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Helping Out at Their High School

Mitchell Scholars Hunter Steele and Melina Masselli join Scholarship Director Kim Gustafson in helping Lewiston H.S. seniors with their applications

By Mitchell Institute

March 30^th, 2023

With Mitchell Scholars on hand, no questions go unanswered

Should I list an unpaid internship under volunteer activities or work experience?

Will you know what I mean if I put down that I was All-State in hockey?

What kind of things should I talk about in my essay?

Good questions, all.

And they were just a few of many that a dozen Lewiston High School seniors who are applying for the Mitchell Scholarship put to Scholarship Director Kim Gustafson and two Mitchell Scholars — Hunter Steele ’19 and Melina Masselli ’20 — during a 90-minute Q&A session the trio held at Maine’s largest high school in early March.

Organized by LHS Aspirations Coordinator Kate Chase (pictured above in the cream-colored shawl) to answer seniors’ questions about the Mitchell Scholarship application, the onsite help session featured some compelling, relatable voices in Steele and Masselli. They are, after all, LHS graduates — and just a few years removed from the 2023 applicants. And both gladly took time away from their spring breaks at Bowdoin and Wheaton colleges, respectively, to help the next generation of Mitchell Scholarship applicants.

For Steele, who will graduate from Bowdoin this spring after majoring in Religion and Economics, agreeing to meet with LHS seniors was an easy decision. All he had to do was recall his mindset at this time four years ago.

“When I was a senior in high school, I didn’t really know much about the Mitchell Scholarship or how to apply for it. Because I knew so little about it, I almost didn’t apply,” said Steele (pictured above), who has completed summer internships with the U.S. Department of State and in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Senator Susan Collins during his time at Bowdoin. “But I got a lot of support and encouragement during my senior year, and if it wasn’t for that help I don’t know if I would be where I am today — and, more importantly, who I am today. When Kim reached out and asked if I was interested in helping out this year at LHS, I knew I absolutely had to and try my best to spread the word about what a great opportunity the Mitchell Scholarship is.”

For Masselli (pictured above), who is in her junior year of Pre-Med studies at Wheaton, the invitation from Gustafson to join the help session sparked some reflection about how much she’s grown since applying for the Mitchell Scholarship.

“Being a first-generation college student, the college application and scholarship process was extremely stressful and daunting to me. I was always doubtful of my abilities, and to be completely honest, I don't think I truly understood how much I was truly capable of at the time,” she said.

Masselli recalls not being nervous about the Mitchell Scholar application process, but rather doubtful of her worthiness.

“I was stuck in the mindset that there is always somebody that is more deserving than me and didn't think I would be the one to make the cut,” she said. “Since receiving the Mitchell Scholarship, I feel that every year I've become closer and more connected with this community, and it's been something that has allowed me to become more confident and comfortable with myself and my abilities, not only as a student but as an individual as a whole. I am continually amazed at how grateful I am to be connected with such an amazing community of individuals. It fills me with pride to be able to reflect this onto LHS students, and I hope that I made a difference in their process.”

This wasn’t Steele’s first opportunity to give back to his high school alma mater. After his varsity lacrosse season ends at Bowdoin, he helps coach the boys’ team at LHS. (And as the picture above makes clear, at least one of the players Steele has coached was stoked to see him.)

“I knew some of the guys who played for me (at the help session). They are fine young men and indicative of the people that Lewiston High School can produce,” Steele said. “For a lot of the students at LHS, they just need a little extra help, such as someone to take the time to support them and answer their questions. Those little moments can make a big impact on their life as they did for me when I was in their shoes. I felt like I was just paying back into the community and lending a hand where I could help a little bit.”

Chase, the LHS Aspirations Coordinator, said the help session fulfilled two simple but vital purposes. First, the seniors wanted an opportunity to “run their thoughts on the Scholarship application by someone” and having Gustafson, Steele, and Masselli available for that put them at ease. “Another thing that seniors struggle with is setting aside the time to focus on scholarships, and this forced them to do just that. I know they appreciated it.”

Gustafson (pictured above) said she is “immensely grateful” to LHS for the chance to connect directly with applicants and looks forward to building on longstanding collaborations with Maine high schools in ways that are tailored to their distinctive communities. She’s also thankful to Steele and Masselli for their commitment to helping LHS seniors complete the Mitchell Scholarship application.

“The experience reached a whole new level when Hunter and Melina each shared what it has meant for them to be part of the Mitchell Institute community,” she said. “They connected beautifully with the students by conveying their stories with poise and openness, and it also became clear that they recognized their own growth as leaders since moving on from their high school. It was an honor to team up with them in support of students as they navigate scholarship applications and college enrollment decisions, and to meet them wherever they are in the process.”

Bringing help directly to LHS students is among several new outreach efforts Gustafson has made in recent months to educate Maine high school students about higher education-related opportunities and boost their confidence about paying for college.

As part of the Mitchell Institute’s ongoing collaboration with the Maine Seacoast Mission and the Worthington Scholarship Foundation, Gustafson joined her counterparts in hosting the first virtual Downeast Scholarships Open House in late January. Developed specifically for students from Hancock and Washington counties, the evening program offered nearly 50 students, family members, guidance counselors, and Upward Bound advisors general information about scholarships, as well as specific information about the scope of services offered by each organization. As with the LHS help session, Gustafson enlisted Mitchell Scholars — this time Roxy MacGregor ’19, Jason Weaver ’21 (also a Worthington Scholar), and Noah Carver ’22 (also a Maine Seacoast Mission Scholar) — in presenting.

Weeks later in mid-February, Gustafson and Institute Scholarship Associate Adam Thibodeau partnered with Bill Smith, Managing Director of ScholarFITS; Scholar Jesse Blackburn ’10; and Scholar Kylie Dunphy ’15 in hosting “Before You Click Submit: Tips for Scholarship Applications and Financial Aid Decisions.” The Mitchell Institute’s first-ever virtual session designed specifically for current Mitchell Scholarship applicants focused on tips for navigating the financial aid application process, for making college affordable, and for completing the Mitchell Scholarship application.

Among the program’s 76 attendees — a mix of students, parents, guidance colleagues, and community partners from across the state — was a guidance counselor from a Down East Maine high school who wrote the Institute after the event with this high praise:

“Thank you for the guidance and support that you have provided to our students and their journeys. I wish it was mandatory for college-bound students to watch a testimony like that shared by your Mitchell Scholar Alums tonight!”

Chase, the LHS Aspirations Coordinator, has a similar hope for senior applicants in 2024.

“A big barrier for our students and the college admission process is applications — for colleges themselves as well as the FAFSA and outside scholarships,” she said. “We hold FAFSA help sessions but have never done a scholarship workshop before. It was so beneficial that I hope we can do it each year.”

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