File Photo / Jim Neuger
Laurie Lachance, Thomas College
December 20, 2022
Head of the class: Thomas College offers Maine Municipal reduced tuition
Courtesy / Thomas College
Thomas College in Waterville will receive $974,000 over three years to support students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity and related fields.
Thomas College has partnered with Maine Municipal Association to make free or reduced graduate-level classes available to employees of Maine municipalities that are members.
Maine Municipal Association is a voluntary membership organization that offers professional services to municipalities and other local governmental entities in Maine.
Employees of the association's 482 member municipalities would be eligible for tuition reductions for Thomas’ online graduate programs in business administration, human resources, criminology, cybersecurity and education, according to Peter A. Osborne of Maine Municipal Association.
The program at the Waterville-based college allows participants to take their first graduate course for free and receive a 10% discount on all subsequent courses. Outreach to inform municipal employees about the partnership will begin next year.
"Our obligation to Thomas is that we will make information about the program available to members and employees at various times throughout the year, which we are happy to do,” Osborne said.
Maine Municipal Association and its educational services department pursue opportunities for member municipalities to build a well-trained workforce and focus on opportunities to deliver training and education virtually. The partnership was formed to attract the next generation of municipal leaders.
“I had been looking for the next step to take in my professional development, but I wasn’t sure what direction to go in,” said Eric Newton, who is enrolled in the Thomas MBA program. "I chose to enroll in the MBA program at Thomas College and concentrate on project management because I believed it would diversify my skills and help me move up into a management position at my current job. The online program is conducive to my schedule since I am working full-time and have a family."
Professionals interested in finance, social work, law enforcement, human resources and other fields could enjoy a municipal government career.
“We are incredibly pleased to continue strengthening our relationship with the Maine Municipal Association and municipal governments throughout the state,” said Mikaela Ziobro, senior director of graduate and professional studies at Thomas College. “We understand the opportunities that careers in municipal government offer — our College President Laurie Lachance enjoyed an accomplished career in state government — and we look forward to supporting municipal employees in their professional growth.”
For more information on Thomas College’s graduate degree programs or becoming an employer partner, click here.
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