16/04/2026
As part of the , Colby is expanding its commitment to help rural students find their way to college.
Sam Steeves ’28 grew up outside of Skowhegan, Maine, where a patchwork of fields, farms, and forests carpets the rolling hills. Outdoors, he had ample space to fish, camp, and hike. In town, he attended public schools with the same group of kids from kindergarten through high school.
He didn’t think being from a rural area was anything special.
That was, until he attended Colby Polaris STARS, a free program designed to introduce Maine 9-12th graders to the college experience through tours, classes, and discussions.
Polaris STARS (Small Town And Rural Students) is a program Colby designed as a member of the STARS College Network. The one-of-its-kind national initiative empowers students from rural and small-town America to enroll in, succeed at, and graduate from the undergraduate program of their choice. Colby is one of 32 schools in the network, and the only Maine institution to belong.
(Photos by / ) (words by Laura Meader)