energizing evening was made possible by the generosity of longtime supporters Becky and Bruce Epstein (pictured above), who hosted the event again this year.
“Becky and Bruce's commitment to Mitchell Scholars extends far beyond their service on the Senator's Circle and Board of Directors,” Cash said. “Anyone who has attended Gala knows their donation of a 15-day Odysseys Unlimited international trip as our raffle prize is a suspenseful highlight of the evening. Their support in bringing Mitchell Scholars together in Boston to help them connect with the Alumni network has become a vital part of our promise that the Mitchell Scholarship is more than a scholarship.”
“The Boston Receptions have been such a valuable experience,” said Charlie Adams (pictured above), the 2022 Mitchell Scholar from Falmouth High School and a sophomore civil engineering major at Northeastern University. “I always meet new people in varied periods of their lives—undergrads, soon-to-be graduates, and many people years outside of college. Additionally, networking allows me the opportunity to meet people with similar career goals, paths, and interests, permitting me to get advice from people who are a few years ahead of me. Coupled with the networking opportunity is the willingness and desire of every Scholar to help another out by any means. It really is a community built on care and compassion, tracing back to Maine.”
“As a current Mitchell Scholar, I am motivated to attend events because it feels fulfilling to be a part of such a flourishing community,” said Orianna McIntire (pictured above), the 2023 Mitchell Scholar from Orono High School and first-year business and interior design major at Wheaton College. “As I am sure others can relate, leaving Maine, you can feel distant in addition to missing our people back home. With events such as the Boston reception, it is comforting to know that you have so many amazing people in your corner supporting you. The Mitchell Institute feels like another family. It feels like home.”
“Since moving to Boston 15 years ago, the Mitchell Institute has become one of my strongest professional ties to Maine. These events feel like a family reunion,” said Ethan Pierce (pictured above), the the 2009 Mitchell Scholar from Gardiner Area High School, a Harvard University graduate, and founder of Adaptive Reader. “It's great to connect with a community of like-minded Scholars who have a love for Maine and a dream of going home someday but are also taking the chance to explore their professional careers outside of the state.”
“Although Boston is not very far from Maine, due to a busy college schedule, I am not able to get home often. The event made me feel at home, and I enjoyed having a shared sense of community,” said Alyssa Adry (pictured above), the 2023 Mitchell Scholar from Maine Central Institute and a first-year bioengineering major at Boston University. “These events have been very helpful for keeping me connected to the Mitchell Scholar community. As I can't always make it to every event, having the Boston reception helps me feel like I am not missing out. Plus, I was able to meet other engineers, and having the type of opportunities we might be interested in on our name tags helped get conversations started.”
“I thought the event was amazing! I find that sometimes networking events can feel a little stuffy, but this event was super relaxed, and everyone I talked to seemed really comfortable and happy to be there,” said Culiandra Nero (pictured above), the 2021 Mitchell Scholar from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and a junior at Tufts University. “These events have also helped me a lot with networking. The great thing about being able to connect with other Mitchell Scholars is that they come from a wide variety of disciplines and educational backgrounds. I have found that even if I do not meet Scholars at these events that are in my field, they are very happy to put me in touch with their friends and contacts that are active in the field that I am interested in. Scholars always want to help each other out, so these events provide a great opportunity for that.”
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