Maine Sophomores Tour Five State Colleges
Students from eight rural GEAR UP Maine RISE partner schools took a three-day college tour in November.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Sophomores from eight GEAR UP Maine RISE partner schools toured five Maine colleges during a three-day tour from November 4 to 6. For many students, the trip was their first time on a college campus.
Why it matters
The tour lets students explore college options early in high school and connect their interests with future study and career opportunities. Early exposure to campus life across Maine's public and private institutions can help rural students picture themselves in higher education.
The tour covered eight rural Maine schools and five colleges, including the University of Maine, Thomas College, the University of New England, Southern Maine Community College and the University of Southern Maine. The total number of participating students and any follow-up outcome data were not reported.
The players
GEAR UP Maine RISE
A college-access program that coordinates tours and other activities for rural Maine students, funded through a U.S. Department of Education grant administered by Syntiro.
University of Maine
The state's flagship public research university in Orono, one of the campuses students visited during the tour.
University of Southern Maine
A public university in the Portland area that hosted a healthcare simulator presentation and planetarium show for the visiting students.
The details
Students tried virtual reality in a University of Maine engineering demonstration and used a patient simulator for a healthcare presentation at the University of Southern Maine. They also attended a planetarium show at USM and viewed a battery removed from an electric car at Southern Maine Community College's Automotive Technology program. The tour included campus tours and meals on campus, and GEAR UP Maine RISE coordinated it with participating colleges, school teams and FOCUS Training.
Timeline
November 4-6, 2026: Three-day college tour for sophomores from eight schools.
Program Context
The tour is one activity under the federal GEAR UP grant program, which the U.S. Department of Education funds to help students prepare for college. The Maine effort, administered through Syntiro, extends that federal framework to rural high schools across the state.
Families of high school sophomores can ask their school counselors whether their district participates in college-access programs like GEAR UP Maine RISE. Visiting campuses early, even briefly, helps students compare programs and academic offerings before junior year.
The takeaway
Early campus visits can help students connect their interests to future study options before they face major high school decisions. Families can ask their schools which college-exploration programs are available.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education for context on how high schools prepare students for college.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The County.
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