April 2019

All are invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Zillman Family Greenhouse on Thursday, April 25, at 3 p.m. in the Gentile Hall parking lot. A reception will immediately follow in Gentile Hall. For more information, contact Debbie Roark at 768-9755 or email deborah.roark@maine.edu.

The University hosted the 13^th Annual Junior Achievement of Maine Titan Challenge in the Campus Center in March. Eighty-five County high school students attended. This year’s Titan Challenge was different than in past years due to a snow storm; because of the snow date, fewer students than usual were able to attend and they weren’t able to compete against others throughout the state. Instead, they competed against other County teams. The event brought area high school students to campus to compete against their peers in business finance and marketing simulations. The two top spots went to two Caribou teams this year. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Carol Ayoob’s Experience of the Arts class will host a Community Coffeehouse and Open Mic every Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Owl’s Nest. Musicians, poets, and any others who are interested are invited to attend. There will be a featured musician each week and a sign-in sheet for anyone who wants to play or recite their original poetry. This event is free and open to the public as well. FMI, contact Carol Ayoob at 768-5903 or email carol.ayoob@maine.edu.

Want another great reason to read through the image newsletter? Well, somewhere in this issue of the image is our very own owl emoji. Here’s the challenge: just find it (don’t tell anyone else its’ hiding place!), let our office know, and you could be eligible for a $5 gift certificate to UMPI Starbucks! A winner will be randomly drawn from all of the people who find the emoji on Friday, April 19. Congratulations to our March winner, Tyna Rolon!

To let us know you’ve found it, either click on the emoji and fill out the very short form, or email Gayla Shaw with the location at gshaw@maine.edu.
Happy searching!

The UMPI/Community Band will perform their spring concert on Monday, April 29 (snow date May 6), 7 p.m. in the Auditorium in Wieden Hall. The Band, a unique performing ensemble of about 50 members, will offer a concert conducted by Jon Simonoff. A variety of music will be performed including classic band literature, settings of choral music for concert band, marches, and more contemporary works. The UMPI/Community Band is composed of local and traveling musicians from as young as middle school age through retirement. This event is free and open to the public. FMI, contact Jon Simonoff at jonrsimonoff@gmail.com.

The Student Activities Office will host Exotic Animals on Thursday, April 18 at 12:30 p.m. in the Owl’s Nest. There will be over 12 animals from around the world, including snakes, crocodile, arctic fox, and a chinchilla. Cost is $5 per person, with children under 10 free. UMPI students get in free. FMI, contact Violet Washburn at 768-9582 or email umpi-engagement@maine.edu.

The National Society of Leadership and Success will be hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, April 16 from Noon to 5 p.m. in the Gentile Hall gym. Reservations for the blood drive can be made at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE [1-800-448-3543] or log onto www.newenglandblood.org and type 04769 in the zip code field to make an appointment. FMI, contact Violet Washburn, 768-9582 or email violet.washburn@maine.edu.

Comedian Sammy Obeid will provide an evening full of laughs on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. Obeid has appeared on Conan and NBC’s America’s Got Talent. He holds the world record for performing 1,001 consecutive nights of comedy. This event is open to the public and donations will be accepted at the door. UMPI Students are free.

The following faculty were awarded sabbatical awards for the upcoming year:
Carolyn Dorsey, Associate Professor of Business Management (Sabbatical)
Dr. Tomasz Herzog, Professor of Biology (Sabbatical)
Dr. Judith Roe, Associate Professor of Biology (Trustee Professorship)

Congratulations to this year’s awardees!

Nominations for the UMPI Alumni Recognition Awards are now open. This year, awards include recognition for alumni as well as for UMPI faculty and staff members who have had a lasting impact on our alumni. The Alumni Service Award also makes a return as the Owl Service Award, which will be awarded when a suitable nominee is presented. You can view the award criteria and nominate at https://www.umpi.edu/alumni/awards.

This year’s commencement ceremony will be held in Wieden Gymnasium on Saturday, May 11 at 10:30 a.m. Robing and assembly will take place before the procession in Kelley Commons at 9:30 a.m. If you are marching, don’t forget to attend rehearsal in Wieden Auditorium at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 10. Regalia is not needed for rehearsal.

If you forgot to apply to graduate for this spring, it’s not too late! See the Registrar’s Office for details, or contact us at umpireg@maine.edu.

UMPI welcomed Tampa, Florida-based musician Taylor Reed on March 27 for a rhythm and soul-filled performance that swerved from pop to R&B to jazz. Touted as a looperist/multi-instrumentalist/groove enthusiast, she channels her natural creativity and spontaneity during her performances by weaving the sounds of violin, guitar, and vocals together using an electronic looping station, which allows her to build an elegantly layered, engrossingly soulful sound. To read the full story, click here.