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The first time Autumn Gallant walked along the rocky shoreline near campus, she realized college wouldn’t start the way she had imagined — and that turned out to be exactly the point.

“It made the leap more of a hop,” said Gallant, a resident of Lowell, Massachusetts. “Starting in a smaller, close-knit community made the transition much easier and more enjoyable.”

For Gallant and fellow student Jose Pacheco, the offers an alternative path into college, rooted in hands-on learning, small class sizes and life on the Downeast coast.

The program allows admitted 91���� students in select science majors to spend their first year at the 91���� at Machias before transitioning to the flagship campus in Orono or remaining in Machias to complete their degree. It offers smaller classes, hands-on learning and a lower cost of attendance.

For some students, like Gallant, the program serves as a transition. For others, like Pacheco, it becomes something more permanent.

The program has gained traction in recent years as the university looks for ways to ease students into college while highlighting the academic and research opportunities along Maine’s coast.

Coming from a small high school, Gallant said she wasn’t ready to jump straight into a large university environment. Machias offered a bridge — both academically and socially.

“Beginning college in a smaller setting made it easier to form friendships and adjust to college life without too much stress,” she said.

That experience has prepared her to transition to Orono this fall, where she is eager to take advantage of a broader range of classes, clubs and campus activities.

“I feel much more prepared and confident to navigate the Orono campus and all that might come with it,” Gallant said.

Pacheco, a marine biology student from Springfield, Massachusetts, had a different reaction. After his first year, he decided to stay.

“In the short time I’ve been here I have already become part of several communities and made great connections with peers and staff,” Pacheco said. “It just felt right to stick around.”

The flexibility to choose between campuses is a defining feature of the program. While many students transition to Orono after their first year, others remain in Machias, drawn by its tight-knit community and location.

For Pacheco, that setting has been central to his experience.

“Living so close to the coast and many bodies of water makes this campus perfect,” he said.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning from the start. Students often find themselves in labs or out in the field within their first weeks — sometimes collecting samples along nearby beaches or working with local hatcheries.

“Being able to go to a beach or river within a few minutes drive to see and collect things that we’ve been learning about in class made a huge impact,” Pacheco said. “It made learning more engaging and easier.”

The program includes pathways in six science disciplines, including biology, marine science, wildlife ecology and environmental science, aligning Machias coursework with majors offered in Orono.

Both students said the program is especially valuable for those looking for a more personalized start to college.

“It’s a smoother transition,” Gallant said. “You build your confidence, your community and your independence.”

And sometimes — as Pacheco found — there’s no reason to leave.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu