The National Space Society, an informal group of space enthusiasts who join together for camaraderie and education, has provided a $3,000 grant to support the “From Pluto at the Speed of Light” run along the Maine Solar System Model. This first-of-its-kind event—billed as the fastest run ever performed by humans because it will be conducted at “light speed” (186,000 miles per second) along the Maine Solar System Model—takes place on July 15 and is being hosted by the University of Maine at Presque Isle [UMPI], the Northern Maine Museum of Science [NMMS] and the northern Maine running community.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is pleased to announce that it will be bringing Camp Invention—the nation’s premier summer enrichment day camp program supported by the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the United States Patent and Trademark Office—to campus the week of August 3 to 7. The weeklong day camp for students entering grades one through six fosters innovation and creativity while also building self-esteem, teamwork, persistence, and goal-setting skills.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Fine Art Gallery presents the 2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition, BFA 15: Selections from Senior Show, featuring selected works created by four graduating UMPI art students, through August 8. The public is invited to view the exhibition and attend a reception, being held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk, on Friday, July 3 from 5-7 p.m. in the Reed Gallery.

The American Red Cross and the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Residence Life Office are teaming up to pull off the University’s eighth “Super” Blood Drive this summer, the time of year when the need for blood increases.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle honored several employees for their years of service during the annual Employee Recognition Reception held on May 21. Twenty-three employees were recognized for their combined 315 years of service to the University. Employees were honored with various tokens of appreciation, from clocks to framed art.