UMaine Alumni Association
P.O. Box 550
Orono, ME 04473
Abigail.zelz@maine.edu
Hi, Class of 2016 —
There’s a lot happening with classmates, and we’d like to include the news in the MAINE Alumni Magazine. We’re looking for someone to report the news. If you would like to write this column, please contact Abigail.Zelz@maine.edu at the Alumni Association.
Here’s a sample of what classmates are doing:
Justine Drake works in the Brewer office of CES, a firm of engineers, environmental scientists, and land surveyors.
At John Bapst High School in Bangor, Courtney Withee is the head field hockey coach. She also coaches the school’s JV softball team.
Brooke Fournier has joined Heal Accounting in South Thomaston as an administrative assistant.
Jesse Orach ’17G of Gorham ran the 10K Beach to Beacon road race last August. He was in the lead when, just 100 meters shy of the finish line, he fell. The runner-up competitor, Rob Gomez, helped Jesse across the finish line, where both men were clocked at 31 minutes, 31 seconds.
Morgan Gustin graduated from the Kentucky Equine Management Internship program in Lexington, KY, where she was responsible for the administration of scheduled medications and routine veterinary work. She has moved to Florida to manage a local company and become involved with veterinary technician work at the local large animal hospital.
At Maine Medical Center, Moira Burke G works as an inpatient clinical dietitian and an outpatient dietitian at Maine Medical Partners Urology office. As an adjunct with the University of New England, she has also worked with the UNE’s nutrition program to develop and teach an online course on lifecycle nutrition.
Also in the medical field, Lauren Lee received Eastern Maine Medical Center’s Nurse Resident of the Year Award for 2017. Lauren was described as being a “true leader and advocate at the bedside by providing patient and family-centered care” and a “role model for coworkers.” The daughter of a patient wrote to the hospital about Lauren: “This young woman is an outstanding credit to the profession of nursing and Eastern Maine Medical Center.”
Marina “Rosie” Gray was named Miss Maine USA 2018 at the competition in Portland last November, and will compete in the Miss USA pageant in late May.
Rosie joined the U.S. Army National Guard after graduating from high school and is a sergeant in the 133rd Engineer Battalion in Brunswick. She was named the 2015 Soldier of the Year and received a 2017 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year award in her unit.
Of the Miss Maine competition, she said, “This wasn’t the path that I thought I would take, but this crown is an opportunity to spread a positive message and make a difference in the community, state, and our country.”
She also told the Maine Campus: “College goes by super fast, and friendships you make there will be important to you in the future. And never be afraid to go to York dining for buffalo chicken on Wednesdays, even if you’re a senior, because you will miss it.”