April 2017

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umpi.edu/ideabox.

UMPI and the Presque Isle Rec Department will be offering lifeguarding and recertification courses this spring. Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, UMPI will offer a lifeguard course from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. with a registration deadline of Friday, April 14; the cost is $175. Register for this course with Amanda Baker at Gentile Hall, 768-9401 or amanda.g.baker@maine.edu. Participants for this class must be 15 years or older and must complete 15 hours of course work online before the first class. Participants must show proof of completion for the online portion of the course on the first day of the course.

Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, the Presque Isle Rec Department will offer a lifeguard course from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. with a registration deadline of Friday, June 9; the cost is $175. Register for this course with Sloan Dionne at the PI Rec Department, 764-2545 or sdionne@presqueisleme.us. Participants for this  class must be 15 years or older and must complete 15 hours of course work online before the first class. Participants must show proof of completion for the online portion of the course on the first day of the course.

Sunday, May 21, the Presque Isle Rec Department will offer a basic water safety course for daycare providers from 9 a.m. – Noon and the cost is $25 for Presque Isle residents and $75 for non-residents. Register for this course with Sloan Dionne at the PI Rec Department, 764-2545 or sdionne@presqueisleme.us.

Sunday, June 11, the Presque Isle Rec Department will offer a Lifeguard Recertification course from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Course fee is $80 for Presque Isle residents and $130 for non-residents. Participants must be current lifeguards (or expired within the last 2 months). Register for this course with Sloan Dionne at the PI Rec Department, 764-2545 or sdionne@presqueisleme.us.

All of the above courses will be held at the Gentile Hall Swimming Pool.

Lisa Leduc’s Domestic Violence class is working with Hope and Justice Project to raise funds for the SAFE Homes Aroostook event that is happening on May 7. They will be having bake sales every Monday for the rest of the semester. Students will be selling assorted baked good items on the 2^nd floor of Folsom/Pullen from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. FMI, contact Lisa at 768-9436 or email lisa.leduc@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle University Players and Wintergreen Arts Center will present We Are Monsters! on Friday, April 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall. Featuring local kids, We Are Monsters! is a new children’s musical directed by local playwright and UMPI alumna Darci Faye. In this comedy, the winner of the 2013 Children’s Musical Theatre Festival, NYC, four human kids sneak into a monster cabaret to reveal monster secrets to the world, but end up learning about the importance of friendship and what makes us different and unique. Admission is $5 per family and there is no age limit to attend. FMI, contact Faye at 385-7903 or email darci.faye@maine.edu.

The 2016-2017 UMPI Athletic Awards Ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 3 in the Wieden Hall Gymnasium. There will be a social with light refreshments from 5:30 – 6 p.m., followed by the Athletic Awards Ceremony from 6 – 8 p.m. Please RSVP to Sandy McDougal by Friday, April 14 by calling 768-9506 or email sandra.mcdougal@maine.edu.

The UMPI Owl Relay for Life team will be participating in the 4^th Annual Chocolate Festival at Teague Park School on Saturday, April 15 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Everyone is invited to attend this event where you can purchase assorted chocolate goodies. There will be games for the kids to play and the Easter Bunny will be on hand for pictures. FMI, contact Laurie Boucher at 768-9512 or email laurie.boucher@maine.edu.

On March 2, Master Illusionist Elliot Zimet wowed and delighted an audience of 112 students, staff, faculty, and community members with tricks of the eye and sleight of hand. Elliot had the audience in a range of emotions from awe to laughter and everything in between in what was a spectacular show hosted by the Student Activities Office at UMPI.

Members of SAGE (Seniors Achieving Greater Education) went to WAGM to talk with Shawn Cunningham about the upcoming spring session and promote the SAGE Spring Kick-Off event that took place Friday, March 17.

The University held a retirement party on March 14 for Jim Stepp, who retired with more than 21 years of service in the Student Affairs area, most recently as Dean of Students. Jim was Director of Residence Life before moving to Dean of Students. He was adviser to the campus chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, the National Honor Society; the UMPI Astronomy Club; and worked with the Red Cross Blood drives, as well as with Student Government. Jim and his family plan to stay in the Presque Isle area.

The University recently lost a long-time faculty member–Jan Kok, Professor Emeritus of Music, who passed away on March 11. Jan and his wife, Evelyn (who passed away in 2014) came to UMPI in 1952 when it was known as the Aroostook State Teachers College and he retired in 1987. During their many years together, Jan and Evelyn touched countless lives of all ages in the County and far beyond.  Both members of the Presque Isle Recorder Consort, and always willing to share their love of music with local schools, Jan also established the Hilltop Carolers and the Ren-Bar (specializing in Renaissance and Baroque music) and was involved in the Kiwanis Talent Revue for over half a century. A formal celebration and recognition of the Koks’ many accomplishments will held at a later date; donations may be made to the Jan and Evelyn Scholarship Fund here at UMPI.

UMPI’s Dean of Students Office is sponsoring an UMPI Spirit Photo Contest to capture your UMPI pride for students, faculty and staff. There will be one photo contest for students and one contest for faculty and staff. You must be a current UMPI student or employee, you must submit your own work and the subject must show or be about UMPI or UMPI students. You may enter up to three photos in each of the following categories: most creative UMPI photo, having fun at UMPI photo, and best photo of a UMPI scene. Email your photos in jpeg format to kathryn.higgins@maine.edu or bring them to Kathryn Higgins in 237 Preble Hall by Thursday, April 14. Include your name, contact number, and category you are entering in the text of the email. Pictures will be displayed and voting will be done by students, faculty and staff. The winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the UMPI Day BBQ on Friday, April 28. FMI, contact Kathryn Higgins at the above email address or 768-9610.

Congratulations to March Student of the Month Nathaniel R. Norris, who is from Enfield, CT, and is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. Norris has been a Student Ambassador since his sophomore year and has proven to be a true asset for the Admissions Office. He is a member of UMPI’s Club Hockey team, the Outing Club and the Geo-Ecology Club.  Norris traveled to Mongolia this past summer and presented some of his findings during a Science Lunchtime Seminar in November entitled Reconstructing glacial ice-surface lowering of the Potanin Glacier, Western Mongolia, during the last glacial termination. He will be attending graduate school at the University of Cincinnati to pursue a Master’s degree in Geology later this year. Congratulations again, Nate!

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Employer U program, which focuses on providing workforce development opportunities for the region, will offer two six-week courses this spring beginning Tuesday, April 25, as part of its American Management Association’s University certificate program. Certificates are available in General Management, Human Resources, or Customer Satisfaction. Two courses will be held this spring at UMPI’s MMG Center for Professional Development. The six-week courses include Leadership Skills for Managers (Value: 2 CEUs), Tuesdays, April 25 – May 30, 5 – 89:15 p.m. with Tim McMahon as the instructor. This course is required for those seeking a certificate in General Managements or as an elective for any other AMA certification through UMPI. Also being offered is Performance Management (Value: 2 CEUs) on Wednesdays, April 26 – May 31, 5 – 8:15 p.m. with Laurie Nelson as the instructor. This course is required for those seeking a certificate in Human Resources or as an elective for any other AMA certification through UMPI. Each six-week course is $300 per person. Tuition includes instruction, textbook, and all materials. Payment is due by the first class unless other arrangements have been made in advance with UMPI’s Director of Employer U. For course registration, go to:  https://goo.gl/forms/f1P01figbHQlRFCJ3 or contact Kim Jones, Director of Employer U, at 768-9459 or email kimberly.a.jones@maine.edu.