The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Art Gallery is proud to present In the Company of Things by Léo-Paul Cyr, from Friday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Oct. 21, 2016. The public is invited to view the exhibition throughout the show’s run and attend the Gallery Reception on Friday, Oct. 7 from 5-7 p.m., which is being held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk. The event will include a Gallery Talk with the artist at 5:30 p.m.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present an action-packed, fun-filled Homecoming 2016 weekend—complete with an inflatable obstacle course, block party, fireworks, movie under the stars, and the annual Hall of Fame dinner—from Thursday, Sept. 29 to Sunday, Oct. 2. Alumni, friends, and campus and community members are invited to attend all events.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is proud to present one of the top 10 African dance companies in the United States—Step Afrika!—for a performance on Saturday, October 1 at 8 p.m. in the Auditorium in Wieden Hall as a part of the University’s Homecoming 2016 Celebration. This event is free and open to the public; donations to future cultural events will be accepted at the door.

Officials at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are pleased to announce that the institution earned three top rankings on U.S. News and World Report’s 2017 Best Colleges list. In this year’s annual rankings, UMPI was named among the 50 Best Regional Colleges in the North, the 15 Top Public Schools in the North, and the top 10 Regional Colleges in the North for graduates with least debt.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is set to open a brand new, state-of-the-art space devoted to the region’s professional and workforce development needs this fall thanks to a generous donation from MMG Insurance of $50,000, as well as a $10,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation. University officials and business leaders will unveil the MMG Center for Professional Development during a grand opening celebration on Monday, Sept. 12, at 3 p.m. All are invited to attend this special event, which will include a ribbon cutting and refreshments.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present David Sylvester—a cyclist, award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author—as the first guest speaker in its 2016-2017 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Sylvester will deliver his talk on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s TRIO College Access Services Office is strengthening its efforts to help Aroostook County middle and high school age students prepare for and enroll in college—and succeed once they get there—thanks to a $1.2 million competitive grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.