Student borrowing in Maine   A college degree is practically a necessity these days.  Maine’s social and economic health relies on the success of its students and workers.   But the recession has left the state with less money to spend on higher education and other services, squeezing families who are already straining to pay for college for their children as well as the unemployed who are seeking new skills to stay competitive in the job market.   Students and families are turning to federal student loans to finance a degree or credential program.  Now, 68 percent of Maine graduates carry student loan debt, with an average of $29,983 per borrower.  Maine ranked second in the nation with the highest average debt per borrower, behind New Hampshire.

Student borrowing and its impact on the economy   Student loan debt recently surpassed credit card debt as the top form of consumer debt across the country, at $1 trillion dollars.  Such significant debt has serious implications for the economy, in Maine and elsewhere.  The vast majority of student loans made is federal – eight in ten student loans made are backed by the federal government.

In Maine, 34,849 federal student loan borrowers will be impacted.  If the low rate is extended for one year, the average savings per borrower will be $980 over the life of the loan, translating into $34,152,020 dollars in savings that student loan borrowers would otherwise carry in additional debt burden.

Revitalizing Maine’s job market   Recovery in the job market relies on the college educated.   Despite the huge number of unemployed workers looking for jobs right now, the lack of an educated workforce is a major barrier to hiring.  In Maine, 68 percent of all jobs that are high wage and in demand require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Keeping the interest rate low on student loans will send the urgent signal to students, workers, and the unemployed to get the postsecondary training needed to adapt to new economic realities.

Senators Snowe and Collins both backed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, the act that set the lower interest rate.  Urge them to support extending the low rate for the sake of Maine’s students and economy.  

***

REFERENCES

• The Institute for College Access & Success,  HYPERLINK “http://www.college-insight.org” College InSight.
•  The Institute for College Access & Success, Project on Student Debt,   HYPERLINK “http://projectonstudentdebt.org/files/pub/classof2010.pdf” Student Debt and the Class of 2010, April 30, 2012.
•  The Associated Press,  HYPERLINK “http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120403/ECONOMY/120409982” US recovery threatened by student loan debt, April 3, 2012.
•  The Associated Press,  HYPERLINK “http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120403/ECONOMY/120409982” US recovery threatened by student loan debt, April 3, 2012.
•  The US Department of Education. (202) 401-1576.
•  The US Department of Education.  (202) 401-1576.
•  Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce Research and Information,   HYPERLINK “http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/publications/pdf/MaineLaborMarket2010TrendsAndIssues.pdf” The Maine Labor Market 2010 Trends and Issues.
•   Library of Congress,  THOMAS,  HYPERLINK “http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:H.R.2669:” H.R 2669.

You can cut your student debt right now. Figure out how you can save thousands of dollars a year.

Join us and learn how.

Join Opportunity Maine for Nonprofit Night at Bayside Bowl.

Monday, April 30th
6:00 PM
Bayside Bowl

5% of profits benefit Opportunity Maine.

The high cost of higher education is not just a personal financial problem; it is a political problem that impacts all of us. Over the next decade, most of the jobs created in Maine will require education beyond high school, and yet:

• From 1990-2010, public funding per full time University student has been slashed by more than one-third, leading to skyrocketing tuition and student debt.
• In 2010, 68% of Maine college graduates went into debt to earn their degree, with an average debt of $29,983 – the second highest student debt burden of any state, and the highest as a percentage of income.
• People struggling under the burden of student debt have been stripped of basic consumer protections, leading to widespread abuse by private lenders.

 You can do something about it! Here are 5 things you can do to make sure you or your college-bound loved ones are ahead of the game:

1. Income based repayment – “Pay as you Earn” program caps your monthly student loan payments at a percentage of your income.
2. Special Direct Consolidation Loans - special loan consolidation opportunity only available for a short time.
3. Public Service Loan Forgiveness - loan forgiveness opportunities for public sector or nonprofit careers.
4. American Opportunity Tax Credit - provides up to $2500 per year for college costs.
5. The Opportunity Maine Program – last but not least, this tax credit reimburses you for student loan payments if you earned an associate or bachelor’s degree in Maine and continue to live and work here after graduation! It’s tax day today, so don’t forget: you can earn a degree virtually debt free with the Opportunity Maine Program!

What else can you do? Become an Opportunity Mainer! Opportunity Maine members contribute $5 per month to ensure all Mainers know how to afford the education they need to be prepared for the future. We’re working to expand educational and economic opportunity for all Maine people.

Rob Brown,
Executive Director

Ps. Make sure everyone you know is aware of these opportunities to Drop the Debt!  And please help us in our work to get the word out as well!

We are very close to having enough signatures to put the Clean Energy Jobs Initiative on the ballot—but we’re not quite at the required number of 57,277. Maine Citizens for Clean Energy will continue to collect signatures, so that we can qualify for the ballot in 2013.

Going for the 2012 ballot was always a race against the clock, and we are incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish in such a short period. We could not have done it without you. Our coalition went from zero to more than 56,000 validated signatures in the 11 weeks we had—collecting roughly 28,000 signatures on Election Day and nearly 3,000 per week since Election Day.

Signature gathering will continue during the weeks ahead so that Maine people can vote on this measure in 2013. The outpouring of support from hundreds of volunteers and tens of thousands of voters who signed the petition in such a short time shows that Mainers want greater energy independence, more and better jobs, a stronger economy, and cleaner air and water.

Thank you again for your support of our work to advance innovative solutions to our energy challenges that create good jobs for our workers, economic opportunities for our businesses, and strong, sustainable communities in which all Mainers can thrive.

We appreciate your support and hard work to create a clean energy economy in Maine.

Please stay tuned, and many thanks again.

Opportunity Maine was founded in 2006 out of a groundswell of grassroots action to address one of the greatest threats to economic development in Maine – the high cost of higher education and the rapidly growing burden of student debt.  A diverse, bipartisan coalition came together for a citizen initiative that created the Opportunity Maine Program – the boldest college affordability program in the nation!

Since then, we’ve continued to promote innovative investments in Maine’s people, communities and economy:

• Green Jobs, Green Savings – a visionary plan to cut energy costs for Mainers, make our buildings and factories much more efficient, and invest in the workforce we need to get the job done.
• Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties Pathways Project – a national workforce development model that is improving the skills of our region’s construction trades workforce while creating safe, efficient and affordable housing for our neighbors.
• Clean Energy Jobs Initiative – we’ve launched another groundbreaking citizen initiative to double the amount of renewable energy we produce in Maine and support energy efficiency projects that will cut electricity costs.

We want to know that you value the work we do.  Please make a $10 contribution today (or more if you can!) and become an Opportunity Mainer!

Hoping you’re having the happiest of holidays,

Cliff and Rob

Citizens all over the state are gathering signatures to double the amount of renewable energy we produce in Maine over the next decade and to support energy efficiency projects that will cut electricity costs.  On Election Day alone, over 400 volunteers collected 28,000 signatures to put this initiative on the 2012 ballot!

If you have already signed the petition let us know why on our Facebook page. If you want to sign the petition let us know in the comments section!

We’re close, but we need your help to get over the finish line. Every dollar you can contribute gets us another signature closer to our goal of 70,000, gets the signatures to town and city clerks across the state, and gets them turned in to the Secretary of State in January.

Anything you can give — $10, $25, $50 or $100 — will be greatly appreciated and will fuel the success of this campaign.  You can take the extra step of contributing $10 a month from now through next November to help make sure we have the resources to win this campaign.  Will you help?

Let’s keep this moving ahead. Let’s win this thing.

P.S. Collecting 1 signature at a time, raising $1 at a time – that’s how regular Mainers can work together to win this campaign for good jobs and energy independence.  Will you help?

Opportunity Maine is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational and economic opportunity for Maine’s people, communities and economy. As one of the state’s fastest-growing and most dynamic non-profits, Opportunity Maine offers an educational and rewarding internship experience.  Our program allows students to choose a facet of the organization that interests them and learn through hands-on experience. The program is intended to provide knowledge, skills, and experience that each intern can apply to future challenges and professional pursuits.

We have internship positions available in the following program areas:

• Policy Research
• Campus and Community Organizing
• High School Outreach
• Organizational Development
• Communications

Applications for the 2011 Fall Semester are accepted on a rolling basis. Please see below for detailed job descriptions and application procedures.

Once an internship packet has been reviewed, the intern candidate will be contacted and potentially asked to schedule an interview with the appropriate staff member.  Within two weeks, after the interview, each candidate will be notified with our decision.  Please contact Alex at (207) 939-6188 with any questions about the application and hiring process.

See below for comprehensive descriptions of each role.

POLICY RESEARCH INTERN

Internship Description

Opportunity Maine Policy Research Interns support the organization’s public policy agenda. Interns work closely with our Co-Directors to research and develop policies in the green jobs sector. We are currently conducting research on model workforce and economic development policies that other states have implemented in the green jobs sector, particularly in the areas of energy efficiency and wind power.

Qualified Applicants

Undergraduate or graduate students studying public policy, political science, economics and public adminstration are strongly encouraged to apply. The position requires strong writing, research and analytical skills, the ability to work independently and communicate regularly with supervising staff. Superior organizational and time management skills are crucial to excelling in the internship. Ideal candidates are dedicated individuals who seek to grow as professionals and develop professional relationships with colleagues. We have one opening for this internship; if interested, applicants are strongly encouraged to indicate an alternate position from our internship program areas: development, communications and community organizing.

Applicants should submit the following to cliff@opportunitymaine.org (include “Policy Research Intern” in subject line):

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample

Use your application materials to explain your interest in Opportunity Maine and its mission; please highlight any extracurricular activities you participate in and the dates of your availability. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience, and interest that qualify you to fulfill the expectations outlined above. Interns are expected to work at least 10-15 hours per week, with dates and times flexible. Please include your availability in your cover letter. Internships with The Opportunity Maine are unpaid. Previous interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. Please contact your school for more information.

ORGANIZING INTERN

Internship Description

Opportunity Maine Organizing Interns are an integral part of our campaign to raise awareness of the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit. This first in the nation initiative allows Maine college graduates who continue to live and work in Maine to wipe out the cost of student debt through a tax credit. Additionally, businesses that offer college loan repayment to EOTC-eligible employees can claim the credit. Graduates can get up to $5,500 of debt relief per year over the life of their loans. Organizing interns will work on campus and in the community to educate students, faculty, staff, parents and community members about this innovative economic policy.
Organizing Interns:

• Work on their campus and in the community to identify and recruit volunteers, helping to train them and build relationships to achieve campaign goals. Goals include, but are not limited to:  organizing house meetings, phone banking and direct outreach at campus and community events.
• Build relationships with campus and community organizations and enlist their support in outreach efforts.

This Internship includes an in-depth organizing training and will provide valuable experience for individuals interested in pursuing work in community organizing, the non-profit sector, politics and campaigns, and advocacy. Interns will walk away with an understanding of the essential tools, processes, and strategies related to effective field campaigns, community based initiatives and a fast-growing non-profit.

Qualified Applicants

Applicants should have superior organizational and time management skills, excel at working independently and self-monitoring progress toward reaching objectives, and seek to grow as professionals and develop professional relationships with colleagues.  Professionalism, strong interpersonal and communications skills, and comfort with public speaking are essential.  Applicants must be able to work as a team, and must demonstrate leadership qualities and a willingness to learn. Prior campaign, advocacy, or non-profit experience is preferred.

Applicants should submit the following to alex@opportunitymaine.org (include “Organizing Intern” in subject line):

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample

Your application should explain your interest in Opportunity Maine and its mission.  Please highlight any extracurricular activities you participate in and the dates of your availability. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience and interest that qualify you for the internship. Interns are expected to work at least 10 hours per week, with dates and times flexible. Internships are unpaid, but previous interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. Please contact your school for more information.

HIGH SCHOOL OUTREACH INTERN

Internship Description

Opportunity Maine High School Outreach Interns are an integral part of our campaign to raise awareness of the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit. This first in the nation initiative allows Maine college graduates who continue to live and work in Maine to wipe out the cost of student debt through a tax credit. Additionally, businesses that offer college loan repayment to EOTC-eligible employees can claim the credit. Graduates can get up to $5,500 of debt relief per year over the life of their loans. Organizing interns will work on campus and in the community to educate students, faculty, staff, parents and community members about this innovative economic policy.
High School Outreach Interns:

• Distribute informational materials to Maine high schools
• Conduct 1-on-1 and small group meetings with high school staff
• Organize and execute presentations for student assemblies, administrators, school boards and parent groups
• Build relationships with school officials and community organizations to enlist their support in outreach efforts

This Internship includes an in-depth organizing training and will provide valuable experience for individuals interested in pursuing work in community organizing, the nonprofit sector, politics and campaigns, and advocacy. Interns will walk away with an understanding of the essential tools, processes, and strategies related to effective field campaigns, community based initiatives and a fast-growing non-profit.

Qualified Applicants

Applicants should have superior organizational and time management skills, excel at working independently and self-monitoring progress toward reaching objectives, and seek to grow as professionals and develop professional relationships with colleagues.  Professionalism, strong interpersonal and communications skills, and comfort with public speaking are essential.  Applicants must be able to work as a team, and must demonstrate leadership qualities and a willingness to learn. Prior campaign, advocacy, or non-profit experience is preferred.

Applicants should submit the following to alex@opportunitymaine.org (include “High School Outreach Intern” in subject line):

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample

Your application should explain your interest in Opportunity Maine and its mission.  Please highlight any extracurricular activities you participate in and the dates of your availability. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience and interest that qualify you for the internship. Interns are expected to work at least 10 hours per week, with dates and times flexible. Internships are unpaid, but previous interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. Please contact your school for more information.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTERN

Internship Description

Opportunity Maine’s Organizational Development Intern coordinates with staff to design and implement internal operations in a fast-growing nonprofit organization. The Organizational Development intern will: learn the ins and outs of nonprofit management and organizational system design. An intern can expect to work on operational development strategies; assist in the assessment, research, design, and implementation of operational systems; utilize innovative IT solutions to improve on existing business processes and systems; and assist in operational management.

Duties of an Organizational Development Intern:

• Assist staff in managing data systems related to members, individual donors, funding institutions and grantors
• Participate in the development of operational systems from their conceptual stage through implementation
• Develop and execute organizational development projects
• Research, write and update profiles of individual donors, funding institutions and other organizations

Qualified Applicants

Undergraduate or graduate students studying business, public policy, political science, law, economics, public administration and related fields are strongly encouraged to apply. The position requires strong writing, research and computer skills, along with the ability to work independently and communicate regularly with supervising staff. Ideal candidates exercise strong organizational skills, attention to detail, an interest in problem solving and a desire to expand database skills and knowledge. We anticipate one opening for this internship, so applicants are strongly encouraged to indicate an alternate position from other internship program areas: policy research, communications, and community organizing.

Applicants should submit the following to alex@opportunitymaine.org (include “Development Intern” in subject line):

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample

Your application should explain your interest in Opportunity Maine and its mission.  Please highlight any extracurricular activities you participate in and the dates of your availability. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience and interest that qualify you for the internship. Interns are expected to work at least 10-15 hours per week, with dates, times and location flexible. Internships with Opportunity Maine are unpaid, but previous interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. Please contact your school for more information.

COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

Internship Description

Opportunity Maine Communications Interns support the organization’s programs by developing compelling messages and visual images that strengthen the organization’s brand. Working closely with Opportunity Maine staff, interns engage in traditional and new media outreach and use innovative online tactics to attract attention to our work, and particularly to our Educational Attainment Campaign. Communications Interns contribute to maintaining and improving our online presence through the web site, Twitter, Facebook and emails to supporters. Interns assess best practices for social media, identify opportunities to build our profile, and establish clear benchmarks to track and evaluate our efforts. Interns will become familiar with critical systems, including the organization’s database of supporters as well as our web site platform.

In addition to performing other duties, interns will:

• Develop and implement creative strategies to deliver key messages and attract new supporters through social media and other online channels
• Work with staff to plan and implement improvements to the website to drive more supporters to our site and to persuade them to become involved
• Consult on web design and layout changes
• Implement changes to website and create customized modules using basic HTML
• Draft clear, compelling content for communications material both online and offline

Qualified Applicants

Undergraduate or graduate students studying communications, internet technology, marketing, or English are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants should have superior organizational and time management skills, excel at working independently and self-monitoring progress toward reaching objectives, and seek to grow as professionals and develop professional relationships with colleagues.

Applicants should submit the following to alex@opportunitymaine.org (include “Communications Intern” in subject line):

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample

Your application should explain your interest in Opportunity Maine and its mission.  Please highlight any extracurricular activities you participate in and the dates of your availability. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience and interest that qualify you for the internship. Interns are expected to work at least 5-10 hours per week, with dates and times flexible. Internships are unpaid, but previous interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. Please contact your school for more information.

Photo via Sustainy

There is no more important issue on the table for Mainers than strengthening the state’s economy. It is for this reason that we are committed to fighting for and promoting the development of a strong green job economy here in the state.

Perhaps you have read in MaineBiz that Maine’s green jobs sector is growing at a rate faster than the national average. This is great news. Green job growth and expansion of the green economy means more higher paying jobs for more Mainers.

In the coming weeks we will be sharing stories of people working on the front lines of this movement, of businesses that are benefiting from this trend, and of green entrepreneurs who are flourishing. This movement is one that benefits us all by creating more financial and environmental security for Mainers, and by lowering our dependency on foreign energy sources.

Please share your green jobs stories with us on Facebook and on Twitter, and share this link with your networks to highlight the importance of this pragmatic movement.

Do you support the movement? Donate to Opportunity Maine and help us to organize, evangelize, and grow Maine’s green economy today.

[Photo Credit: Sustainy]

Speaking of Maine’s green economy, have you had the chance to check out this video that we produced about the Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties Pathways Project?

Event Details:

Maine Interfaith Power and Light Support the Clean Air Act
July 19th
10:00 a.m.
Garden of the First Parish Church
425 Congress St.
Portland, Maine

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Elizabeth England at elizabeth@meipl.org or (207) 721-0444.

Many thanks for your attention and we’ll be in touch with our own goings-on in the near future.

Connect with us:

• On Twitter
• On Facebook

Please donate $25 to help us keep young people engaged in Maine’s political dialogue.

Five years ago, Opportunity Maine organized and trained nearly 600 volunteers to collect signatures for a citizen initiative to deal with out-of-control student debt. Many young Mainers volunteered who had never been engaged in the political process.  No one seemed to think it was possible, but we did it.

This was a watershed moment for political engagement of young people.  We believe now, as we did then, that the political system works best when more people are involved, not less.

We believe strongly that eliminating the ability to register and vote on the same day – effectively making people go to their voting place twice just to cast a ballot – will disenfranchise tens of thousands.  Opportunity Maine has always stood for the most inclusive debate possible, particularly including young voters who will inherit this state and this economy and have the most to lose.

Maine’s constitution guarantees our right as citizens to veto this attack on voting rights if we can organize enough people to collect over 57,000 signatures this summer.  We’re working with a huge coalition to accomplish this task.

Every minute counts.  Every dollar counts.  Please donate $5, $10, $25, $50, or whatever you can today and help us preserve voting rights in Maine.

Thanks, and let us know if you can help!