Two members of the University of Maine at Presque Isle community recently were recognized for their help on a research project that was published for the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund in February and continued on the work conducted by one of the region’s best known naturalists.
Press Releases
UMPI to host Cardboard Boat Regatta
The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host its first ever Cardboard Boat Regatta on Friday, April 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the Gentile Hall pool area – with UMPI students, faculty and staff competing for first place and bragging rights – and the community is welcome to watch, cheer and vote for their favorite boat.
UMPI student poster named one of 10 best at undergraduate conference
An Environmental Studies and Sustainability major at the University of Maine at Presque Isle recently won a “best poster” award at the 2012 Northeast Undergraduate Research Development Symposium in Biddeford. Scott Belair’s poster was one of just 10 among more than 100 posters to receive the recognition.
Belair’s poster was titled The Effects of Forest Type on Arthropod Abundance and Food Use by Birds. It was based on research by Jason Johnston, UMPI Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology, that Belair and two other students, Dan Sheffield and Dylan Plissey, helped to conduct.
Wintergreen Arts Center and UMPI announce “10×10” art auction
Event to raise funds for Cultural Center in Downtown Presque Isle
Officials with the Wintergreen Arts Center and the University of Maine at Presque Isle are collaborating to host their first ever 10×10 Art Auction, which will help them to establish a Cultural Center in the downtown area. The auction will be held Friday, May 4, from 6-9 p.m. at the Wintergreen Arts Center during the May 2012 First Friday Art Walk.
UMPI to celebrate Zuras’ debut novel with reading, book signing
A University of Maine at Presque Isle English Professor has had his debut novel published and the University will celebrate with a reading and book signing event with the author on Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. The public is invited to attend this special event, which will include a reception featuring light refreshments, and wine available through a cash bar.
Richard Lee Zuras, UMPI Professor of English and Creative Writing, explores Zain’s final year of childhood, his father’s dismissal from the CIA, and his family’s near disintegration in this coming-of-age work The Bastard Year, published by the independent press, Brandylane Publishers.
Blackstone named Rising Star by Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs
A University of Maine at Presque Isle staff member and 2004 alumna recently received major recognition from the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs – she was honored with the Rising Star Award during the association’s annual meeting. This is the association’s most prestigious honor.
Jessica Blackstone, UMPI’s Assistant Director of Admissions, was recognized for her work with the Northern Maine Fair Association, specifically the extremely popular Lil’ Farmers at the Fair exhibit, which took months of planning and preparation to put together.
CUNY team to give research presentation at UMPI
A research team from the City University of New York [CUNY] will deliver a presentation at the University of Maine at Presque Isle at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 22 to discuss the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] funded research that an UMPI student has been helping them to conduct. Their project involves calculating snow cover in the region and using the results as a predictor for spring flooding issues, potentially a valuable tool for emergency management and decision-maker officials. The public is invited to attend this research presentation, which will take place in the Geospatial Information Technology Center (GIS Lab, Folsom 201).
Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search blend to create TRiO College Access Services
A familiar office on the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus is changing and expanding – including the addition of five new staff members – after receiving a five-year, $1.15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help middle and high school age students prepare for and enroll in college, and succeed once they get there.
UMPI’s TRiO Upward Bound office is taking new shape with a new name – TRiO College Access Services – after receiving word last fall that its application for a TRiO Educational Talent Search (ETS) program had been selected for funding through a competitive grant process. The Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education is funding the program for five years, at $230,000 per year, to serve 500 middle and high school students.
HHEC hosts “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!” event
The Houlton Higher Education Center presented a “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!” event for area preschoolers, elementary-age students and community members on Friday, March 2.
The Houlton Center event was part of the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day, which calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of Theodore Geisel, the beloved children’s author also known as Dr. Seuss.
University renews StormReady status
The University of Maine at Presque Isle has once again been named a National Weather Service StormReady campus after receiving a three-year renewal of its federal designation. In 2008 when it was first named a StormReady campus, UMPI became the second campus in New England, after Harvard University, and the 21st campus in the nation to receive this designation.
In order to secure the renewal, University security and safety staff had to successfully demonstrate that they have taken important steps to ensure that the campus is prepared when severe weather strikes.
