The University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Presque Isle Rotary Club are joining forces to host their Fourth Annual World Polio Day and Purple Pinkie Project celebration and this year, with the help of the Rotary Clubs in Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Limestone and Washburn, the celebration will once again spread throughout central Aroostook County. A slate of activities will take place between Oct. 17 and Oct. 25 to celebrate World Polio Day, which takes place Oct. 23. All activities are meant to raise awareness of Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide and to raise money — $1 at a time – to go toward that global effort.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host Dr. Bernd Heinrich, the New York Times bestselling author of nearly 20 books on nature and animal behavior and a national leader in the field of behavioral ecology, as the next speaker in the 2015-2016 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Dr. Heinrich’s talk will focus on the physiological ability of insects and birds to adapt to different environments and will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. This talk is free to the public and everyone is invited to attend.

Healthy competition can go a long way as Northern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Presque Isle will demonstrate during their Second Annual Food Fight food drive. The event will begin on Oct. 16, which is World Food Day, and end on Nov. 6. All food items will be donated after the event to Catholic Charities Maine.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Art Gallery will present Mutated Growth by Brunswick artist Jackie Brown from Wednesday, Oct. 14 through Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. The public is invited to view the exhibition throughout the show’s run and attend the Gallery Reception on Friday, Nov. 6 from 5-7 p.m., which is being held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk. Brown will conduct an Artist Talk during the reception at 5:30 p.m.

Two academic programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are again joining forces this fall to provide the campus and community with an innovative way to explore the world of science. The Environmental Science and Sustainability and the Biology programs are hosting a lunchtime seminar series that will provide a forum to present scientific research conducted by UMPI students and faculty as well as other local and regional scientists.

Start Columbus Day weekend off with a compelling drama about two people meeting for the first time since a high school romance gone very sour when the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s University Players theater club present an original play, Infinitely Yours, written by a UMPI student. This play will feature performances by four professional New York City actors and will show in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. A $5 suggested donation will be accepted at the door. All proceeds will go to Hope and Justice Project to help with domestic violence awareness.

The UMPI 100% Society will be hosting two special guest speakers to discuss LGTBQ issues as part of its Gay Days events on the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus. Casey Faulkingham, with Hope and Justice Project, will speak on Tuesday, Oct. 6, and internationally acclaimed fantasy fiction author Lynn Flewelling will deliver a presentation on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Both talks will be held in the Allagash Room of the Campus Center at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend this free event.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is hosting the American Shakespeare Center for a one-matinee-only performance of Oscar Wilde’s brilliant comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall. A pre-show talk with members of the troupe will be held at 2:30 p.m. All campus and community members are invited to witness the wickedly witty writing and nationally renowned performances in this special, free admission event. Donations will be accepted at the door.

A group of local adventurers will share their trip of a lifetime—an expedition to get a person with paraplegia to the summit of Mt. Katahdin—when they deliver their presentation Beyond Limits on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. in the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Campus Center. This event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Bachelor of Social Work Program will present an evening of “Community, Friendship and Hope” when it hosts the Mwika Musicians for a special community reception on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall. This reception will include demonstrations of the group’s traditional Afrikan music through stories, song and dance. The event is free and open to the public and donations will be accepted at the door.