BANGOR – Connecting all levels of education in the state, from pre-kindergarten through college, is the objective of a new educational task force created by Gov. John Baldacci and announced on May 26.

Eastern Maine Community College President Joyce Hedlund was named to the task force to represent the state’s community college system. Members are charged with the task of providing guidance for the state’s knowledge-based economy.

“Community colleges will play a significant role in addressing some of the major challenges the state faces in moving the people-based resource of Maine from low-paying, insecure employment to an education and training road that feeds opportunity and strengthens the state,” said Hedlund.

A root educational issue for the state is reducing the gap between the high number of students graduating from high school but not making the next step to post-secondary education, leaving them at risk of poverty.

“Community colleges are the important, accessible educational opportunity for everyone – first generation college students who need extra encouragement in taking that step, adults in the workforce or who have been bumped from the workforce and facing the reality of limited employment opportunity, high school students who may not think college can be available to them for financial or personal reasons,” said Hedlund. “There is so much that can be done to improve the educational outlook of Maine just at that extremely critical juncture after high school. It’s a very important point in the task force’s objective to improve and ensure the seamless connection between all the crucial pieces of the educational ladder from pre-K to lifelong learning.”

Hedlund, who has served as president of EMCC for the past 10 years, has a long and varied history in education with teaching experience in the elementary environment and in both public and private four-year institutions.

Hedlund is also active in a number of economic development initiatives and boards, including the Growth Council and facilitating the Economic Development Administration Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Eastern Maine Development Corporation.

Other members of the task force are: John Fitzsimmons, president of the Maine Community College System; Joanna Jones, member of the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees; William Cassidy, president of Washington County Community College; and Jean Mattimore, executive director of the Center for Career Development at Southern Maine Community College.