UMFK News Releases

The University of Maine at Fort Kent TRIO/ Student Support Services held its First-Generation Celebration Week from Monday, November 4th through Friday, November 8th.

Being a first-gen student means that your parent (s) did not complete a four-year college. Being a first-generation student often comes with unique challenges, such as navigating the complexities of higher education, including financial aid, academic expectations, and campus resources, without having parents who have gone through the process. UMFK supports programs like TRIO, providing resources to help first-generation students achieve academic and personal success.

In a letter to campus, UMFK President Deb Hedeen said, “I am proud to be a first-generation student. I have so much gratitude that I have had the opportunity to advance my education which has led to a very rich and meaningful career in higher education. Congratulations to the first-generation students who are students, faculty, and staff on our campus.”

UMFK celebrated the success of first-generation college students by hosting various events during the week. Nikki Vachon, a college access counselor at the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), was on campus to assist students with their FAFSA and all the FAFSA changes. There was a panel of First-Gen staff, alumni, and students who shared their college experiences from challenges and triumphs with current first-gen students.

“TRIO directed a First-Gen Week initiative to deepen the understanding among UMFK staff, faculty, and students. This included a series of engaging activities, along with a personal letter from UMFK President Deb Hedeen, sharing insights on what it means to be a first-generation student,” said Susan Dubay, director of Student Support Services and TRIO. “These activities involved informational sessions, financial literacy, and all the resources that TRIO has for these students at UMFK in order to thrive, succeed, and eventually graduate with a degree. Being a college student in a four-year institution is something to celebrate as they transition from being in a first-generation home to their own home with a college degree.”

Current first-gen students gathered at the Student Support Center for a session that provided tips for developing good study habits and note-taking skills. Later that day, there was a First-Gen informational table to promote the TRIO program, and UMFK first-gen pins were given out to wear with pride.

The University Credit Union’s branch manager on the UMPI campus, Jen Deschaine, was invited to discuss First-Gen scams and how to avoid them. The week-long festivities ended with free coffee, donuts, and a photo booth.

For more information on the TRIO Program at UMFK, please contact Susan Dubay, director of Student Support Services, at susan.dubay@maine.edu or by calling 207-834-7869.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Student-Athlete Advisory Committee invites individuals to participate in its first Thanksgiving “Turkey Trot,” a 2K and 5K run or walk fundraiser on Saturday, November 23, 2024.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the Sports Center.  The 5K begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 2K that will begin at 10 am. You may choose to run or walk.

The cost of the event is $20 per person and is free for UMFK students.

This fundraiser is dedicated to combating food insecurity during the holiday season. Proceeds benefit the UMFK Bengal Food Pantry.

For more information, please contact Anna McLaughlin at anna.mclaughlin@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent will host its Veterans Day Ceremony at the University’s newly built Veterans Square on Friday, November 8, 2024, at 11 a.m. The ceremony is open to the general public.

The event will include a welcome from Stacy Martin, UMFK Student Life Coordinator; UMFK President Deb Hedeen to recognize and honor Veterans; and the singing of the National Anthem by UMFK nursing student Rebekah Sanchez. American Legion Legionnaires Post 133 Fort Kent Commander Richard Dominikoski will call to order the color guard; then, a prayer will be read by UMFK Director of Facilities and Veteran Jason Guerrette.

Leroy McKenzie, 1st Vice Commander of the American Legion Department of Maine, will be the ceremony’s keynote speaker followed by the presenting of colors, a moment of silence, and Veteran George Dumond will play taps. The ceremony will end with closing remarks from Deb Hedeen.

Following the ceremony, Veterans will be invited to a free lunch to include one guest, for the cost of $5 at UMFK’s Nowland Hall dining room. All who attend the ceremony will receive a voucher for lunch at the dining room for a cost of $5 per person.

UMFK will honor all who served, and located in the dining room will be a table set to represent fallen soldiers, also known as a Missing Man Table or Fallen Comrade Table, which is a memorial and ceremony that honors U.S. military members who are missing, imprisoned, or have fallen.

For more information on the event, please contact the University Relations Office at 207-834-7557.

University of Maine at Fort Kent Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Kennedy Rubert-Nason will present at the University of Maine System’s inaugural Rural Issues Symposium on Friday, November 1, 2024, at the Wells Conference Center in Orono, Maine.

Dr. Rubert-Nason will present on how UMFK faculty are collaborating to overcome challenges and create opportunities for people in Aroostook County. Over the next four years, Dr. Rubert-Nason, along with Assistant Professors of Forestry Drs. Stephanie Landry and Libin Louis will engage more than twenty undergraduate students of forestry, biology, and environmental studies in hands-on research experiences that empower them for ecologically conscious STEM careers.

With ongoing support from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund, National Science Foundation, and Harold Alfond Foundation grants, a cohort of students will work alongside these faculty on various projects exploring the impacts of land management and climate change on Maine’s forests. In addition to the obvious academic benefits these students will obtain, the opportunity provides the added benefit for students to be paid for the research work they complete.

The presentation will showcase new research on the possibilities for using biochar to increase soil carbon storage and create resilient forests, prior work on forest health, and opportunities for future research exploring the interactions among trees, soils, and people. Woven throughout these initiatives is a mentoring philosophy that embraces the unique cultural and historical perspectives of Maine’s Franco-American and Indigenous peoples.

The overall aims of this initiative are to address relevant challenges in Maine’s forests through research while empowering participants with the scientific knowledge, leadership, dialogical, intercultural and technological skills to increase the resilience of local communities to global change threats.
You may view the symposium website at https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/rural_issues/.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Board of Visitors is encouraging the public to attend a Business Breakfast that will take place on Friday, November 15, at 7:30 a.m. in the Nadeau Hall conference room on the UMFK campus.

The topic of discussion for the breakfast will be “Untapped Resource – Hiring International Students.”

The presenters will include Marcus Jaynes, Immigration Attorney for the University of Maine System; Leslie Kelly, UMFK Student and Exchange Visitor Program Principal Designated School Official; Justin Dubois, former UMFK Board of Visitor President; and Taurian Coopsamy, a recent UMFK international student graduate.

UMFK has the highest percentage of international students per student body population than any other UMS campus. Based on how many alumni stay in the area, UMFK is also a major contributor in providing a solution to an aging and declining population in Northern Maine.

A major barrier to sponsorship of international students is navigating the process and the high cost to secure employment.  What can we do as a community to help alleviate that burden?

Tickets for the breakfast are $15.00 and can be purchased by credit card at the UMFK website.

The deadline for registration is Friday, November 1, 2024.

Please contact Lisa Roy at 207-834-7504 or email at roylisa@maine.edu for more information.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent will host its annual fall Open House for prospective college-bound students on Friday, November 1, 2024, to give everyone a chance to experience campus life.

“Choosing where to go to college is a really big decision, but it helps when students have an opportunity to get a feel for the campus before attending,” said Executive Director of Marketing and Brand Management Heidi Carter. “Beyond the award-winning education that UMFK offers, the friendly campus community and diverse student body are some of the traits that set UMFK apart.

Registration and a Student Fair will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Bengal’s Lair in Cyr Hall. A light breakfast and refreshments will be served. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the student services that UMFK has to offer. Representatives from various offices will be available to answer questions on topics ranging from residential life, career planning and placement, to financial aid.

At 9 a.m. in Fox Auditorium, the morning session will begin with an opening welcome and remarks from UMFK’s Admissions staff, followed by a panel presentation by current students who will talk about UMFK’s campus life.

Prospective students will learn more about the academic programs held at various classrooms on campus from 10 to 11 a.m. The talented faculty, who foster academic excellence in the learning environment, will show students and families how learning comes alive at UMFK. There also will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions that can assist them in their educational goals.

Sodexo will serve lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nowland Hall dining room. UMFK student Admissions Ambassadors will lead campus tours during this time to see the campus and meet with staff.

At 1 p.m. in Fox Auditorium, there will be a question and answer session. Raffle prizes will be awarded.

People can register online on the UMFK Open House page.

Please R.S.V.P. by Thursday, October 25th. For more information on the UMFK Open House, please contact UMFK’s Admissions office at 207-834-7600 or send an email to umfklife@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Blake Library Galley will host the current art exhibit “A Retrospective” by artist Elizabeth Parker through the month of November 2024.

Artist Elizabeth Parker creates artwork for the enjoyment of seeing what develops after the first mark by brush, pencil, or pen makes its appearance on canvas or paper. Parker, who is enjoying retirement in Enfield, Connecticut, spends her time exploring various mediums such as watercolors, pencils, pastels, and acrylics. Her extensive travels have provided unique subjects, while familiar items offer endless materials for her still-life paintings.

Parker attended many workshops and classes which featured a variety of techniques and mediums. Among the classes were watercolors with John Ashton, director of the Connecticut School of Fine Arts and the Connecticut School of Art & Design, and pastels with Greg Maichek at the Quadrangle, a cluster of museums and cultural institutions in Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts. At Asnuntuck College, she completed credited classes in drawing, color theory, illustration, and printmaking with Tony Cirone.

Elizabeth Parker’s paintings have been accepted into juried shows and exhibits throughout Connecticut. She has won awards and sold her work, both on-site and commissioned. At the Wadsworth Mansion juried show, Parker was awarded a plaque, and one drawing was selected to be used for their notecards. Her work has been included in private collections in the states of New York, Maine, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Florida.

The exhibit may be viewed during UMFK’s Blake Library hours. For more information on the exhibit or library hours, please contact Gallery Curator Sofia Birden at sbirden@maine.edu or 207-834-7527.

Visit the Blake Library website for more information on the Blake Library.

In celebration of literacy, the University of Maine at Fort Kent English faculty will once again facilitate a series of events designed to share a love for literature with people of all ages in the local area. The series of events will run from October 17 to 20, 2024.

The events will launch on Harry Potter Book Day, a day originally intended to help increase literacy, on Thursday, October 17th. Professor of English and Creative Writing, Geraldine Cannon Becker will read to first-graders at Fort Kent Elementary School, as an end of the school day treat.

Then, on Friday, October 18th, at 2:00 p.m., the English Faculty will be at the Blake Library, located on the UMFK campus, to share highlights from the recent trip to Boston and Professor Cannon Becker’s lecture on “Literacy Through Poetry.”

“Readings by English faculty from recently published work of their own and various other “spooky” selections, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven,’ may be expected,” said Dr. Joseph Becker, “Faculty, staff, students, and members of the community are encouraged to join us.”

Attendees are also invited to bring and read selections of their own choosing.

On Saturday, October 19th, at 11:00 a.m., the events continue at Fort Kent Public Library. Once again, English faculty will read a selection of “spooky” works that will be appropriate for children. Anyone may attend. Costumes are not required, but Professor Cannon Becker says that she will probably be dressed as one of her favorite characters from the Harry Potter series, Professor Minerva McGonagall. She advises, “Wear your favorite house colors if you wish. Wands ready!”

Then, on Sunday, October 20th, they will make a final stop on the train of events at First Mile Brewing Company at 1:00 p.m.

“Come see what is brewing and bubbling up at First Mile,” Professor Cannon Becker said, “Anyone may join us for continuing the conversation about these events, and more, as we share adventures in literature and language. This is where our Writers of the First Mile community writing group first got started. Let us know if you’d like to participate in that group, too!”

The group has been meeting at the Fort Kent Public Library.

For more information on these events, please contact Professor Cannon Becker at geraldine.becker@maine.edu.

University of Maine at Fort Kent Professor of English and Creative Writing Geraldine Cannon Becker has been invited to be the lecturer for the official opening of the annual Poetry Downtown Festival on September 27th in Boston, MA.

In its fourth year, Poetry Downtown will pay tribute to Edgar Allan Poe by starting the multi-city festival in the place of the renowned poet’s birth.

Professor Cannon Becker’s lecture is titled “Literacy Through Poetry” and will be held at the Boston Public Library on September 27th from 1 pm to 2 pm.

According to the Poetry Downtown Festival website, “Professor Becker will delve into the vital role poetry can play in combating illiteracy. Drawing on her extensive experience as both an educator and a poet, she will share her insights into how the rhythm, structure, and emotional resonance of poetry can engage learners of all ages, fostering a love for reading and writing that transcends traditional educational barriers.”

In addition to the lecture, UMFK faculty were among those selected by a panel of judges to be published in a limited-edition anthology of works that will be presented at the end of each day of the festival. Their works include “The Cat’s Meow” by Geraldine Cannon and “A Broken Wing Casts a Dark Shadow” by Jessica Boynton, English adjunct at UMFK.

The day in Boston will end with poetry readings of the poems included in the anthology, and if time allows, the poets may read other selections of their work. Professor of English Dr. Joseph Becker has also been invited to perform a reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.”

The series will continue September 28 through 29 in New York, Philadelphia, and it will appropriately end in Baltimore, Poe’s final resting place.

Professor Cannon Becker’s lecture is free to attend. To ensure you have a seat, please register online through the Poetry Downtown Festival website.