Recent News

August 4, 2020

Natural Law

Photo Thalassa Raasch/Maine Community Foundation IN THE HALF CENTURY since George Smith ’70 graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in business administration, his life and career have experienced more surprise turns than any of the state’s rivers and streams that have come to frame his legacy. Seemingly destined for a career at…

August 4, 2020

A Voice for the Voiceless

Civilians flee from Idlib toward the north to find safety inside Syria near the border with Turkey, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. Photo by quetions123 / Shutterstock.com JANINE DI GIOVANNI HAS RISKED her life to tell the stories of ordinary people who have seen their families, homes, and countries ripped apart by war. So, as people…

July 13, 2020

July 23 Alumni Webinar features “Taking Care of Business During Tough Times”

Small businesses and their customers and clients continue to experience the pandemic’s economic consequences. Join officials from Bangor Savings Bank for an online presentation and Q&A about how owners and managers can protect their businesses during times of economic uncertainty and hardship. The session will include tips for businesses and consumers about safeguarding against identity…

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July 13, 2020

Alumna’s Art Featured on TIME Magazine Cover

Jill Pelto’s ’15, ’18G watercolor and colored pencil creation “Current” is Time magazine’s cover for its special July issue that focuses on climate change. Her cover is an artistic rendering of information about climate change. Pelto earned degrees in both studio art and earth and climate sciences. “I hope that my art encourages audiences to…

July 13, 2020

Task Force Recommends Changing Name of Little Hall

UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy has proposed changing the name of Clarence E. Cook Little Hall. The action is based on a university task force’s recommendations that examined Cook’s record as a scientist and public figure, particularly his senior leadership role in the 20th Century eugenics movement. Aspects of eugenics included forced sterilization of individuals labeled…

July 13, 2020

Advocate for Maine Outdoor Recreation Receives Alumni Career Award

Congratulations to George Smith ’70, the recipient of the Alumni Association’s highest honor, the 2020 Alumni Career Award. As the former executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and a champion for Maine’s land and access to it, Smith spent decades advocating for state policies related to Maine’s outdoor heritage and environmental preservation. In…

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July 13, 2020

President’s Commentary Recently Featured in News

UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy’s recent commentary outlines some of the ways in which the University of Maine helped meet some of the demands to combat the pandemic, from making thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer to graduating nursing students early so they could enter the field sooner. The public’s investment in the University of Maine…

June 15, 2020

Former Maine Hockey Player Reflects on Racial Injustice

Black Bear hockey legend Alfie Michaud ’00 was the subject of a recent feature in National Post, Canada’s fourth-largest newspaper, about the racist slurs and treatment he received in Canada as an Indigenous citizen and athlete.  The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other recent incidents of racial injustice prompted UMaine assistant hockey coach…

June 11, 2020

Introducing the Black Bear Alumni Network!

We are thrilled to offer University of Maine alumni access to the Black Bear Alumni Network, a new way of connecting with the university and with other alums online. As we continue to limit our in-person contact, we hope this will be a valuable resource to help you feel closer to UMaine and to your…

June 11, 2020

Alumni Webinar Features Discussion of Race

“George Floyd, Anti-Black Racism, and #BlackLivesMatter” was the subject of a June 11 Zoom webinar featuring three UMaine alumni.   In the aftermath of the violent death of George Floyd while in police custody, the webinar was intended to help attendees better understand and acknowledge the life experience of being Black in the U.S. Three members…