Dr. Kevin McCartney, Professor of Geology at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, spent the Fall 2009 semester on a research sabbatical at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. According to McCartney, the sabbatical was very successful, resulting in five papers submitted to international journals, and a grant proposal to the National Science Foundation.
Officials from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and area tribal elders gathered at the Houlton Higher Education Center on March 17 for the dedication of the Houlton Native Education Center, a new student center designed specifically for Native American students in the southern Aroostook County area.
“We are so pleased to be joining with tribal elders throughout the region in dedicating the Houlton Native Education Center and creating a comfortable space for our Native American students as they take their university classes,” President Don Zillman said. “This center will help our students continue their educational success and allow us to continue the good work that is being done through our Project Compass efforts.”
Students from the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Medieval History class will be joining with middle school students in Presque Isle Middle School’s History Club and members of the Society for Creative Anachronism to host a Medieval Faire for area middle schoolers on Tuesday, March 23 in Wieden Gymnasium.
More than 400 middle school students from across central Aroostook County have been invited to take part in this one-of-a-kind learning opportunity during morning and afternoon sessions. In preparation for their visit, organizers are transforming Wieden gym into a medieval village, complete with a castle, monastery, peasant home, and workshops. They have been helped in their efforts by the University’s Physical Plant staff, Dr. Michael Amey’s Medieval Literature Class, and other staffers from across campus.
University of Maine at Presque Isle Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology Dr. Jason Johnston is conducting a three-year study – that ultimately will help to improve the ecological health and biodiversity of managed forests – after receiving a $34,588 grant from the Northeastern States Research Cooperative.
Johnston’s grant proposal Effects of Forest Type and Stand Characteristics on Seasonal Abundance of Forest-floor Invertebrates was one of six grants funded during the competitive grant process. His research, which involves collaboration with Ken White of Seven Islands Land Company, focuses on the relationships between the structure and composition of forest stands and the abundance of invertebrates in those stands.
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Robbie O’Connell will be making an appearance in the University’s of Maine at Presque Isle’s Wieden Auditorium on Sunday, March 14 at 2 p.m.
Ireland’s top music magazine, Hot Press, has called O’Connell “a national treasure” and “a man blessed with an enviable turn of phrase and a gift for melody bestowed on only the few.” O’Connell’s performance at UMPI will include traditional Irish songs and stories.
A University of Maine at Presque Isle program that serves local residents over 50 and believes in “learning for life” will host its spring kick-off with a luncheon event at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 18 in the Campus Center.
Seniors Achieving Greater Education [SAGE] has worked for more than a decade to bring short courses in arts, sciences, and specialty areas to the region’s senior community. SAGE is one of 16 senior colleges in the Maine Senior College Network, and the only one north of Orono.
At the March 18 luncheon, participants will have the opportunity to socialize with SAGE members. Following lunch, they will learn all about upcoming SAGE classes. This spring, SAGE officials are offering a dozen courses and learning excursions – on topics ranging from Buddhism to Journalism Ethics. Learning excursions include trips to the WAGM-TV station in Presque Isle and the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in Limestone.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host its Annual Job & Career Fair in the Campus Center from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17. Thirty businesses and governmental agencies from the region and across the state are expected to participate in the event.
“The Job & Career Fair provides a unique opportunity for our students and the public to network with employers, discover opportunities, and to gain professional employment,” Barbara DeVaney, Director of Career Services, said.
Educational partners at the Houlton Higher Education Center are joining together on Tuesday, March 2 to present a “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!” event for area preschoolers, elementary-age students and community members.
This year’s event – a collaboration between UMPI, the Houlton/Hodgdon SAD 29/70 Adult Education program, and NMCC – is being held throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The event is part of the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day, which calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of Theodore Geisel, the beloved children’s author also known as Dr. Seuss.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle is pleased to present Judy Wicks – the founder of the White Dog Café in Philadelphia, the co-founder of the nationwide Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and the founder of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia – as its next Distinguished Lecturer.
Wicks will deliver her talk Local Living Economies: Green, Fair and Fun on Wednesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. in the UMPI Campus Center. Responding to the challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and the global financial crisis, Wicks will discuss the growing localization movement that is transitioning from an economy dominated by multinationals and long distance shipping to local living economies that produce basic needs at home while working in harmony with nature.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle will be offering two courses this spring starting on Wednesday, March 24 as part of its American Management Association’s certificate programs. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, March 17.
These spring courses, part of a multi-course curriculum leading to Certificates in Management and Human Resources Management, are specifically created to meet the unique needs of working professionals who want to be more effective in their current positions and better prepared for future advancement, according to Keith Madore, campus AMA coordinator.