RICHARD J. POWELL, a member of the University of Maine’s political science faculty for nearly two decades, has been selected as the 2020 Distinguished Maine Professor, the university’s most prestigious faculty award. Powell was chosen from among six finalists by a review panel representing alumni, current and retired faculty, and the UMaine student body. He…
JENNIFER HIGGINS VASHON ’93 is an expert on black bears—the animal kind, not the ones who roam the hallways of UMaine. As a wildlife biologist for Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Vashon is a researcher, public educator, and advisor to policy makers. The University of Maine’s wildlife management program—and the connections she made…
WHEN HE FIRST ARRIVED in Orono in 2000 to start his college career, Matt Rodrigue ’04 understandably had no idea that in less than 15 years he would become a leading figure in resolving one of the United States’ biggest public financial crises. But that’s exactly what happened, as the Farmington native became a prominent…
PENOBSCOT AMBASSADOR Maulian Dana ’06 learned early on to speak her truth. Dana feels the voices of her ancestors running through her blood and bones. Appointed in 2017 as ambassador to the Penobscot Nation, she endeavors to honor the past and address present-day tribal issues — all while keeping her eyes focused on the…
WHEN CLEMENT MCGILLICUDDY ’64 attended the University of Maine, one of his professors required him to read The New York Times daily. The course was introductory and not related to his major. But McGillicuddy dutifully followed through with the assignment. He passed the class and more importantly, gained a valuable lesson to view life through…
ASK ANY COLLEGE or university administrator to list priorities, and you’ll likely hear some combination of these answers: Academic excellence. Access. Innovation. Ask Shontay Delalue ’00, ’03G? She has something important to add. “You can’t do any of that without equity and diversity,” says Delalue, who has served as Brown University’s vice president for institutional…
ONE DAY as then-Attorney General Janet T. Mills was struggling to take care of her family, household, and official duties during her late husband’s illness, she received an unannounced visitor: Secretary of State Matt Dunlap ’87, ’94G, who was in Farmington to give a speech. “He came in, changed into some work clothes, and went…
ON A BRIGHT FEBRUARY MORNING, under a blue sky that seemed to hold the promise of spring, Aislinn Sarnacki ’10 strode through a white pine forest at the Stover Preserve in Belfast and down to the snowy banks of the Passagassawakeag River. Sarnacki, a Bangor Daily News reporter, is familiar to many outdoor…
THERE ARE CERTAIN ALUMNI whose names are widely recognized by Black Bears of all generations. Stephen and Tabitha King. Bernard Lown. Cindy Blodgett. Raymond Fogler. Olympia Snowe. Chuck Peddle’s name may not be among the most recognizable of UMaine alumni. But it deserves to be. Before you could stream movies or access your…