A group of leadership students stand and sit on a rocky outcrop, overlooking a scenic, forested landscape with distant mountains. The group appears to be relishing the natural surroundings and the panoramic view, showcasing a moment of camaraderie and adventure in a picturesque setting.

Cohen Institute

Summer Leadership Program

Since 2019, the Cohen Institute’s High School Summer Leadership Program has immersed rising high school seniors — including at least one student from each of Maine’s sixteen counties — in both the theory and practice of leadership. 

Yearly in mid-June, the program welcomes 50 students and invites numerous high-profile leaders from a wide range of fields to share their practical insights on leadership and public service. Notable guests have included Secretary Cohen, Senator Susan Collins, Governor Janet Mills, UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, author and speechwriter Mark Salter, and coaches from UMaine athletics teams.

Through a variety of co-curricular and outdoor leadership programs, students learn the fundamentals of team-building, collaboration, and overcoming adversity. Students earn early college credit by completing a rigorous college-level course that introduces them to the core foundations of the academic field of leadership studies. 

Students also gain insights about how UMaine faculty and staff are preparing students to tackle real-world problems through ongoing initiatives and projects at centers and institutes on campus such as the Advanced Composites and Manufacturing Center and the Climate Change Institute.

Further, the program establishes a connection between Maine high school students and UMaine, the state’s premier R1 university. Since the program’s launch, the majority of participants have gone on to apply and enroll at either UMaine or another institution within the University of Maine System. Acting as the capstone experience, the summer program concludes UMaine’s Early College Pathway in Leadership and Public Service. This pathway was developed with the aid of a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education, secured through Senator Susan Collins’ support. Maine high school students can typically earn Early College credits at no cost, thanks to funding provided by the Maine Department of Education to the University of Maine System. As students complete the pathway, they learn with UMaine’s esteemed faculty, building skills in leadership and public service while earning 15 or more college credits.

The Cohen Institute’s High School Summer Leadership Program is a powerful convergence of Maine’s future leaders, high-profile mentors, and hands-on experiences, forging a path where rising seniors from all corners of the state engage deeply with the theory and practice of leadership, preparing to impact their communities and beyond.

An officer in camouflage uniform stands before the head of a U.S. Air Force plane, leading a talk. Students gather around and listen.

Q & A

How much does it cost to participate?

All students are nominated by their High School and are fully funded — including tuition, room, and board — through the generosity of our donors. Families are responsible for travel to and from UMaine, and any costs associated with the academic course (e.g. books). 

When is the 2025 Summer Leadership Program?

July 12-18th

Which counties have participated?

Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York, Upward Bound

Which high schools have participated?

Bangor High School, Belfast Area High School, Blue Hill Harbor School, Bonny Eagle High School, Boothbay Region High School, Brewer High School, Caribou High School, Cony High School, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Deering High School, Dexter Regional High School, Edward Little High School, Ellsworth High School, Erskine Academy, Fort Kent Community High School, Foxcroft Academy, Hampden Academy, Hermon High School, Houlton High School, Islesboro Central School, Kennebunk High School, Machias Memorial High School, Mattanawcook Academy, Morse High School, Mount Desert Island High School, Mt. Ararat High School, Mt. Blue High School, Narraguagus High School, Nokomis High School, Oak Hill High School, Oceanside High School, Old Town High School, Orono High School, Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, Piscataquis Community High School, Portland High School, Sanford High School, Schenck High School, Skowhegan Area High School, Stearns High School, Washington Academy, Waterville Senior High School, Westbrook High School, Wiscasset Middle High School, Wisdom High School

What are our alumni saying about the Cohen Institute High School Leadership Program?

Students gather around a leader with a lifejacket and a paddle, who discusses protocol for launching the canoe pulled up on the grass in the center of the group. A calm river reflects the forest and sky in the background.
Leadership students hike in a group down a broad rocky mountain outcrop with the Maine wilderness in the vista below.
I loved every minute of the week we were there. The great support system through the mentors and professors were eye-opening, the wide range in activities was what made the experience so perfect, and the guest speakers were picked with such care that you could tell with each one that they believed in what they were saying. 

The connection that I made with the other students who attended is something that most kids my age do not have with kids from other schools. You gave us this once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with each other. Once a week we all check in through a group chat to see how everyone is doing and to keep each other updated on college and life decisions.

Ultimately, this program was what helped me decide what I wanted to do and the reason that I chose to go to UMaine next year. I will be majoring in Child Development and Family Relations in the fall, on track to get my masters in Guidance.
— Olivia (“Liv”) Schanck