Thomas College receives $1 million grant to increase access to lab sciences

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - Students at Thomas College will soon be getting more hands-on experience in the lab thanks to a $1 million grant.

Funding for the seven-figure boost to Thomas’ Chemistry Connects project comes through the Maine Department of Education.

The initiative aims to increase science instruction at the college while developing talent for Maine’s workforce.

The money will be used to transform existing campus space into a chemistry lab, along with a prep lab and student work and research rooms.

As a result, Thomas says it will be able to increase the number of students enrolled in lab-based courses each semester.

That, in turn, will increase the number of students graduating with degrees aligning with the state’s workforce priorities.

”Technology and science are going to be the keys to really well-paying jobs in the future. And so, the ability to add extra lab capacity and add technology to the majors [is key]. Whether you’re going to go into secondary education, middle school education, criminal justice, any field that you look at is going to be science and technology intensive from here on out,” said Thomas Edwards, provost and chief academic officer, Thomas College.

Edwards says the college prides itself on having more students graduate and stay in Maine than who begin in the state.

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