U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) will be the guest speaker in an Idea Exchange Webinar addressing the question “Should We Make Education Beyond High School Affordable to All?” from 3-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, presented by UMA Senior College.

The topic grew out of the concern that we need an educated workforce which would be a boon to the economy. Something needs to be done to make college – either at community college or State University – accessible to anyone in Maine who wants to acquire essential knowledge and technical skills to be a part of that workforce.

Senator King’s interest in education was demonstrated when, as Maine’s governor, he persuaded the Maine legislature to pass the Learning Technology Initiative in 2002. The initiative provided laptops to 7th grade students and their teachers. As a business developer of alternative energy – wind, biomass – he had gained appreciation of the technological knowledge and skills required in Maine’s new industries. King is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia Law School and has been an adjunct professor in government at Bowdoin College.

Marilyn Canavan will be the moderator of the program. Canavan was a member of the Maine House of Representatives, representing the Waterville area from 2000 to 2008. As a legislator she helped to write Maine’s Clean Elections Act. She served for several years as executive director of the Maine Commission on Government Ethics and Election Practices.

Attendees can send in their questions and comments via email to: pamela.stpeter@maine.edu; these will be sorted and sent to the speakers for their responses.

The Zoom Webinar is free and open to the Public. The Idea Exchange is designed to bring information on significant social issues, particularly in these days of pandemic isolation. For more information and a link to join the meeting, visit our website at umasc.org/senator-king-idea-exchange. For additional information, email UMA Senior College at office@umasc.org  or call (207) 621-3551.