March 2018

Want another great reason to read through the image newsletter? Well, somewhere in this issue of the image is our very own owl emoji. We can’t tell you exactly what it looks like and you won’t find it on the emoji list on your phone, but you’ll know it when you see it! 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 great prize (UMPI swag or a $5 gift certificate to the Campus Store or UMPI Starbucks)! A winner will be randomly drawn from all of the people who find the emoji on Friday, March 30.

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!

UMPI’s Student Activities Office hosted magician Ben Seidman on Feb. 2 in the Auditorium in Wieden Hall. Seidman co-stars in Magic Outlaws on Travel Channel and appeared on Fool Us with Penn & Teller on the CW Network. Seidman was the Resident Magician at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas following three seasons creating magic for Criss Angel: Mindfreak ono A&E. He won 2015 Best Small Venue Performer (Campus Activities Magazine) and 2014 Entertainer of the Year (Princess Cruises).

UMPI students, faculty, and staff were out in full force on March 2, celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day by reading Dr. Seuss books to local school children. In total, 25 readers helped with activities, which included reading to kids in seven different grades (Pre-K to 5) in three different schools over the course of two days. Volunteers included Kevin McCartney, Lisa Pucci, UCU campus branch manager Jennifer Deschene, Alana Margeson, Wendi Malenfant, John Harrington, Deborah Roark, Amanda Baker, Terry Wood, and Rachel Rice. Other participants included Melanie Griffin, Matthew Theriault, Sage Roling, Sara Packard, Alexandra DesRuisseaux, Ines Ngoga, Delanie Strout, Ayana Walker, Lexi Allcock, Brianna Losee, Maddi Thweatt, Cynthia Figueroa, Dominic Kane, Ashley Kirkland, and Dianna Poulin. Books read included everything from The Lorax and Yertle the Turtle to And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. To see photos from ‘the big read,’ click here.

On March 2, the UMPI Owls Relay for Life held its Annual Stew Night at the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club. More than 86 people attended, the most that has ever had turned out for this particular Stew Night, and the team raised $850 for the American Cancer Society. Thank you to everyone who attended!

Trevor Parent and his wife Julie Conrad have a new addition born on Feb. 12: Eric Brian Edgar Parent.

Eric weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. He joins his big sister Emily.

Congratulations to the whole family!

The Center for Teaching and Learning will be offering two workshops for staff. Both workshops are on Friday, March 16. The first one is CANVA (creating graphics) Basics and will be offered from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. The 2^nd workshop will be Google Docs 101: How to create, edit, share, and organize from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. The location for these workshops will be determined on the need for computers. Please contact Alana Margeson at 768-9554 or email alana.margeson@maine.edu  if you are interested in either of these workshops.

Congratulations to March Student of the Month Evangelos (Evan) Zarkadas, a sophomore majoring in History and Political Science and minoring in Environmental Studies from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Zarkadas established the first UMPI History Club and is Parliamentarian for the Student Government Association. He’s also a student representative for the Green Committee, a writer for the UTimes, a member of Native Voices, University Players, Inclusion and Civility Task Force, and serves as an Owl Mentor for the Center for Innovative Learning.

He gave a presentation at Boston College on the Greek and Armenian Genocide last summer and he volunteers for the Presque Isle Historical Society. Zarkadas is also the UMPI Student Intern at Presque Isle City Hall. He does all of this while maintaining a high GPA. Congratulations again, Evan!

Four UMPI Biology students attended a week-long biomedical course in CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing during the month of January at MDI Biological Laboratories in Salisbury Cove, ME, funded by Maine INBRE. Sean Barbosa, Sabrina Douglas, Michaela Schwartz, and Ryan Tebo, along with UMPI Assistant Professor of Biology Judith Roe, were joined by UMFK students, and the group learned about gene editing techniques in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans from researcher Dustin Updike.

Congratulations to February Student of the Month Bonnie Corey, a senior majoring in Biology with a Pre-med concentration. Corey, who hails from Washburn, is the President of the Biomedical Club and Vice President of Red Cross Club. Corey tutors for several science classes and biology courses. She is a past member of the World Health Club and has helped with the Rotary-sponsored Purple Pinkie Project at TAMC, Brain Awareness, and Brain Bee events. Corey has recently been accepted at three medical schools.

She has worked on several faculty research projects, presented an oral talk at an international science conference, and presented several posters at University Day and a statewide student science symposium on her research. Congratulations again, Bonnie!

Planning a wedding or a big event? Know someone who is? Or are you just looking for a fun event to attend? Come celebrate your engagement and invite all of your friends on Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center.

Northern Maine’s best wedding vendors are throwing you a party! The Grand Ballroom at the Campus Center will be fully decorated like you’ve never seen it before! There will be free appetizers, dancing, a cash bar, and so much more. Come see the space and learn about what we can do to help you plan your big day or just come by to see all of the decorations, grab a snack, and enjoy the music!

This event is presented by UMPI, Interior Accents, C-DJ Services and Blush Bridal and Formal. FMI, contact Lydia Kieffer-Till at 768-9502 or email lydia.kieffer@maine.edu.

THE UMPI Green Committee has launched a website containing helpful tips for recycling, a survey, a list of UMPI sustainability events, and descriptions of sustainable practices at UMPI. Head to http://www.umpi.edu/green/ to learn more.

UMPI celebrated an Employee Appreciation Day on Friday, March 2, which just happens to be National Employee Appreciation Day. All were encouraged to stop by the Owl’s Nest for cake or the President’s Office for popcorn. The activity was just a small way to say ‘thank you’ to employees for “Owl” they do each day to make campus a great place to work!