Why I chose Maine after finishing college

My immediate reaction to Charles E. Gilbert III’s April 1 op-ed, “After college, why Maine?,” stemmed from recent experience. Just weeks ago, as I spent the final spring break of my college career in Presque Isle campaigning for a seat in the state Legislature, I was asked this same question by countless constituents.

The reason for their bewilderment over my decision was my success in college. Attending one of the top public universities in the country, I had accumulated a 3.95 GPA and had been a finalist for the Rhodes scholarship. Why would I want to sacrifice all the other opportunities I had to return to such a depressed area?

My personal answer is less than exciting. I had always dreamed of a life in politics, and after reading the biographies of the victims of September 11th and their unaccomplished dreams, I decided there was no reason to put off my dream for a later date. I had spent my past two summers in Washington, D.C., interning with Rep. John Baldacci and Sen. Susan Collins, learning about the problems that plagued our state. My solutions and my commitment, I reasoned, were on par with those of any other candidate for state office, so I threw my hat in the ring.

On Gilbert’s central claim we all agree. As recent census data reveal, Maine has experienced an exodus of youth in the last decade. Our central task in the coming decade will be to convince graduating high school seniors that moving up in life need not mean moving away for life; it will be to entice the best and the brightest of these young minds to return to our state after college graduation. The real question, on which Gilbert defers, is how are we to do this?

The solution is two-tiered. First, we must continue to do a great job educating our youth through high school. We must continue to attract talented, motivated teachers, and this requires correcting the inequalities inherent in their treatment under our state’s retirement system. We must continue to promote technical education, especially initiatives like Gov. Angus King’s laptop proposal, so students in our remote state may broaden their horizons without leaving the confines of their classroom.

Second, we must create economic development so there are jobs for these talented students to return to. This requires heavy investment in research and development and aggressive salesmanship of our state by its representatives. It requires creating scholarships contingent upon a commitment to work in Maine for a certain number of years after graduation. It requires new laws that strike a balance between protecting our workers and our environment while also promoting development.

There are countless reasons for graduates to return to Maine after college; it is our burden to make their choice easier through our public policies.

Jeremy R. Fischer is a senior at the University of Michigan and a candidate for the state Legislature from Presque Isle.