LEWISTON — Maggie Davis, executive director of the College for ME-Androscoggin, announced she is leaving the organization for the YWCA Central Maine in Lewiston.

In a city news release Tuesday, Hillary Verrill, chairman of the College for ME board of directors, called Davis a “stellar champion” for the nonprofit group.

College for ME-Androscoggin, founded in 2005, assists youth and adults with their higher education goals through partnerships with local school districts, adult education centers, businesses, community organizations and regional colleges and universities.  

A major goal of the nonprofit is to increase the number of people in Androscoggin County with college degrees.

“She has led this organization to new heights during her time with us and provided a solid foundation when C4ME’s two founders retired,” Verrill said. “She will be greatly missed.”

Effective Feb. 1, Davis will be director of Early Learning & Youth Programs with the YWCA Central Maine.

Davis joined College for ME in June 2015, with a resume stocked with experience in education and career development. 

According to the news release, she served as director of the Future Center in Lynchburg, Virginia, providing career guidance to almost 3,500 middle and high school students, and prior to that served as an academic adviser with the National Football Foundation’s Play It Smart, where she helped student athletes achieve a 100 percent graduation rate. 

She’s also been an adviser for the Maine Educational Talent Search, recruiting more than 100 eligible students in five months for the TRIO Program, a federally funded college access program for first-generation middle and high school students. Davis is also a certified career development facilitator.

Davis said she’s proud of the work the organization does and will continue to do. 

“Working for College for ME-Androscoggin has been an honor and a privilege,” she said in the release. “The comprehensive scope of College for ME-Androscoggin is revolutionary. C4ME-A is a valuable asset, and I know that it will continue to serve this community well.”

In December 2016, Davis oversaw the organization’s 11th annual Awards Luncheon, which featured special guest George Mitchell, the former U.S. Senate majority leader. 

Mary LaFontaine, the immediate past chairman of the board of directors, said Davis “has given 110 percent” to the mission of College for ME-Androscoggin. 

“The YWCA will be fortunate to have such a dedicated individual as part of their team,” she said.

Verrill said the College for ME-Androscoggin board will discuss how to move forward.

“Change can be difficult, but it can also be exciting to see what can next be accomplished,” she said.