Recent News

August 12, 2021

Alfond Golf Classic Brings Together Alums

UMaine Athletics recently hosted its fifth annual Alfond Golf Classic fundraiser at Belgrade Lakes Golf Club in central Maine. The event benefits the Alfond Fund, which provides scholarships and other forms of support for UMaine athletics. This year’s event attracted 168 players, including Black Bear Award recipients Skip Chappelle ’62 and Phil Morse ’64, 2018…

August 12, 2021

Inductees to be Added to the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame

Six outstanding individual athletes, a former coach, and members of a women’s basketball team will be inducted into the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame. The 2021 UMaine Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will take place on Friday, Sept. 17, at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer, at 5:30-8:30 pm. Space is limited, and tickets are available…

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August 12, 2021

Letendre ’78 Receives High Honor for Athletic Training

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recently inducted Mark “Rookie” Letendre ’78 into the NATA Hall of Fame. The induction is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive, and recognizes Letendre’s outstanding career, providing the best medical care, and being an advocate for the athletic training profession. Rookie spent 18 years as head athletic…

August 12, 2021

This Homecoming You Should be “Coming Home”

Save the date! Plan a return to UMaine for Homecoming on October 15-16. Join the campus festivities, including events planned by different colleges, and tailgating and a football game against the College of William and Mary, beginning at noon. Learn more at UMaineHomecoming.com.

August 12, 2021

Alum Assists with Coverage of Olympic Games

Liam Nee ‘14 didn’t travel to Tokyo to watch the Olympics, but the former track & field student-athlete had a prime view, and participated in another way. Working from Stamford, CT, Nee served as a digital editorial producer for NBC Sports. He provided breaking news and feature coverage leading up to and during the Olympics.

August 12, 2021

Two Campus Buildings May be Redeveloped as Boutique Hotels

In July, University of Maine System trustees approved a project that would transform Coburn Hall and Holmes Hall into boutique hotels. The two buildings have been unoccupied since 2009.  The UMS trustees voted to enter a lease agreement with Radnor Property Group, LLC to redevelop and renovate the buildings.  Coburn Hall was built in 1887-88…

July 15, 2021

This UMaine Spin-Out Company Helps to Protect Maine’s Pollinators and Blueberries 

Black Bear alumni, faculty, staff, and students are among Maine’s most productive innovators and entrepreneurs. This month, Innovators of UMaine showcases Maine Biosensors, a startup spun out of UMaine research that is using radar-based technology to help beekeepers monitor overall hive health. Most people would associate bees with honey, but few probably realize how critical…

July 13, 2021

UMaine Announces the Appointment of Three New Deans

Three new deans recently joined the University of Maine. Norm O’Reilly is dean of the Graduate School of Business, Diane Rowland was named dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture, and Ellen Weinauer will join UMaine as dean of the Honors College.   O’Reilly is a former professor and assistant dean at the University…

July 13, 2021

Alum Featured on PBS NewsHour

Naturalist and marathon runner Bernd Heinrich ’64, ’66G was featured on the PBS NewsHour in early July.  Heinrich’s newest book, Racing the Clock: Running Across a Lifetime, combines two of his major interests, biology and running. In it, the retired biology professor turns his attention to the science behind running, the human body, metabolism, and…

July 13, 2021

UMaine Receives Walter Harrison Cup

The University of Maine was awarded the 2020-21 Walter Harrison Academic Cup in recognition of the school’s student-athletes, who earned a grade point average of 3.62, the highest grade point average recorded in league history.  The Walter Harrison Academic Cup is awarded annually to the America East institution whose student-athletes post the highest GPA. This…

July 13, 2021

Accomplished Maine Music Teacher Retires

Steve Orlofsky ’74, the music instructor at George Stevens Academy, retired in June after a 43-year teaching career. He taught for nine years in Fort Fairfield and 34 in Blue Hill.  “Mr. O” conducted band, jazz band, and jazz combos, and his students won many jazz performance awards at state and regional jazz festivals. In…

July 13, 2021

New Members Join Alumni Association Board

Four UMaine alumni have joined the UMaine Alumni Association’s board of directors following their election at the Association’s annual membership meeting on June 18. Pictured on the top row, left to right, are Sue McKechnie Bernier ’88 of Verona Island, the chief philanthropy and marketing officer for the Rockland-based Island Institute; and Katie Foster ’12 of…