After seeing enrollment decline in the last decade, especially following the pandemic, the University of Maine system is celebrating a surge in new students. Its campuses are boasting their highest enrollments since 2021. And as Newton Maine's Christian Harsa reports, U MS leadership is pleased with the turnout. College towns across Maine are welcoming back students and schools within the University of Maine system are welcoming back even more. This fall. I had a feeling really right from the get go that this was going to be a breakthrough year for us. Enrollment is over 24,000, the highest since 2021 and 5% more than last year. Malloy expects another 1000 students to enroll in the coming week. He attributes this increase to a few things. Number one, our return numbers are better. Number two, we are communicating better with folks. Number three, we're reaching out to people who may not think of themselves as ready for college. These are three pillars of a larger um transforms initiative which supports students throughout the humane system for first years. The research learning experience program or invites students to campus a week early and provides major specific hands on experience. Something humane President Joan Farini Mundy says, fuels strong student retention. So basically for a student who wants to try out an experience of inquiry or creative development, they get the chance the minute they get here at the University of Maine, Molly Curtis and Brodie Lake are first year nursing students at um Maine and their a program aims to prepare them for the demands of health care. I think that all these mindful practices that we've been doing are going to really limit that stress that I'm going to experience and the benefits are not just academic. Oh, it makes being social so much easier because I feel like now I have a community here, higher education can come at no cost. 2022 through 2025 high school graduates are eligible for two free years at Maine's Community Colleges. It may not be right for everybody but give it a try before you write it off. One way that Malloy recommends giving it a try is enrolling in Maine's Community College system in Orono, Christian Harsa New Center Maine, 30% of new students totaling nearly 1500 enrolled in the RLE program. This semester. The highest turnout since the program began four years ago.