Gala 
The Mitchell Institute Gala
Friday, September 26, 2025
5:00 to 9:00 pm
Brick South, Thompson’s Point, Portland
Join Mitchell Scholars, scholarship supporters, and business and community leaders at Brick South in Portland on September 26 as the Mitchell Institute recognizes its Scholars and celebrates its 30th year of student achievement!
Since 1995, the Mitchell Institute has provided Mitchell Scholars from every Maine public high school with vital resources to fulfill their dreams of a college education, realize their enormous potential, and develop their career paths. Your attendance and support at our annual Gala is essential to meeting our mission.
Click the photo collage below to to see our coverage of Gala 2024!
To learn more about Gala and explore our current levels of sponsorship, please visit the links below. If you have questions about the event, please contact Jeff Candura, Director of Development, by email or phone: 207-358-7733.
The Mitchell Institute Gala is an annual celebration of Mitchell Scholars and the Mitchell Institute’s mission to unlock the potential of Maine students.
Since 1995, the Mitchell Institute has provided Mitchell Scholars from every public high school in Maine with vital resources to fulfill their dreams of a college education, realize their enormous potential, and develop their career paths. In addition to awarding a $10,000 scholarship to each Mitchell Scholar, we offer a broad range of supports, including mentoring, fellowship grants, and programming to develop leadership skills and encourage career exploration.
Proceeds from the Gala support these and other Mitchell Scholar programs.
In our 30th Anniversary Year, the Mitchell Institute Gala will feature:
- a vibrant reception with complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres
- remarks from Senator George J. Mitchell
- a seated dinner served by Blue Elephant Catering
- remarks from Mitchell Scholars
- a raffle for a luxury vacation from Odysseys Unlimited
- Mitchell Scholars seated at every table to build their networks
Click here to see our multimedia coverage of Gala 2024
Thank you for considering a Gala sponsorship. Funds raised from Gala support vital programming for Mitchell Scholars. If you have questions about 2025 sponsorship packages listed below and the benefits associated with each, please contact Jeff Candura, Director of Development, or call 207-358-7733.
Lead Sponsor: $35,000
• Exclusive Scholar Speaker Sponsor
• Full-page ad on the exterior cover of the event program
• Pre-and post-event coverage
• Banner display on stage
• VIP Parking
• 2 dinner seats at a head table
• 8 dinner seats at a private table in a preferred location. Two Mitchell Scholars also will be seated with your guests.
Prime Sponsor: $15,000
• Full-page ad on the inside cover of the event program
• Banner display (banner must be provided)
• Recognition on our website and in printed literature
• VIP Parking
• 2 dinner seats at a head table
• 8 dinner seats at a private table in a preferred location. Two Mitchell Scholars also will be seated with your guests.
Leadership Sponsor: $10,000
• Full-page feature ad in program
• Recognition on website and in printed literature
• Banner display (must be provided)
• VIP Parking
• 8 dinner seats at a private table in a preferred location. Two Mitchell Scholars also will be seated at the table.
Program Sponsor: $5,000
• Full-page color ad in program
• Recognition in printed literature
• VIP Parking
• 8 dinner seats at a private table in a central location. Two Mitchell Scholars also will be seated at the table.
Table Sponsor: $3,000
• Recognition in printed literature
• 8 dinner seats at a table. Two Mitchell Scholars also will be seated at the table.
Program Advertisements
• $1,000 for a full-page color program ad or $500 for a half-page color program ad. Ads are due August 20, 2025.
Lead Sponsor:
Prime Sponsors:
Leadership Sponsors:
JP Zonnenberg & Susan Russell
Major Sponsors:
Program Sponsors:
Table Sponsors:
Kennebec Savings Bank
Marjorie Bride
Rob and Diane Kilroy
University of Southern Maine Foundation
Lead Sponsor:
Prime Sponsors:
Barbara Atkins
Leadership Sponsors:
JP Zonnenberg & Susan Russell
Major Sponsors:
Chuck de Sieyes and Carol Ward
Ginny Swain
Program Sponsors:
Bruce and Becky Epstein
Family of Buzz Fitzgerald
The Judith Glickman Lauder Family Foundations
George and Heather Mitchell
Chris and Nancy Pierce
Table Sponsors:
Kennebec Savings Bank
L.L.Bean
Bowdoin College
Margie McHenry Bride
Broadreach PR
Consigli Construction
R.M. Davis
Mike and Denise Dubyak
The John T. Gorman Foundation
Andrew Fenniman and John Mulcahy
Julie Goldberg
GoNetSpeed
Hannaford
The Kilroy Family
LeBlanc & Young PA
Lockton
Martin’s Point Health Care
MEMIC
Bill and Vicki Mitchell
MedRhythms
Pine State Trading Co.
Preti Flaherty
ProSearch
Serra Public Affairs
Spectrum Health Care Partners
Spinnaker Trust
Turner Construction Company
University of Maine Foundation & University of Maine
University of Maine System
University of New England
Uprise Partners
Tim and Liz Williams
Wipfli
WoodworthMaker
Watch Emily Birdsall explain why meeting with donors at Gala is important to Mitchell Scholars.
The generosity of Gala attendees continues to fuel our plan to fund and provide wraparound supports for 200 Mitchell Scholars from every community in Maine each year. Thank you for continuing to make Mitchell Scholars and our mission a philanthropic priority.