UMA accepts five students from closed Mount Ida College

AUGUSTA — The University of Maine at Augusta has accepted five students from the recently closed Mount Ida College, allowing them to complete their educations.
The Newton, Mass., college closed May 17 after entering into an agreement with the University of Massachusetts flagship school in Amherst to buy its campus.

While some students had an option to transfer to nearby UMass Dartmouth as part of that agreement, Mount Ida also entered into transfer agreements with other higher education institutions that offered matching academic programs, UMA officials said. Through this process, UMA has accepted four Mount Ida College students into the Veterinarian Technology program and one into Dental Hygiene.
“We are pleased these students chose UMA to complete their educations,” said UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “While this is an unusual situation, it is in keeping with our mission to provide access to higher education and encourage degree completion. We were able to keep these students on track to complete their degrees in four years by accepting all earned credit from Mount Ida.”
The former Mount Ida students, who are sophomores and juniors, will begin their studies at UMA this fall.
“The UMA staff made this transition so much easier, allowing me to continue doing what I love,” said Sophia Broulidakis, a junior Vet Tech student from Manchester, N.H. “The closing of Mount Ida was very difficult for me and my classmates, but the UMA staff worked with me for months to ensure that my schedule would fit my needs, as well as coming up with a plan for me to make sure I graduated on time.”
“I knew I needed to come back home to Maine to regroup and view all my options,” said Faith Krause, a sophomore Dental Hygiene student from Somerville. “I was very happy when I found out I was accepted into the dental hygiene program at UMA. Mount Ida closing was devastating to me at first, yet it was a good life lesson,” she continued. “When things don’t go the way you planned, stay focused, and look at the big picture, and the steps needed to achieve your goals. I’m beyond excited to start my next chapter at the University of Maine at Augusta.”