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V O L . X X V N O. X I V A U G U S TA / WAT E R V I L L E / C E N T R A L M A I N E A lex Small worked in special education for a decade before enrolling in a new cybersecurity graduate program at omas College. "What I was doing was exception- ally worthwhile and important," says the 37-year-old, "but it wasn't neces- sarily filling the coffers." at's changed since he earned a master's degree this May and landed a job as a consultant with the Waterville office of CGI Inc., a Montreal-based global IT firm. He got the offer while still working at the Augusta School District and searching for a summer internship related to his new degree. "It's nothing I expected to happen as quickly as it did, and I've loved every second of it since I started," he says. Besides enjoying the variety and being able to apply what he's learned over the past 10 months, he's glad to be making more money. "It's enough to pay the bills and leave a little extra for fun," he says. omas College, led by President Laurie Lachance since 2012, launched the master's in cybersecurity program last year as part of a broader goal of groom- ing students for career success. It does that inside and outside the classroom, supplementing a career-focused cur- riculum with opportunities for intern- ships and professional development, and accelerated degree programs that get students into the workforce faster. "We're all about careers," Lachance says. "We've always been that type of institution. e students that we attract need to get employment. ey're far less likely to graduate and then go tour the world backpacking. at's not who we attract. We attract students who are anxious to get started on their careers. ey have bills to pay, they have dreams to pursue and they demand results." F O C U S Alister Piccini, 19, is an accounting major in a dual-degree program at Thomas College. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R Thomas College 180 West River Road, Waterville Founded: 1894 Campus size: 120 acres President: Laurie Lachance Students: 710 undergraduate, 139 graduate Alumni: around 8,000 Degree programs: 31 undergraduate, 10 graduate Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges 2018-19 tuition plus room and board: $38,150 Financial aid use: 96% of students More information: www.thomas.edu J U LY 8 , 2 0 1 9 14 Class act in Waterville How Thomas College grooms students for career success B y R e n e e C o R d e s

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