Colby College

Five organizations in the region are banding together to support local entrepreneurs and encourage innovation through a series of business-pitch contests this spring.

Mufaddal Ali, a 2021 graduate of Colby College, aims to help cohort members achieve data-driven outcomes.

Renee Cunningham, owner and founder of Oliver & Friends Bookshop, plans to open the new space in April at 150 Main St. 

The Waterville liberal arts school says the gift is one of the largest in its history. The donation comes as Colby continues a capital campaign to raise $1 billion.

High-efficiency envelopes, heat-recovery ventilation, mass-timber construction, wood-fiber insulation and solar arrays are among steps colleges are implementing to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Waterville school is upping its goal after recently reaching the $780 million mark, and called the effort “one of the most ambitious fundraising initiatives in the United States by a liberal arts college.” 

Arts and cultural groups generated $13.5 million in local spending last year, and the opening of the Paul J. Schupf Arts Center last December could generate even more activity, says an arts advocate.

Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges all fared poorly in a recent New York Times ranking that examined the percentage of students from lower-income backgrounds.

Among the 1,500 schools that were ranked, Bowdoin made the top 10 list of the country's best liberal arts colleges, while Colby was among the top 10 most innovative colleges.

Jonathan Godbout is a graduate of the Waterville accelerator's first cohort, in 2022.