Hello, Class of 2021! I hope you all have been able to keep warm and happy this winter. I have kept busy in Orono by enjoying some tea and warm snuggles from my beloved cat, Mina. I invite you to share any news or events in your life that you’d like your classmates to hear at jasmine.olivares@maine.edu or with the UMaine Alumni Association.
In January 2023, Jackie Malvin became one of the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to an overseas service area since the agency’s evacuation of all global volunteers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Jackie earned her degree in chemistry and served as a health volunteer in Madagascar. As a Peace Corps volunteer, she completed three months of volunteer training before working on specialized service projects in local communities that focus on agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health, or youth. Jackie said she wanted to join the Peace Corps “because I feel that contributing to a larger community will empower me to become a stronger person.”
Also in January 2023, Aubrey Humpage was hired by the Greater Portland Board of Realtors (GPBR) as director of marketing and member benefits. Aubrey majored in communications and marketing and has also served as a sales consultant in Southern Maine. In her role, she serves over 1,900 GPBR members in 15 communities across Southern Maine.
In March 2023, Nicole Ann Pelletier ‘22G received the Dean’s Award at the 2023 MaineMBA Alumni Awards and Business Forum hosted by the Graduate School of Business at UMaine. The event was attended by UMaine alumni, partners, and officials to celebrate four Maine MBA alums and featured an expansive industry panel. Nicole is an audit staff member at Baker Newman-Noyes, serving clients in the healthcare, non-profit, and financial services industries. She is also working towards becoming a certified public accountant.
Brian J. Cook joined Sebago Technics in South Portland in 2021 as a survey technician. In early 2023 he was promoted to senior surveyor and later became professional land surveyor. Since January 2024, he has been a survey-geomatics field team lead. Brian coordinates project fieldwork, scheduling, and resource management with a team of field personnel.
There is more to share, which I will include in the summer 2025 column. Updates about the lives and careers of the Class of 2021 are always welcome, so reach out if you have something to share. Stay warm and have a great spring!