Officials at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are pleased to announce that the institution earned four top rankings on U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 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, the top 10 Regional Colleges in the North for graduates with least debt, and the top 20 Best Regional Colleges in the North for Veterans.

A University of Maine at Presque Isle program that serves local residents over 50 and believes in “learning for life” will host its fall kick-off event at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 in the Campus Center. For 17 years, Seniors Achieving Greater Education [SAGE] has brought short courses in arts, sciences, and specialty areas to the region’s senior community.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will be offering two courses this fall beginning Monday, Sept. 22, and Wednesday, Sept. 24, respectively, as part of its American Management Association’s certificate programs. The course registration deadline is Thursday, Sept. 18.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is pleased to announce that Tracy Rockwell was appointed in mid-August to serve as Interim Director of the Houlton Higher Education Center for the upcoming semester. Rockwell replaces Chuck Ames, who served the University for more than 30 years.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle has partnered with StraighterLine, a leading provider of affordable, flexible and transferrable online college courses, to give students across the nation another affordable pathway to its 30 liberal arts and professional degree programs. The University strives to be the region’s premier learning institution and is committed to providing a high quality education at an affordable cost.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is pleased to announce that a local couple has stepped forward with a major gift to assist the campus in its efforts to promote the cultural arts in Aroostook County and to serve as a cultural hub for the region.

Ray and Sandy Gauvin of Mapleton, well-known for their many County endeavors including the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, have gifted the University a 75-acre woodlot and building located at 640 State Road in Mapleton. The couple also is donating all of its maple syrup production equipment to the University.