BANGOR – At 49, Terry Bagley of Centerville has been a computer specialist, a Realtor and a waitress.

“Nothing ever clicked, so I kept trying,” she said Sunday.

But Bagley has quit dabbling.

About to enter the freshman class at the University of Maine at Machias, she plans to study biology and is considering a career in forensic science.

“This I know will click,” she said with a grin.

One of 160 newly selected Mitchell Scholars who will receive $4,000 to attend a college or university, Bagley was celebrating at the annual brunch hosted by former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell at Husson College in Bangor.

The award is “more than just the dollar amount,” said Bagley, one of 30 nontraditional students chosen by The Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute.

“It gives you a feeling that you’re not alone, that you have a support system to fall back on,” she said.

The Mitchell scholarship program is unique because it provides mentoring relationships, leadership training, career exploration and opportunities for summer employment in professional settings, Director of Advancement Bonnie Titcomb Lewis said.

“This [scholarship] is one of the best-kept secrets – this is just a gem that the senator has provided to Maine,” Lewis said as students waited their turn for a snapshot alongside Mitchell.

Taking a few moments to chat with each student, the genial legislator-turned-peacemaker obviously was enjoying himself.

“This means more to me than anything except my family,” Mitchell said during an interview earlier that day.

Recalling his financial struggles to attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Mitchell said he hopes to increase the amount of the scholarship.

The institute’s board of directors selects one Mitchell Scholar from the graduating class of every public high school in Maine based on academic excellence, community and school service, and financial need.

Hoping to gauge the effectiveness of the scholarship and support programs, the institute has begun tracking the students, sending out surveys to determine how their careers have unfolded, whether they stayed in Maine, and if they continued their community service.

Sitting proudly next to his son Jeremey, the new Mitchell Scholar from Mount View High School in Thorndike, Sheldon McCormick said the financial aid definitely makes things easier.

“With the cost of school today, you get down to nickels and dimes,” the Waldo resident said. “This is $4,000 less that I have to worry about.”

For Jeremey, who plans to attend Unity College to study conservation law enforcement, the award is a real source of pride.

“There have only been three in the whole school ever,” said the wholesome-looking young man.

A few tables away, Terry Bagley was reflecting on the past. One day it dawned on her that it was time to start doing the things she really enjoyed.

Now she can’t wait to become a freshman. “It’s a comfortable college, and that takes away a lot of the anxiety,” she said.

“Life is just beginning.”

Mitchell Scholars

Class of 2005

Bates College: Erin Beirne, Deering High School, Portland; Michael C. Brown, Wells High School, Wells; Erika Cyr, Fort Kent Community High School, Fort Kent; Robert Dion, Lewiston High School, Lewiston; Kevin Herbig, Belfast Area High School, Belfast; Anna McInerney, Portland High School, Peaks Island; Evan Michel, Noble High School, Berwick; Julia Plumb, Lincoln Academy, Nobleboro; Momena Sayed, Waynflete School, Portland; Rory Stratton, Mount Desert Island High School, West Tremont.

Bowdoin College: Evelyn Barbour, Mount Ararat High School, Topsham; Heather Boyd, Marshwood High School, Eliot; Sarah Gamertsfelder, Washington Academy, Pembroke; Tucker Hodgkins, Yarmouth High School, Yarmouth; Truc Huynh, Portland High School, Portland; Heather Johnston, Central Aroostook High School, Mars Hill; Jason Long, South Portland High School, South Portland; Katherine Mullin, Greely High School, Cumberland; Tristan Noyes, Caribou High School, Caribou; Christopher Proctor, Mount Blue High School Wilton; Heather Provencher, Sanford High School, Sanford; Kimberly Stevens, Bangor High School, Bangor.

Colby College: Lindsay Begin, Mattanawcook Academy, Lincoln; Annette Caswell, Bucksport High School, Orland; Katie Gagne, Winslow High School, Winslow; Joshua Gray, Gould Academy, Cranberry Island; Zachary Hauptman, Brunswick High School, Brunswick; Maggie Johnson, Rockland District High School, Rockland; James Morey, Cheverus High School, South Portland; Toni-Lynn Robbins, Camden Hills High School, Appleton; Hillary Wiley, Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg.

College of the Atlantic: Seth Carbonneau, Poland Regional High School, Poland; Ariel Sholtz-Ames, Homeschooled, Exeter.

Husson College: Matthew Bouchard, Washburn District High School, Caribou; Justin Boyce, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Stonington; Karen Burton, Non-traditional, Garland; Roberta Garnett, Jonesport-Beals High School, Beals; Mikki Herring, Foxcroft Academy, Dover-Foxcroft; Benjamin Marlowe, Morse High School, Bath; Andrea Millett, Ashland Community High School, Ashland; Chad Sirois, Presque Isle High School, Presque Isle; Kris Stanley, Schenck High School, Medway; Amy Willett, Katahdin High School, Patten.

Maine Maritime Academy: Andi Jackson, Old Town High School, Greenbush.

New England School of Communications: Alicia Jewell, Houlton High School, Houlton, Alek Porter, Dirigo High School, Peru.

St. Joseph’s College: Kayla Beasley, Richmond High School, Richmond, Emily Bishop, Woodland High School, Robbinston; Trisha Blair, Oak Hill High School, Litchfield; Michael Cowperthwaite, Sumner Memorial High School, Prospect Harbor; Kelly Cyr, Wisdom High School, St. Agatha; Myra Cyr, Van Buren District Secondary School, Van Buren; Ashley Guay, Massabesic High School, East Waterboro; Heidi Harmon, Lake Region High School, Bridgton; Justin Lavigne, Greenville High School, Greenville; Sarah Martin, Livermore Falls High School, East Livermore; Danielle Wight, Maranacook Community School, Readfield.

Thomas College: Johnna Lovely, Easton High School, Easton; Elisa Paylor, Messalonskee High School, Oakland; Debra Robertson, George Stevens Academy, Penobscot; Stephanie Stade, Gardiner Area High School, Pittston.

Unity College: Matthew Brown, North Haven Community School, North Haven; Samual Foster, Kents Hill High School, Vassalboro; Jeremy McCormick, Mount View High School, Brooks; Angela Stokes, Hermon High School, Levant.

University of Maine at Farmington: Sara Bernier, Limestone Community High School, Caswell; Ashleigh Biette, Freeport High School, Freeport; Danielle butler, Waterville High School, Waterville; Heather Campbell, Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield; Jessica Deans, Gorham High School, Gorham; Nathan Fitch, Mt. Abram High School, Strong; Kathleen Gauthier, Monmouth Academy, North Monmouth; Ellen Hodgkin, Edward Little High School, Auburn; Lindsay Keiper, Forest Hills Consolidated School, Moose River; Marykate Kontio, Hall-Dale High School, Farmingdale; Susan Littlefield, Westbrook High School, Westbrook; Marcia Luszczki, non-traditional, North Monmouth; Kristin Magnus, Boothbay Region High School, Southport; Daniela Mason, Oxford Hills High School, Otisfield; Marylena McDermott, Skowhegan High School, Skowhegan; Shane McNear, Leavitt Area High School, Leeds; Molly Paquin, Liberty School, Ellsworth; Jennifer Philbrook, Vinalhaven High School, Vinalhaven; Nicole Rogeski, Fort Fairfield High School, Fort Fairfield; Hadley See, Orono High School, Orono; Gabrielle Stuart, Gray-New Gloucester High School, New Gloucester; Jennifer Tripp, Hampden Academy, Hampden; Valerie West, Kennebunk High School, Kennebunk.

University of Maine at Machias: Terry Bagley, non-traditional, Centerville; Sarah Deflin, Cherryfield Christian Academy, Prospect Harbor; Suzette Francis, non-traditional, Lubec.

University of Maine at Orono: Ryan Atwood, Upper Kennebec Valley High School, Bingham, Mark Ayotte, Madawaska High School, Madawaska; Naomi Barnum, Madison Memorial High School, Madison; Andrew Barter, Lisbon High School, Lisbon Falls; Abby Bellmore, Medomak Valley High School, Warren; Carlin Berger, Sacopee Valley High School, Parsonsfield; Joshua Bridges, Sumner Memorial High School, Birch Harbor; Michael L. Brown, Erskine Academy, South China; Amy Brown, Buckfield High School, Turner; Noah Bryant, Maine School of Science and Math, Windham; Rachel Butler, Scarborough High School, Scarborough; Rachel Coakley, Brewer High School, Brewer; Kristen Colby, Cony High School, Windsor; Charles Dam, Rangeley High School, Rangeley; Rachel Decker, Ellsworth High School, Hancock; Jaime Doucette, Woodland High School, Baileyvile; Justin Erskine, non-traditional, Boothbay; Fayelynn Farmer, Nokomis High School, Corinna, Kristin Gilbert, Dexter Regional High School, Dexter; Seth Goodwin, St. Dominic Regional High School, Auburn; Lura Griffin, Hodgdon High School, Houlton; Christine Hall, Windham High School, Windham; Emily Hall, Carrabec High School, Solon; Candi Hartmann, Penquis Valley High School, Milo; Chelsea Herrick, Searsport High School, Stockton Springs; Brittany Howe, Narraguagus High School, Columbia; Karen Johnson, Thornton Academy, Saco; Kacee Johnson, Islesboro Central School, Islesboro; Richard Knight, York High School, Ogunquit; Jessica Knights, East Grand School, Wytopitlock; Susan Luchini, Ellsworth High School, Ellsworth; Kimberly Marshall, Wiscasset High School, Wiscasset; Heidi Martell, Piscataquis Community High School, Guilford; Craig Michaud, Wisdom High School, Frenchville; Jessica Mitchell, Cape Elizabeth High School, Cape Elizabeth; Daesha More, non-traditional, Bangor; Jennifer Moulton, Traip Academy, Kittery; Megan Nicholson, Stearns High School, Millinocket; Daniel Perry, Central High School, Stetson; Wyatt Philbrook, Georges Valley High School, St. George; Christina Rich, John Bapst High School, Glenburn; Abigail Robinson, Penquis Valley High School, Sebec; Amanda Rudy, homeschooled, Union; David Savage, non-traditional, Lubec; Joseph St. Pierre, Southern Aroostook Community School, Smyrna Mills; Adam Thibodeau, Lawrence High School, Fairfield; William Wentworth, Shead High School, Eastport; Alice White-Cyr, Piscataquis Community High School, Parkman; Amy Zadakis, Mountain Valley High School, Mexico.

University of Maine at Presque Isle: Kara Dickinson, Southern Aroostook Community School, Oakfield; Carrie LeSuer, Lubec Consolidated School, Lubec; Carrie Moors, Lee Academy, Winn.

University of New England: Rachel Bragg, Fryeburg Academy, Lovell; Renee Labrie, Bonny Eagle High School, Buxton; LeAnn Pritchard, Machias Memorial High School, Machias; Megan Sereyko, Penobscot Valley High School, Enfield.

University of Southern Maine: Elizabeth Ames, Belfast Area High School, Searsmont; Stevie Barnett, Winthrop High School, East Winthrop; Mark Bray, Freeport High School, Freeport; Maxwell Cantlin, Camden Hill High School, Camden; Nicole Cloud, Telstar High School, Bethel; Jennifer Grant, Central Aroostook High School, Bridgewater; Heather Jellison, Bucksport High School, Orland; Matthew Lagarde, Biddeford High School, Biddeford; Matthew Lamontagne, Falmouth High School, Falmouth; Kelly Metivier, Jay High School, Jay; Jeremy Redding, Calais High School, Calais.