Volume 42 Issue 12 by University Times

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University of Maine at Presque Isle Volume 42 Issue 12

And the Winners are... Details on page 26 & 27

Visit Tanzania! Details on page 13

Journalism for Northern Maine Visit us at utimes.umpi.edu

MAY 9, 2014

The Art of Success Bobbi Anne Wheaton CONTRIBUTOR

The lights come up and the curtains open. A young girl stands on the stage dressed in a tattered dress and a bright red wig. She starts to sing and the audience is instantly enveloped in yet another show at the Reach Performing Arts Center. The Reach Performing Arts Center is a privately funded 400-seat theater built inside the Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School. Founded in 2001, the Reach was originally built for the children as a way for them to experience the arts of theater, music and dance. It became much more than that. This state of the art theater houses both school and community

events, with participants from the ages of 4 to 84. Both children and adults have worked together to put on many shows over the last 13 years. These shows include “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Sound of Music,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Oliver” and “Annie.” The children always get the first choice of parts in every production. The community fills up the rest. This gives the children the opportunity to interact with people they may not ordinarily have contact with, such as doctors and bankers. This theater has been very beneficial for students. Suzy Shepard, a Stonington resident who has been involved in every production for the last 12 years,

said, “It gives you a way to open up.” Since no one is a professional actor, everyone can come together through humor, sadness, laughter or dance. The do not need to be intimidated by what they can or cannot do. Everyone learns and grows together. Everyone is included. Cathy Boyce, a back-stage mom, said, “The inclusion of my special needs daughter, Angel, from the first production shown at the Reach to her current membership in the Cabin Fever Theater group, has given both her and me pure joy.” Shepard went on to say, “This is not Broadway. The public is forgiving. Everyone does the best they can do. It’s a lot of fun and very respectful.” At the end of

each show, everyone involved even takes down the stage and cleans up together. Children have shown that what they learn does not end when they leave the stage. They keep a passion with them that carries over into their regular schoolwork and the real world after graduation. Sue Steed, who was on the committee to build the theater and has worked backstage since it opened, tells about the wonderful changes she has seen in the children. The arts “help with listening and focus.” The children have better comprehension from listening to other characters, rewriting scenes and acting them out. They have “that willingness to take a risk or take your best shot

at it. It makes them a lifelong learner, which carries over into trying new things like different cuisines or new things in business.” Because a child has to be academically eligible to participate, it is also a great motivator. The Reach Performing Arts Center has been such a great success that more and more people are joining every year. Even people who were originally against building the theater have admitted to being wrong and have even taken part in several productions. As the theater finishes up the spring production of “The Pajama Game,” Suzy Shepard says, “It has changed people’s opinions and views. It is the best room in the building.” Encore!

The University Times Staff Editor Nicole Duplessis Assistant Editor Stephanie Jellett Staff Writers Christopher Bowden Nicole Duplessis Stephanie Jellett Ben Pinette Katie York Contributors Kathryn Allenby Ollie Barratt Hannah Brilliant Rebecca Campbell Alex Csiernik Tia Anita Dee Matthew Glover Kelly Gumprecht Heather Herbert Jason Hoyt Jacob Kiehn Erin McKenney Jim Stepp Bobbi Anne Wheaton

University Times

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Hi Everyone! I can’t believe this is the last issue of the year. It’s crazy to think how fast time has gone, and it’s even crazier to think of all those graduating in a week. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with such a great University Times crew, and I am sad to see them all go in the next couple weeks. Looking over the year as a whole, it was a wonderful year full of great experiences. I am, and will always be, happy to have had the opportunity to travel to D.C. with Dr. J and Stephanie. We made many good memories that I will always hold onto. Getting to know the graduating University Times seniors-Kayla, Katie, Ben and Stephanie--has been an honor. They have been great role models for me, and I look up to all of them for all the advice and encouragement they have given me. I wish them all nothing but the best in their futures! As far as classes go, I am happy to see them end! It has been a very stressful month, but the hard work has paid off. I hope everyone is equally as happy to be finished. It’s bittersweet, but great to know that summer is here! I want to wish everyone the best of luck during finals week. It can be an overwhelming week, but knowing it is almost over is a great motivation to get through it all! Stay calm, because it’s almost over! I hope everyone has a great summer! Enjoy the nice warm weather we have all been waiting for! - Nicole

May 9, 2014

Hello everybody, I know I’ve said it before a million times, but I still can’t get over how fast this year has gone by. I can’t believe five years has come and gone and that I’ll be graduating in a week's time. I can’t be thankful enough for the people I’ve met at the U Times. A lot have graduated since I’ve started, but they’ll always be remembered. To Kayla and Lanette: Thank you for showing me the whole layout world and putting up with me on those late nights working on the paper. We’ve had some great times in Normal 102 that I’ll never forget. We definitely are the layout creeps! To Nicole: I’m so glad we were able to become really good friends over this past year, and to think it was all because of the paper! From travelling to D.C. together to laying out the paper, I’ve always had a great time with you! Thank you for being you! To Dr. J: Thank you for always believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself. You were always there for me when I needed extra help or when I needed someone to talk to. You are someone I look up to and I hope I can be half the person you are, because you truly have made a huge impact on my life. To continuing staff: Good luck with the paper for the years to come. I hope you make lasting memories like I did. To our readers: Thank you for taking the time to pick up the paper and reading it. It has truly meant a lot to me and the staff. I’m so glad I’ve had a great five years here and can definitely say the U Times has been a second home to me and the staff a second family. I’ll miss everyone. I wish everyone a great summer! -Stephanie

Wishing everyone a great summer! Thanks for another great year with the University Times!

Adviser Dr. J The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to utimes@maine.edu and jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu

Sincerely, The Editors Nicole Duplessis & Stephanie Jellett

Uni ve r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! May 9 , 201 4

J i m ’s J o u r n a l P r i de i n Ou r Stude n t s

Jim Stepp. I truly love the University of Maine at Presque Isle. I came here in 1995 expecting to be here for three to five years. I fell in love with this place. My feelings for this school come from the people I work with and the students we all have the pleasure to serve. As this academic year comes to a close, I find myself thinking of the students I have had the pleasure to get to know this year. Some of the students stopped by my office to ask questions. Others stopped by to get help with things that were going on in their lives. Others I got to know because of the roles they serve in on campus. These students are RAs, officers in various clubs and organizations, members of honor societies, traditional-aged students and older students who have children and spouses. The students I met this year played sports, participated in service

projects and worked as much as 40 hours a week while staying academically sound. A few things happened recently that reminded me of why I am proud of our students. On Sunday, April 27, I watched as several of our students received honors and scholarships at the University’s 2014 Awards Convocation. At this event, students received recognition for leadership, outstanding achievement and academic excellence. I knew about a quarter of the students who were recognized. As I sat in front of the room, I watch the audience as their loved ones received recognition. I saw parents, grandparents, spouses, significant others, siblings, children, friends, faculty and staff clap as our students accepted the honors being bestowed upon them. What a great event. These students made their loved ones proud.

A couple of days prior to the Convocation our students came face to face with another person’s free speech rights. A local individual came on campus to exercise his First Amendment rights. This person discussed his beliefs about religion and sexuality. What he had to say was offensive to many of the people who heard him speak. But our students remained calm and struck up discussions with him. They discussed their beliefs and showed this person respect. Our students were amazing. One of my favorite movies is

the 1995, “The American President.” This movie stared Michael Douglas, Annette Bening and Martin Sheen. Near the end of the movie, President Andrew Shepherd, played by Michael Douglas, interrupts a press conference a few hours prior to the State of the Union address. Part of what he says deals with free speech. He states the following: “America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say ‘You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.’ You want to claim this land as the land of the free?

Presque Isle: Caribou:

Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the ‘land of the free.’" Our students were willing to listen to a person stating something that they did not believe. But as much as they hated what he was saying, they let him speak. They discussed their thoughts and they showed what it means to have “advanced citizenship” in the United States. I am proud to say I know some of these students. I am proud that they are students here at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. We all should be proud of these men and women.

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Un i ve r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! M ay 9 , 20 14

Let’s Get Motivated! Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, April 16, students, faculty and community members gathered in Folsom and Pullen hall for special University Day presentations. During an afternoon session, education students Nicole Boggs, Audra Kirk, Mariah Brewer and Greg Beasley presented on engaging unmotivated students in proficiency based learning. Beasley started off by pairing up the audience so they could do a couple of activities. One person had to describe a picture while the other listened and then had to draw from memory of the description. Afterwards the person who gave the description had to give their partner a grade of the drawing. The second activity was similar except the per-

son was walked through the steps of another description of a drawing. Another grade was awarded for the second drawing. “This activity will tie in later on,” Beasley said. He proceeded to explain what proficiency based learning is. “ It's a system of instruction, assessment, grading and academic reporting that are based on students' proficiency of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn. They have to show proficiency before they are promoted to the next grade level or obtain a high school diploma.” Boggs spoke about the objectives of proficiency based learning. “Students must attain the knowledge and skills that are considered to be essential to success in school, higher education, careers and adult life. If

From L to R: Audra Kirk, Greg and Nicole Boggs.

the students don't meet expected standards they receive extra instruction, practice time and academic support to make them succeed.” Kirk spoke about the traditional grading method. She said that method doesn't focus on what the students know and doesn't demonstrate what quality means. “Traditional grading can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly where a student is struggling,” Kirk said, “Teacher's grading styles also vary and failures are permanently marked in student's records. The traditional system also doesn't allow for students to work at their own pace.” Beasley asked the audience what they thought motivation is. After a few took a jab at it he explained that motivation is Beasley, Mariah Brewer the time and energy invested, the feel of a task and how long it takes to

complete a task. He went on to explain that there are two kinds of motivation: intrinsic, which is for personal gain and extrinsic, which is for a reward. “Intrinsic is more effective and a more genuine type of motivation,” Beasley said. He also spoke of factors in motivation by explaining a few theories, such as the self-determination theory which is: autonomy, competence and relatedness need to be self-fulfilled; and the achievement-goal theory, which is: mastery goals and performance goals. “A mastery goal oriented classroom receives more meaningful work. You see more student growth,” Beasley said. All the presenters touched upon 10 different ways to reach students in the classroom. Here is the list: −Critical thinking skills. −Make course content applicable to real life (hands-on). −Encourage communication (ask open-ended questions). −Establish high expectations. −Set objectives (what is ex-

pected of the students). −Use cooperative learning. −Utilize peer-to-peer instruction. −Change your teaching style for different learning styles −Try deliberative practice (teach interactively). −Try a flipped classroom (presentation is done at home, homework is done in class where the teacher is available for help). Brewer spoke about her personal experiences with one-onone tutors growing up, her struggles with changing schools and how she learns best. “I had to motivate myself to teach myself a lot,” Brewer said. Beasley came back to the activity that the audience did at the beginning and asked people how it connected. Various answers were given, but he explained that students learn best when they're guided through something, not when they're expected to remember something that was read to them. That is what proficiency based learning is all about.

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Fuel Your Brain Rebecca Campbell CONTRIBUTOR

Have you ever been tired in class and feel like you’re always falling asleep? Do you skip breakfast in the mornings? If you answered either

of those questions with a “yes,” then Food for Thought was a presentation you did not want to miss on University Day. Here Luke Bartlett, Michael Warner, Brad Burlock and Tyler Cavanaugh spoke to the students in Folsom 105 about the importance of eating healthily. They took one step further and also talked about what we should eat the day before tests, the day of tests and what we should eat every day. The beginning of the presentation started with four audience members volunteering to do a demonstration in-

volving sugar. The members were instructed to test their strength by pushing their right arm up against one of the presenter’s hands going in the opposite direction. They were then instructed to take a pack of sugar and put the contents under their tongue for one minute. Once they completed this, the demonstration was repeated in the same fashion. This time, however, the members were much weaker and could not push against the strength as much as they had just a few moments before. This demonstration was to show how sugar is extremely bad for our bodies. Although it is an enjoyable snack food, the brain doesn’t receive anything good from it. Brain cells, team members informed the audience, need twice as much energy as any other cells in the body.

This should be a hint that sugar may not be where that energy will come from. Kelsey Worden, a sophomore physical therapy assistant student here at UMPI, found the demonstration to be a highlight of the presentation. “I didn’t realize sugar could do that to you so quickly,” Worden said. Another subject the presenters informed the attendees about was the different study aids we might turn to: energy drinks, coffee, Adderall, Ritalin and methamphetamines. They spoke about how these different boosters can have numerous health risks included with their consumption: addiction, nervousness, restlessness, dizziness, headache, fear, anxiety and tremors. Do you have a big test coming up during finals? Here are some tips. Don’t go out drink-

Home Exercise Jacob Kiehn CONTRIBUTOR

Some people think that a good workout is hard to come by. That’s not the case. On University Day, five students presented the many different ways that people can maintain a healthy lifestyle in their everyday activities. The house was entirely packed, and there was an air of excitement to go around. The first part of the presentation went over the many benefits of exercise. Exercise can help you become stronger and prevent disease. It can also help maintain a healthy weight and

relieve stress. It improves your energy level, promotes a healthy sleep cycle and is all around fun. Also, exercise can help bring friends and family together in the pursuit of health. Not to mention, exercise can happen just about anywhere, not just in a gym. The next part of the presentation went over different exercises that can be done in everyday places. The presenters demonstrated a great variety of exercises that can be done in your everyday life, such as active sitting or stair skipping. Finally, the students demonstrated

some more advanced exercises, such as side-stepping and medicine ball sit-ups. The presenters then allowed for active participation for each exercise. When asked about their thoughts on the presentation, presenter Oz Sailors said, “I think (University Day) is a good day for us to realize what we’ll be doing after graduation.” So if you feel that you don’t get enough exercise in your day-to-day life, take a look around you and see what you can work with.

ing the night before. You won’t just have a killer hangover the next day (aka test day), you won’t get any studying in beforehand, causing you to do poorly on the test. Eat whole grains, vegetables and fruit, fish and high protein. Avoid foods with sugar, grease, fat, sodium or simple carbs in them. For breakfast, avoid cookies, chocolate, muffins and candies. Also, try to eat small meals throughout the day. Your brain might function a little better and have the energy it needs to pull you through that exam. Now that you know what to eat for exam week, the rest is up to you. Consider this your study guide for your eating habits. Your class study guides are a whole different story. Eat healthily. Your brain will thank you.

U n iver si ty T im e s ! C A M P U S ! May 9 , 20 1 4

University Times Kayla Ames

Nicole Duplessis STAFF WRITER

Kayla Ames has been part of the University Times for four-and-a-half years. Much of what she does occurs behind the scenes, but it is ever so important. She edited articles before they were placed into layout. Ames has been dedicated, trustworthy and consistent with this responsibility, and many of her fellow University Times members are thankful to have met her. “I’ve known her for five years,” Stephanie Jellett said. “I’ve seen her grow as a person and as a writer and editor. She’s a wonderful person.” Ames not only has strong editing skills, but she has also been a great writer for the University Times. She has the ability to make any topic intriguing, and Nicole Duplessis STAFF WRITER

A five-year member of the University Times, Stephanie Jellett has been involved since her first year at UMPI. Jellett is a Professional Communications and Journalism major with a minor in Art. She spent her first three years as a staff writer. In her fourth year, she became one of the assistant editors. With this came the responsibility of laying out the paper, even if it meant staying into the late hours of the night. With many articles written and two years of layout experience, Jellett has been an important part of the University Times. “These past five years have been more than I’ve ever imagined,” Jellett said. “I’ve met some wonderful people that I’ve made some great memories

with that ability, has had many of her articles on the front page of the University Times. She’s also had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. as well, in the spring of 2013. Ames has not only grown as a person, writer and editor, but she has also made an impact on those whom she has met while being a part of the University Times. “I met Kayla when I joined the U Times crew and really got to know her while working on the layout of the newspaper. I could tell you what a hard dedicated worker she is, but that just scratches the surface. She has become a lifelong friend that I feel honored to have been in classes with, worked with and had tons of fun with,” Lanette

Virtanen, a past editor of the University Times, said. Jacqui Lowman, U Times adviser, is another Kayla fan. “I knew Kayla from her first day at UMPI. She was my advisee who wrote like an angel, but was very shy. I asked her to get involved with the newspaper. She did so, although initially going to interview people had to be difficult. But over the years, her confidence grew. I think that Kayla came to realize that she has so much to offer through different facets of communication—speaking and interacting, not just writing. Kayla was a superb editor for the U Times: always finding ways to make others better. That embodies Kayla’s philosophy and outlook toward others. You could have

no better friend or champion. She leaves footprints on your heart,” Lowman said. Ames has been a dependable, hardworking and joyous asset to the University Times. She will

always have an important place within the hearts of those who worked with her. Her personality and skills made the environment a truly enjoyable one.

Stephanie Jellett with. I’ve learned a lot from each and every one of them. They have definitely made these past five years memorable.” Jellett has had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. twice with the University Times. Her first trip was in the spring of 2013, and her second trip was just this past spring. She has helped out at Purple Pinkie days as well as passing out the paper once it is hot off the press. “A special thanks goes out to my adviser and the person I look up to the most, Dr. J,” Jellett said. The admiration is mutual. “Stephanie has been involved with the U Times since the first day of classes, when we had our first meeting,” Jacqui “Dr. J” Lowman, U Times adviser,

said. “Now, after five years of work for PCJ, she’s about to leave the nest. Lowman continued, “Over those years, I’ve seen Steph grow and mature amazingly. What many people don’t remember is how painfully shy Steph was during her first years here. Those first years reporting for the U Times must have been agonizing for her. She had to dig deep, find inner resources she did not know she had, find ways to talk with people she did not know. But she did all that and more. And gradually, she came out of her shell. She learned her strengths, found her way—and just kept going. “Steph has been the U Times’ heart and soul for five years. She’s also one of the kindest, most considerate and generous

people you’ll ever meet. And she puts together an awesome trip inventory. It’s hard to think of what the U Times will be without her,” Lowman said. Jellett has embraced all of her opportunities here at UMPI.

Being a part of the University Times has helped her become a more vocal individual. She has created great memories and most of all, she is thankful for those who have made it possible and much more special.

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Senior Profiles Ben Pinette

Christopher Bowden STAFF WRITER

Ben Pinette first began to enjoy writing while visiting his camp at Cross Lake. He had no electronics besides an old computer with Windows 95 and Microsoft Word. As you can guess, Pinette decided to start writing and messing around on Microsoft Word and he really liked it. Pinette, who is an English major with a concentration in PCJ, is now a senior in his fifth year here at UMPI. Like most seniors he is only weeks away from graduating. The journey to UMPI began for him when he was a senior at Caribou High School. He was approach by Dr. J, who was visiting the school with a former editor of the University Times. He liked the idea of being able to come to school while still staying close to home and he

also liked the idea of working on the paper with Dr. J. Pinette has done quite a bit of work here for the University Times. He was once an assistant editor and always writes stories when he gets a chance. Besides writing, Pinette also has a huge passion for music. He was once the manager of WUPI here on campus. His favorite genres are pop music and soft rock, but he really can enjoy anything from today to all the way back in the 50s. He also enjoys playing and watching tennis. His favorite male player is Stan Wawrinka and his favorite female player is Serena Williams. Pinette is very excited to be graduating in the next week and had a few words to say about his

time at UMPI. "I think it's been a roller coaster both good and bad to me, but to other people wait it out, if it's not going well for you right now. it will change in the future and it will get better,” Pinette said. Fellow classmate and friend, Stephanie Jellett had a few words to say about him. “I’ve known Ben since the beginning and it’s always been a great time working with him in the U Times room on layout. We’ve shared some good laughs, had our ups and downs, but it’s been a pleasure being able to know him these past five years,” Jellett said. His adviser, Dr. Lowman also spoke about Pinette and how

Katie York

Christopher Bowden STAFF WRITER

The University Times has been blessed with four amazing seniors this year, all who have contributed a lot to the Professional Communication program in their own way. Now one person whose stories you haven’t probably read yet is Katie York. That’s because she is the editor for the paper and helps fix all the grammar mistakes us writers make. York, who is English major with a concentration in PCJ, picked up her desire for editing in middle school. While reading books she would pick up on errors that the publishing company missed. She first came to UMPI as an education major but after some soul searching and a chat with Dr. J, York found that she could

do what she loved and get a degree while doing it. During her free time, York enjoys reading some of her favorite authors including Charles Dickens, Robert Lewis Stevenson and E.E Knight. She also enjoys writing, trolling the Internet and playing video games with her sister. Her favorite type of game to play is racing. "It's been a great pleasure working with Katie, through the years. She came to me thinking she could only edit. But she learned that she also a good interviewer and writer, in short she's a true communicator,” Dr. Lowman said about York. York, like many, came to her major after switching but she

doesn’t look at the classes in her previous major as a waste. In fact, she wanted everyone to know that. “People may originally regret the classes they took before switching majors, but I’ve noticed every class has helped me along the way.” Classmate, Ben Pinette as had a few words to say about York as well. “Katie is unique. She meets deadlines very well for the U Times and always pull through for us,” Pinette said. Lowman added: “Katie has been involved with the U Times for years helping immeasurably. But this semester she really stepped up even more serving as both copy editor and reporter. She’ll leave big shoes to fill.”

much he’s grown. "I first met Ben when he was still in high school, even then he started to write for the U-Times. In the past 5 years he's covered many memorable stories and helped greatly with layout. Since he has the dubious distinction of have taken 12 classes with me, I've had the great pleasure of seeing his communication skills grow. The UTimes room won't be the same

without him, but now he's ready to change the world."

Un i ve r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! M ay 9 , 20 14

WUPI: Keeping People Connected Jacob Kiehn CONTRIBUTOR

“WUPI The Owl” is the local radio station for the University of Maine at Presque Isle. It’s nonprofit and broadcasts with

education in mind. The station staff members’ goal is to better connect the students of UMPI to

the community around them. To do this, they have many different tools at their disposal, from music players to microphones to online chatrooms. “The philosophy behind the radio station is to provide students with the professional tools to become successful public speakers,” studio head Nicole Gray said. During their University Day presentation, station members displayed great efforts in bringing their philosophy to light.

While the attendance was less than stellar, there was still a great sense of connectedness in their presentation. They displayed their various tools, touched upon various musical tastes, highlighted the importance of variety and talked about their progression as communicators. “I love being on the radio,” DJ Rose said. “I’m getting more used to being around the mic.” The biggest emphasis was on including everyone who was interested. With more people being involved, there would be more room to grow. With more ideas going around, there would

be more room for discussion. All opinions are welcome for debate. So if you want to raise aware-

ness on a subject, or maybe just hear what people are talking about, check out “WUPI The Owl” at 92.1 FM.

Fine Dining Christopher Bowden STAFF WRITER

While University Day gave us many great presentations and posters by students, there was one event that was enjoyed by everyone. The University Day lunch took place in the Campus Center’s Multi-Purpose room and featured a delicious course consisting of salad, lasagna, vegan Moroccan casserole, side vegetables, garlic bread and of course dessert. The meal, however, was not the only amazing thing going on during the lunch. There were also two awards handed out during the time; one being the recent alumni award

and the other being the University Day art contest winner. The University Day art contest winner award went to the University Times’ own, Ben Pinette for his amazing job designing the cover and main image that represented University Day’s slogan “Engaging Minds for Student Success.” Pinette received $100 cash and applause from everyone in the room. “I wanted to do something to put my mark on UMPI, and I knew that University Day is something people will look back on for years.” Pinette said. Pinette has since used some of the reward money to buy a Kindle and he plans to save the rest. The other award given out

during University Day was the distinguished recent alumni award, which was given to Megan (Fowler) Stanley, a member of the class of 2009. Stanley earned a bachelor’s of education with a concentration in special education. She was then immediately hired by SAD #32 and is the sole special education teacher. Known for her work ethic and commitment to her

students, Stanley has done many great things both inside and outside the classroom. Overall, the lunch was a suc-

cess. Everyone had a great time enjoying a great meal and appreciating the hard work of the award winners.

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Blue Brain Brilliance Nicole Duplessis STAFF WRITER

University Day is a day the entire campus works hard for. Many things must take place in order for University Day to run smoothly. The evening before, however, there is usually a distinguished lecturer. This year UMPI was fortunate enough to feature 27 year old Noah Hutton. He came to UMPI to speak about The Blue Brain project, which fit perfectly with this year’s University Day theme of Engaging Minds for Student Success. Hutton is the son of actor Timothy Hutton and actress Debra Winger. It is no surprise that film and the arts were, and still are, an interest to him. It’s

Henry Markram.

what he was raised in. Hutton got a true taste of the film industry in 2009 as a director with Crude Independence. He has also directed commercials and music videos through Couple 3 his New York City production company. Hutton discovered though, while at Wesleyan University, that film and art weren’t his only passions. Neuroscience was too. “I wasn’t really a math or science student at all,” Noah Hutton said. “I come from an artistic background.” All it took was one introductory science course in college and Hutton was hooked. Reading articles and looking into experiments really fascinated him. “I was struck by this new field that could ask me questions,” Hutton said.

Hutton talked about experiments that really interested him into wanting to pursue this field of study. He mentioned that one of the moments that had the largest impact on his decision was when he was watching an episode of TED Talks in his dorm room. Henry Markram, the director of the Blue Brain Project, was featured on that episode of TED Talks. With Hutton’s motivation and the help of a professor, he was able to make his way to Switzerland to interview with Markram in 2010. This interview marked the beginning of what will become a film highlighting the progress of the Blue Brain Project. Each year, Hutton goes to Switzerland and records footage of the laboratory, interviews and progress within the project. He showed the audience gathered at UMPI the first three years of footage, and his improvements as well as the improvements occurring within the project. The Blue Brain Project is an attempt to reverse engineer the human brain and recreate it at the cellular level inside a computer simulation. Henry Markram founded the program in 2005. The goal is to not only create a computer simulated brain, but to also better understand the development of brain disease treatments. As much of Hutton’s footage showed, the re-

Noah Hutton. search involves studying live pieces of brain tissue under a microscope. Their current goal is to have a rat brain simulation achieved by the end of 2014. Not only is Hutton truly practicing with his neuroscience degree, he is also including much of the artistic and creative nature he’s always had. He is a one man act with the videos he captures in Switzerland. He does all the recording and editing. He is most appreciative of the experience, however. “There are many lessons of learning how scientists work that I appreciate,” Hutton said. With his lecture coming to a close, Hutton accepted many questions from the audience. It was a complex topic to grasp,

but Hutton explained much of the information demonstrated as simply as possible. “Often the best questions in science are guided by the same intuitive as creativity,” Hutton said. He has a visible passion for the Blue Brain Project. The connections and lasting relationships he has made with many of the scientists were mentioned, as well as the respect he has gained for the subject. The greatest part about it all is that he is able to include both of his passions in what he does. That isn’t something that we are all lucky enough to do, but Hutton surely doesn’t take what he does for granted.

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Everyone’s a Communicator Erin McKenney CONTRIBUTOR

Have you ever wondered what it was like to take on a different major from the one you are in now? Have you ever thought, “Gee, I wonder what the options are in communication?” On University Day, four students walked us through what it was like and the steps they went through to earn a Professional Communication and Journalism degree. Now, for these four students-Kathi Jandreau, Ben Pinette, Katie York and Chris Cosenze-laid everything out, including some of the experiences they had along the way. They begin their journey talking about PCJ 180, Intro to PCJ. “PCJ 180 is a great opportunity to get your feet wet with what you want to do,” Kathi Jandreau said. In PCJ 180, you spend a lot of time getting out into the campus community and the public doing work for the University Times, the campus paper. It also gives you the building blocks of how to write Associated Press style, which is how journalists write. The next class they took was PCJ 212, Electronic Communication. In this class they got to experience what it is like to be on the radio. Here is where they became familiar with WUPI 92.1, our campus radio station. “All of your work is on audio, and each of your shows run three days a week,” Ben Pinette said. “You took all of your piece on the U-Times and put them on air. It’s called ‘convergence.’” PCJ 215, Business Communication, is where you really start applying your knowledge

and build onto what you’ve learned in the last two classes. You start making tangible products and work closely with actual clients. You learn a lot about marketing, and the clients actually use some of your products to mass produce. Professional Communica-

Katie York said “The benefits for us were that we couldn’t have gotten the experiences any other way.” “I wrote grants to help with the Nordic Heritage Center. It isn’t handicap accessible” Jandreau said. “We learned about speaking up for someone or

use an application that we weren’t familiar with and find a way to apply it to help others.” A great example of this is Becca Campbell’s Good Dead Selfie on Instragram. This was a contest in which people did a good deed to help UMPI and took a selfie of themselves while doing

ect, your clients will know,” Chris Cosenze said. “You can apply everything you learned to real work experiences.” The final class you take is called the Capstone. Capstones are highlights of your journey you took from your very first class to your very last class.

From L to R: Ben Pinette, Chris Cosenze, Kathi Jandreau and Katie York. tion, PCJ 315, teaches students how to conduct focus groups. Focus groups are a collective interview with lots of different people to see what’s going on. “In the class I took, we worked with Canines for Disabled Kids and Healthy Aroostook. We figured out a lot of things on our own and set up interviews,”

something that can’t.” That describes PCJ 316, which is a class on Advocacy. In Evolving Media, PCJ 318, you learn about different applications and how they work. “We could pick an application or social media site that would benefit the community,” Jandreau said.” We were asked to

it. Then they posted it on Instagram and saw who got the most the likes. The Fieldwork Practicum class, PCJ 396, gets you ready for the real work. Everything you did will help you. “It’s a lot of hands-on work, just not for a letter grade. If you didn’t put your heart and soul into a proj-

“We’re learning lifelong lessons to put on our resumes” Cosenze said. So, there you have it: Professional Communication in a nutshell. Anyone interested in the class should -mail Dr. Lowman at jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu.

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Sex Sells Rebecca Campbell CONTRIBUTOR

With a warning from the professor, Dr. John DeFelice, about the content of the presentation, the attendees knew right away that they were in for a treat. The students of Dr. DeFelice’s honors seminar on campus studied the women of the Greco-Roman world. Presenters Jacob Atcheson, Miranda Bickford, Kelsey Cyr, Taylor DeFelice, Tyler Michalowski, Ben Plummer, Wyatt Rothlauf, Brooke Wood, Dylan Worster and Samantha Young split up into three groups to present three different parts of the subject: Women and Sexuality in the Greco-Roman World. The first group, Bickford, Michalowski and Wood, would take the floor to discuss the way sex was handled in that era.

They discovered and researched different aspects of the subject that pushed the audience’s thinking. The presentation also allowed the audience members to get a history lesson that kept them on the edge of their seat. The students’ discussion of such a topic as how women had to register to be a prostitute to brothel sites made the past as real as they could make it. Plummer, Rothlauf and Worster followed suit by presenting on different birth control methods that were used in the ancient world. They discussed three types: oral contraceptives, abortion and exposure. There were certain plants that were supposed to make a woman lose the baby if orally taken: Queen Anne’s lace, Acacia gum and Pennyroyal to name a few. While the second method (abortion) is still known, the third, however, was hard to hear. If a

child appeared weak when born or deformed, the family would leave it someplace for dead. That is unless someone else picked up the child. These children would then be raised in a prostitution world without any future in anything else. The last group to give its presentation–Atcheson, Cyr, DeFelice and Young–discussed the higher class prostitutes, who were called hetairai. “When you think about Phyrne Trial for Sex Sells. back then, you don’t think very famous. about street corners,” Taylor De- considered Felice said. While sex wasn’t Phryne was put on trial for indenecessarily their priority, it was cency and was represented by a on their list. They considered man who happened to also be themselves a type of companion her lover. Taylor DeFelice also talked for people. The most famous hetaira was Phryne. While about his love of history. “I love many men enjoyed her com- learning about this: how stuff pany, her trial was one to be was done before we were even

around,” DeFelice said. Even though the room was full on University Day, some missed out on an extraordinary presentation about the unfamiliar lifestyles of the women of the past. The audience, however, was left with a history lesson that was one for the books.

Attention UMPI Students and Alumni! Providence Service Corporation will be on campus Monday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 13, conducting interviews. Any current University of Maine students or alumni are encouraged to apply for one the 68 positions they currently have. They are hiring for: - Administrative Positions - Clinical Supervisor - Targeted Case Managers - Child Care Workers - Behavioral Health Professionals - Behavior Analyst Technicians Providence Service Corporation provides comprehensive family-centered services for children and adolescents in several states. Providence is the largest provider of home-based behavioral health treatment services to children and families in the State of Maine. It is also the leader in providing evidence-based education and treatment services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. http://www.providenceofmaine.com/. For more information contact Nicole Fournier, Director of Career Preparation & Employer Relations 102 South Hall or Phone (207) 768-9589 or nicole.l.fournier@umpi.edu.

12 Heather Herbert CONTRIBUTOR

Considering graduate school? If you’re a junior, get ready to be tested. Students need to take the Graduate Readiness Exam, or GRE, to apply to most graduate programs. But what is the exam, and how should students study for it? The exam is simple. There are three parts: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. In more practical terms, those are reading, math and writing. The good news is that most people are strong in one of those areas. The better news is that programs don’t need perfect scores. This means it’s a good plan to start by finding out what scores you need to get into the right program. Then concentrate on improving the scores that need it. After all, Harvard might want a math score of 165-169 for a physics major, but it is happy with a math score of 152156 for an English major. Potential "Harvard" scores--but not for physics majors! The easiest way to find out what scores you need is looking them up online. Some universities don’t like to share that information, though. Students may need to make a phone call and ask. Still can’t get an answer? Find a similar school and

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Graduate Readiness? Get Ready to Prove It! learn what scores they ask for. Know the school’s target scores? Go to the Educational Testing Services website, at http://www.ets.org . Follow the link to GRE Tests and look for the “test prep” link. ETS offers sample GRE questions to all visitors. Best of all, it has free software, called POWERPREP II. It looks exactly like a real exam. Get the software, get comfy and get ready to get a score baseline by taking one sample test. The first part of the test is two essays. The first time, feel free to skip those and go straight to the verbal and quantitative (reading and math) sections. Those will switch between verbal and math sections until the exam is complete. Once done, choose for the exam to be scored. The scores for the practice exams are accurate. Scores already good? Then feel free to schedule the exam now. That leaves more time to retake the exam if something goes wrong on the day. Scores not so hot? Welcome to the club—it’s study time. How long study time lasts will

depend on how close your practice scores are to the needed scores. When getting ready for the GRE, use the free materials from ETS. Download them from ETS.org, buy videos or click through to the App Store and get a GRE study app. It is possible to prepare well for the exam without spending any money. There is one place, though, where spending a little can help. The writing section of the GRE is partly scored by software. For $13, test takers can get practice essays scored, with immediate results. This will pay off, espe-

cially for humanities or social science students. Once practice scores are in the right ballpark, it’s time to book the exam. UMPI students are lucky, because they can take the GRE on campus. Don’t wait until the last minute to take the exam, though. It takes time for scores to be sent to schools. Waiting also means that if your scores aren’t good, there’s no time for a do-over. The day of the text should be like any other big exam day. Be rested, hydrated, fed and dressed comfortably. Bring exactly what the testing center needs. Pay close attention to its list of required items. Then relax. When the exam is done, there are two options: to score it, or to abandon it. It used to be smart to abandon the test if it went badly, but that has changed. Students may send their results, for free, to

up to four schools right after the test. Not sure the scores were good enough? Get them scored anyway. Then use the ScoreSelect service to send only the best scores from multiple test sessions. The service isn’t free, but it’s much cheaper than having to take the exam again unnecessarily. The GRE isn’t easy, but it’s not nearly as scary as it sounds. Start studying early, use the free materials from ETS and know what to aim for. The test should be less scary than a final exam. After all, ETS lets students retake the GRE every 21 days, up to five times in a 12-month period. That’s far better than a final. Once that great score shows up on the screen? Celebrate! That’s one more step toward graduate school. Good luck, future graduate school students!

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Student Trip to Tanzania Tia Anita Dee CONTRIBUTOR

On April 16, 2014, walking into Folsom 203 was like stepping into a different country. Melanie Maynard, a student here at UMPI, was eagerly waiting to take her audience on a trip to Tanzania. She had paintings, a jersey and a few other souvenirs from her trip on display. Maynard took a trip to Moshi, Tanzania, which is right below Kenya. She took the trip with Shirley Rush, a faculty member here at UMPI. Maynard explained her experience of getting there. “Shirley and I hopped on a bus in Presque Isle and went all the way to Boston. From Boston we boarded the plane to Germany, where we had a 12 hour layover. But that was a perfect time for Shirley and me to go sight-seeing. After Germany, we finally made our way to Moshi,” Maynard said. They stayed with some friends of Rush’s in Moshi. Maynard spoke about her fundraising for the trip. She explained how she sold jewelry, and wrote grants for the university. “Before I went, Shirley taught me about Tanzania. I did a lot of cultural learning before being able to leave.” Maynard explained during the fundraising process she encountered a lot of stereotypes. “I experienced a lot of negative comments from people around here. They were constantly asking, Why are you going there?” Maynard brought up a picture of the house they stayed at in Moshi. Although we may think it was very tiny, Maynard said it was a “nice middle class house.” They had running water so that

Melanie Maynard. altogether to Maynard was a blessing. She explained about everyday functions, like having to wash their clothes by hand. “There are lizards all over the place in Moshi. But they didn’t come into my room, so that was great,” Maynard said. Maynard spoke highly of the orphanage she volunteered at in Moshi. It was run by a lady they referred to as “Mamma.” Mamma had started the orphanage because she saw many people in the village with no one to take care of them. She had first

started a small in-home orphanage. She later expanded into a different facility after seeing a young girl get sexually assaulted by a man. Mamma has roughly 75 children ranging between 1223 years. Maynard had a oncein-a-lifetime experience being able to volunteer at this facility. Rush added that Mamma was also the vice principal at the local school. “There’s not enough money at the orphanage, so she can draw money on a loan at her school to help her out,” Rush said.

Maynard spoke about resilience and attachment with the children in Tanzania. She explained the meaning to resilience and attachment. Resilience is the capacity to recover from a hard or difficult time in your life. She explained how many parents need to find work so they have to leave Moshi, which also means leaving their children behind. Many end up going to Mamma’s. Maynard explained “attachment” in the children of Tanzania versus American children.

“Growing up, our parents are always hovering over us to make sure we don’t hurt ourselves, and there was absolutely no way we could go outside alone. In Tanzania the children are very free. They wander around by themselves, yet they know where home is,” Maynard said. Maynard explained that families are very close and have tightknit relationships. She said how respectful all of the children there were. Maynard and Rush both agreed that behavioral issues were not a problem. Maynard showed a picture of her and some children eating apples. “They had never eaten an apple! Can you believe that? It seemed so odd to me, apples are always around here.” During her slideshow, she showed one of the events she was able to attend which is called a “send off.” Maynard said she wants her wedding to be just like that. “It was so beautiful, so many decorations.” Maynard said it was kind of like a bridal shower. “The whole party was all about the bride.” You could tell just from how she presented how exciting the trip was. Maynard spoke so highly of her experience that she had her whole audience wanting to go on the next trip. Maynard explained how sad she was to leave, and from the last few pictures you could tell the children were equally if not more upset. “They sang a song for me when I was leaving. It honestly sounded like angels,” Maynard said. For those of you who were unable to attend this session, you surely missed out!

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Preparing for Life After UMPI Erin McKenney CONTRIBUTOR

There are some people who walk on the UMPI campus who have never been to South Hall. There are others who do not fully understand how much South Hall has to offer with its student success services. The services in South Hall include disability services, Equal Employment Opportunity, National Student Exchange and the writing center. Along with tutoring, counseling and the international student office, students really get all of their needs met. And now there is another avenue of student service UMPI is lucky to have. Nicole Fournier came to UMPI in October of 2013 when she started as the director of Career Preparation and Employer Relations. Fournier has four years of previous experience at ACAP working with 14to-21-year-olds with a focus on career planning. She is also an UMPI alumna. “Nicole is doing a great job and enjoys what she’s doing. She’s been meeting with many students and doing mock interviews with the students who want to be RAs. Her experiences and knowledge are a great tool for UMPI,” Bonnie DeVaney, who used to direct the career services, said. “She’s freed up more time for me to do Equal Employment Opportunity things and help the international students. I had been doing that job for 17 years.” As director of career preparation and employer relations, Fournier provides practical internships for students, writing resume tips and reviews and job interview tips. She has connec-

Nicole Fournier. tions to full-and part-time summer employment. She also provides various workshops throughout the year with presentations in the classroom on career preparation and job fairs. “UMPI is more intense as a school. Students want more than a degree: and they want to walk out of here with a career. I'm here to help where some students may not get a class on writing resumes. I'm also here to help with grad school applications,” Fournier said. “The best way to find out

what students want to do is to go talk to Nicole and have her set up a job internship or a job shadow early that is a good match for you,” DeVaney said. The Career, Job and Graduate School Fair was April 10 in the Campus Center from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Twenty-one employers were there, all of which were hiring. Here's a short list of potential employers: DFAS, TAMC, Life By Design, MMG Insurance Group, Pines Health Services, DHHS, Office of

Child and Family Services and Bangor Police Department. Interested students attended wearing appropriate attire with a current resume. Staff members of the University of Maine at Orono were there as a graduate school to answer questions about some of their programs. Along with the fair there were a wide variety of workshops this spring. Among them: “Job Search and Interviewing” April 14 at 12 and April 15 at 3 in the South Hall lobby; “How to Apply for Federal Jobs” April

30 at 12 in the South Hall lobby. There are new topics added all the time if you missed these. “You don't have to wait for these workshops. Come by and see me and make an appointment,” Fournier said. Fournier has been working with students who want to be RAs the last couple of weeks. Working with these students has given her a more accurate way to see where students really need the extra help. “It's never too early to start career prep. Having a resume ready to go at a moment's notice isn't a bad thing. I'd like to see every student come through this office at least once to get help. Asking for help is never a bad thing,” Fournier said. Career prep is a very important priority of President Schott. Much of Schott’s efforts are focused on making sure students are fully ready to enter the workforce. “Students should think about University Day. Every student is going to have to learn how to do presentations: it’s very important. By going to Nicole early, she will match where the student is. If the student is a freshman or sophomore, she can start at the beginning, whereas a junior or a senior might need more help in one area or another,” DeVaney said. Students can e-mail or call directly to set up appointments or can always look at the Calendar of Events to find different workshops or events. Nicole's office is located on the first floor of South Hall, office 102. Her email is nicole.l.fournier@umpi.edu and phone number is 768-9589.

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Where in the World Is Beijing?

Kathryn Allenby CONTRIBUTOR

The 13th annual University Day had lots to offer this year. On Wednesday, April 16, the theme was “Engaging Minds for Student Success.” One of the first presentations, “Where in the World is Beijing?” really hit a home run in many ways. First, second and third base were the tutoring within a directed relationship with Tong Liu, Kathryn Allenby and Dr. Jacqui Lowman. Liu is a second semester student from Beijing, China. Allenby is a non-traditional student from Fort Fairfield. Liu began classes at UMPI in the fall of 2013. Allenby returned to her home state of Maine in 2009 after living in California for 29 years and began classes this spring. The timing could not

have worked out better for both Allenby and Liu. Liu came to UMPI to study journalism after completing his general education. Liu was born in Beijing. Lowman, professor of Professional Communication and Journalism (PCJ), brought them together. Liu was in need of an English tutor. Allenby has a background in education and is finishing her upper division work for a Baccalaureate in Liberal Studies with a minor in PCJ to meet her residency in the University of Maine System. “The tutoring seemed a bit daunting with the full schedule after a nine-year hiatus. But I am so glad I did it. Tong is a wonderful young man. My love for teaching has been rekindled. It’s been a win-win situation,” Allenby said.

“Kathy has helped me become a better English speaker. I am more confident in speaking and enjoying the interaction in my classes,” Liu said. The idea behind the skit was that Allenby had to take a trip to Beijing and wondered what to see and do. Liu showed her some of his favorite places through videos and PowerPoint slides, explaining them to her in English. This was his final project for his English class to demonstrate how far his speaking and listening had come. Christine Standefer, professor of physical education at UMPI judged the presentation. “My grandfather was from Denmark and he spoke about how difficult the English language was to learn when he

came to America. I’m very impressed with the format they used to do the presentation. It is the first time I’ve seen a skit used for University Day and I enjoyed it very much,” Standefer said. UMPI students Chris Bow-

den and Matt Glover also enjoyed the rehearsed skit format to the presentation. While Bowden echoed Standefer’s acknowledgment of the skit, Glover mentioned he enjoyed the presentations of landmarks, artwork and culture.

Those Who Can, Teach Kathryn Allenby CONTRIBUTOR

Proficiency based education has swept 45 states in the past decade. Dr. William Breton’s students brought to light information about the changes and challenges with their presentation, “The Impact of the Proficiency Based Education Movement on Teaching Behaviors,” at the 13th Annual University Day on Wednesday, April 16. The Common Core Standards are changing not only how children are being taught, but also how new teachers are learning to teach. The basic content areas in proficiency based education in Maine are career, English, health, math,

science, social studies, visual and performing arts and world language. “These are the curriculum based measurements and through standardized testing these are what we have been brought up with,” presenter and student Andrew Brown said. Brown, a junior at UMPI, is a new father and an education major with his focus in social studies. Derek Boudreau, also a junior at UMPI, began and orchestrated the presentation with a history of the teaching profession dating back to Plato and Socrates. Boudreau is an English major with a minor in educational studies and enjoys playing the ukulele. “Socrate’s method of teaching Plato and

others was to encourage the students to ask questions,” Boudreau said. From the fathers of teaching to our post-modern teaching methods, he continued. “The Education Act in 1902 helped establish the first secondary schools in the United States,” Boudreau, in his fastpaced history lesson, said. Once the audience got an understanding of the history and the Maine core curriculum, student Amanda Dorien began to lay out the behaviors teachers need to begin embracing proficiency based education. Dorien travels from St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, and is obtaining her teaching certificate from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Dorien explained

the current model versus the proficiency based model. “Newer teachers have an advantage over the older teachers because we are being instructed at the university level to embrace the new teaching styles. Older teachers are having to break their teaching style and therefore it is more difficult for them to decide how to change effectively for the student,” Dorien said. The last presenter, Morgan Swan, from Caribou, is studying early childhood development with an emphasis in special education at UMPI. “The standards are inherently the same, but the methods are different to allow students at their individualized pace to be challenged and

not penalized,” Swan said. The facts are so simple to understand—every educational institution will need to embrace every student within the student’s capacity to learn and move forward to the next level. The University of Maine at Presque Isle has made a commitment to Proficiency Based Education (PBE) this year. This and the other presentations on PBE given at University Day were very informative and enlightening. As the great singer and songwriter, Bob Dylan, wrote, “The times they are a changing.” Therefore, as a people we need to grasp the importance of such a courageous endeavor by our higher educational system.

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University Day’s Ollie Barratt CONTRIBUTOR

A. B.

April 16 marked the day of UMPI’s highly acclaimed University Day. As events and presentations were given all over campus to students, members of faculty and members of the public, a large group of enthusiasts also gathered in UMPI’s Pullen art gallery to view the well-developed works of four senior art majors. All the artists presented their work via PowerPoint, showing the methods behind their work as well as both the motivation and inspiration. Those attending looked on in awe at the work the undergraduates presented. First to present her work was Mirandah Akeley. Hoping to continue her study of the arts after graduating, Akeley gave us the ideals of “relationships” that inspired her to create her work. “My work expresses my

own personal experience and relationships.” Akeley said. “Creation of identity” seemed also largely important to Akeley and a large factor behind the development of her artwork. She created her many pieces by a process known as “Encaustic.” This entails mixing pigment with beeswax and resin, then printing the piece, leaving it with layers of interesting details and textures. Taking inspiration from artists such a Frida Kahlo, Marina Abramović, Louis Bourgeois and even our very own Heather Sincavage, Akeley appeared greatly invested in the experiences behind societal influence and self-realization. “They were really helpful for me finding my own identity,” Akeley said, revealing her rather abstract artwork. Also presenting was Kati Christoffel, who had recently presented her senior art show.

Christoffel’s main focus in her artwork, titled “Tormented Harmony,” was the environment and how we, the human race, are having a destructive impact on it. Her main objective of the collection was to express the connection humanity and nature hold with each other and raise awareness of our current negligent behavior. Christoffel wanted to remind us all of our “disconnect between humans and the rest of the world.” This is something she hopes to change. Regularly working with environmentalists of the Student Conservation Association and taking influence from artist Jackie Brookner as well as her own grandmother, Christoffel was never short of inspiration. “I use water color painting to achieve that rich glowing color,”Christoffel said, in reference to her painting techniques.

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Great Artists Next to present was Rowena Forbes with her show titled “Inner Necessity.” In this show Forbes hopes to express her “inner drive to create,” Forbes said, explaining “I could get lost in a piece of art for hours and hour and not regret it.” Forbes focused most of her work on the experience of breaking free. “I felt confined and wasn’t able to break free from it,” Forbes said, presenting a piece before the realization and then after. Much like that of Akeley’s work, Forbes also searched for a sense of identity or soul. “I wanted to dig deeper into the soul. So deep that the image was the only thing left,” Forbes said, which perfectly explained the idea behind much of her most abstract piece. Much of her inspiration comes from artist and philosopher Wassily Kandinsky. The title of her show comes from a quote of his in fact. Initially working in traditional and digital methods of creating art, Forbes soon moved onto the medium of charcoal. She la-

belled this as a process in which she was “working to break free from the box.” Last to present of the four was skateboard enthusiast Ryan Van Buskirk. This particular topic was chosen “to show what I (Van Buskirk) had experienced in skateboarding throughout my life,” Van Buskirk said. Being a show on sport-based art, which is a less common combination in the arts, Van Buskirk’s presentation proved quite a fascination. He hopes to broaden this genre of art, most specifically in the medium of skateboarding. “I hope to introduce people to skateboarding,” Van Buskirk said. He also noted that he “wants to show a lot of emotion and movement that comes with the hobby.” He achieves this very well in his artwork. Van Buskirk has taken much of his inspiration from highly acclaimed skateboarders such as Rodney Mullen, whom Van Buskirk describes as the “biggest innovator in skateboarding history,” as well as

legends such as Tony Hawks and Danny Way. Moving away from painting, Van Buskirk began to focus more on sketchwork, explaining he found it a more effective medium to work with. Currently working as a graphic designer for graphics, web design and programming company, Axe Grind Studios, Van Buskirk hopes to expand working for brands such as Vans in the future. We wish all four students the best of luck and a huge thanks for their memorable exhibitions. Unfortunately, a fifth artist planned to present work to the crowd but due to an illness, was unable to attend. It is still possible to attend the senior art shows of two of the aforementioned artists. Rowena Forbes’ show, “Inner Necessity” will host in the Pullen art gallery from April 25 and Mirandah Akeley’s show “Family Portrait” will host from May 9. Both are certainly a sight you wouldn’t want to miss.

H. F.

A-B: Matt Austin. C-D: Mirandah Akeley. E-F: Ryan Van Buskirk. G-H: Rowena Forbes. I-J: Kati Christoffel.

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University Day—For All Students Heather Herbert CONTRIBUTOR

University Day at UMPI is a forum for academic achievement. Described by UMPI as “a campus-wide event,” University Day has one small flaw. It forgot a campus. Online students are not represented at the event. They also have no way of seeing the presentations. That’s something people would like to change. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of this sooner,” UMPI communication professor Dr. Jacqui Lowman said. “With my background, I’m aware of issues of access. But when an online student said she wished she could go, the light went on. That student could only ‘see’ the event through Facebook. We are leaving out our online students.”

Lowman says that online students could use Google Hangouts to present to the audience. “We could get together a bunch of students. Then, they could

tools to attend. But UMPI could do more. Want to make the event interactive? Add a camera and microphone on UMPI’s end, and let

discuss their work. We could do it with the technology we use now. This shouldn’t be hard.” Lowman is right. A computer, projector, screen and the Internet are all that are needed. Remote students can use online

presenters see the audience. Then stream the event to the world for free using Google Hangouts On Air. Want questions and comments from further afield? Choose a hashtag for watchers to use, to tweet

their thoughts. University Day could become a showcase of student talent: not only of students on campus, but of UMPI students around the world. But why go to the trouble? The benefits could be huge, starting with student engagement. Students who are a part of the community are more likely to graduate. They’re also more likely to be alumni supporters. Additionally, alumni could watch University Day. This would strengthen their ties with the school. Last, the best online programs include distancelearning students in on-campus events. UMPI has the technology now to do this. It makes sense to do so. Lowman agrees. “Yes, sometimes the technology in the room we use is a little flaky. But

Welcome to Beijing! Christopher Bowden STAFF WRITER

University Day produced many great presentations all around campus but there was one that literally took you around the world to the many amazing sites of Beijing, China. It was performed by a few members of the International Students Club and was quite the interesting presentation compiled with many amazing facts about places all over China. The students presented it as a tour of China complete with photos and facts. To start, they talked about how Beijing is the capital of China and is an old city with over 3,000 years of history. It’s home to the second largest airport in the world next to New York’s JKF. It is also a major

hub for the national transport system. Next the audience took a trip to the Great Wall, which is called “Chang-Cheng” in Chinese. The wall consists of different materials including stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other materials. The wall itself is nearly 4,000 miles long and is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The audience then traveled to Tian-An-Men Square, also known as the Gate of Heavenly Peace. It is considered one of the most famous monuments in Beijing. It is a national symbol of New China and has been since Oct. 1, 1949. By this coming October the nation will celebrate its 65th birthday. The presentation was great and very informative.

you know what? We tell our online students they’re important. Instead, we need to show them they’re important. They need to be part of our community. We should be eager to include them. We shouldn’t be scared of this technology. We should be excited about using it to bring our students closer. And if there are glitches—well, nobody’s perfect.” For online students, these thoughts are appreciated. Some would welcome the chance to present to the campus community. Some would just like to watch. In the future, though, online students will know something important: UMPI is showing them that online or on ground, they are valued. That would make University Day a celebration—for the whole university.

Unive r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! May 9 , 201 4

Putting the Fun in Fungi Kathryn Allenby CONTRIBUTOR

In the biology department at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are thousands of envelopes organized neatly in boxes and stored in cabinets. The envelopes are marked with location, dates and a lot of other information the ordinary person may not need or be interested in. That is, unless, you are a “mushroom hunter.” That’s a term that describes Dr. Robert Pinette. Growing up in the St. John Valley, Pinette joined the military after graduating from Fort Kent high school. After serving two years, Pinette returned to attend college at Fort Kent. When it came time to decide his focus, it came naturally. “I remember my mother had a list of plants she would harvest from the local area: the name of the plants, the location and times for harvest,” Pinette said. The importance of surviving in a harsh environment is well

known to most Mainers. The gathering and preserving of foods were especially important to know. As a botanist, Pinette has been collecting data for decades. Pinette and a colleague did just that last spring. Jason Johnston, associate professor of wildlife ecology and chair of the College of Arts and Sciences, has worked with Pinette since 2007. “The last time samples were recorded in the Allagash near the Oxbow was in the late 1940s. Last spring we did data comparisons with colleagues from Boston University. The study was in relationship to climate change. We found seven to eight native plants that were leafing out earlier than the previous data,” Johnston said. Sharing responsibilities for the general biology classes with Pinette, “Bob has been one of my key mentors,” Johnston said. Pinette is also the curator of herbarium for the Northern Maine Museum of Science.

The museum began in the 1970s, before Pinette arrived to teach at UMPI. This was due to two substantial natural history collections. The first was from Leroy Norton, a noted Aroostook County naturalist. Norton’s contribution included marine and fresh-water seashells, local forestry specimens and the beginnings of the herbarium. The second was from the now defunct Portland Museum of Natural History. Pinette and other faculty have continued to add specimens and record data over the years. Pinette arrived at UMPI after graduating from Iowa State University in 1983. After graduating, Pinette was offered positions at Iowa and in Cleveland. “There are no trees to speak of in Iowa and Cleveland was too urbanized,” Pinette said. Originally from Fort Kent and having encouragement from colleagues, he knew returning to Aroostook County was the best choice. This year

Dr. Robert Pinette. Pinette is retiring after 31 years with UMPI. “Bob has a great connection to the classroom and his students,” Raymond Rice, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, said. “He is soft-spoken yet commanding. He has been the cornerstone of the biology department and has received statewide recognition for his fieldwork and research of mushrooms,” Rice said. Getting students to disconnect when they are in the classroom can be a challenge for faculty. Pinette encourages the technology to enhance his students’ learning with a website (www.indexfungorum.org) dedicated to identifying fungi. Students can access the site through their phones and better identify what they are studying. Pinette is a firm believer in students becoming learners. “Students who are right out of high school and start college are less likely to embrace learning. They’ve

been hearing the same thing over and over,” Pinette said. By going to the military and returning to Fort Kent to go to college, he feels he had more interest in learning when he began his college classes. So what is in those envelopes? Mushrooms! “They don’t look like they once did, but under the microscope they are identified by their spores,” Pinette said. There is other evidence to his calling in his office. Pinette has one of the largest “puffballs” seen by most people. Puffballs are mushrooms that have dried up. The county has a lot to offer in the way of fungi. No matter, because Pinette’s wife, Susan, wants a warmer climate. The Pinettes are planning to move to southern Maine. As long as there are fungi to be observed and data to be collected, Pinette will feel at home any place he chooses.

Un i ve r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! May 9 , 201 4

Spellbound Kelly Gumprecht CONTRIBUTOR

Members of UMPI’s honors program have been on a witchhunt. And on University Day at UMPI, they shared going in for the kill. In a series of four presentations, the students provided a historical look at the “witch craze.” Stepping back to the early 1300s, their hunt began with torture. “Guilty until proven innocent,” Dale Winslow said. “Women, children and men were tortured until they either died or confessed. “ A video showing the stappado torture (where the victim hangs from the arms until pulled out of the sockets) fascinated spectators. Other common practices included burning and pressing bodies on a bed of spikes. Fueled mostly by fear, witchcraft is one of the most brutal excerpts of history. In 13001800, there were 32,000 deaths in France and Germany. So what caused people to be-

come bewitched? Religious beliefs are thought to be among the highest causes. Puritans, for example, believed

Young girls complained of being pinched and pricked with pins. Witchcraft erupted when doctors were unable to find any

cused were “condemned to hell” and hanged. Students Vanessa Higgins and Kate Hewitt pointed out

The honor students with Dr. DeFelice (front). the devil possessed children who were bad. The students tracked the craze to Salem, Mass. The year was 1692.

A Special Thanks! Seniors Achieving Greater Education (SAGE) would like to thank the students, faculty and staff for all the support, hard work and acceptance of our program. This semester required a considerable amount of work, research and IT support. Because of your help, it was a huge success. Thank you very much!

physical evidence of illness. The church had decided the fate of 25 individuals by the end of 1693. With no way to prove their innocence, the ac-

that 1993 marked the 300th anniversary of the trials. To current day Salem residents, the witch trials are important. People are still very mindful of

Poster Session

what happened to their ancestors. Emotions surrounding the trials have been passed down through the years. Families still search for ways to prove their innocence. For Salem residents, it’s important to remember those who suffered and died. Using video images to recreate a witch trial, the group closed out the session. The images were disturbing. Set in a primitive church, young Puritan girls began to shake and shriek. Their “afflictions” were frightening to all who were present. Whether they were truth or lies, their actions decided the fate of many. Unfortunately, there is still much to learn. Although it seems unthinkable, witchcraft still exists today. As recently as 2010, a young boy was accused of being a witch. He was tortured with knives and beaten to death. Still searching to understand the practice of witchcraft, the hunt continues.

More than 20 different posters were on display from 8 to 9 a.m. in Wieden's Gym, ranging from Maine Legislature bills to genetic research. There were also student club exhibits. The posters were staffed by students from 8 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Posters were kept up on display throughout the day in Wieden for people to stop by.

U nive r si ty T im e s ! C AM P US ! M ay 9 , 2 0 1 4

Going for a Swim Jacob Kiehn CONTRIBUTOR

Summer’s coming up, and that means it’s less likely to snow. In fact, it’s probably going to be pretty hot. Usually, when you want to get out of the heat, you go to the local swimming pool for a quick dip. With the closing of Presque Isle’s outdoor and indoor pools, however, that seems to be less of an option this summer. Fortunately, Gentile Hall is there to lend a hand. In the years leading up to its closing, Presque Isle’s public pools were given state funding to stay open. Over time, though, the money stopped being enough to keep up with demand. Finally, it was decided that the pools would be closed. The outdoor pool was closed in the summer of 2013, and the indoor pool was closed in the winter. With these two facilities

Gentile Hall.

being closed, one might think that there’s no way to beat the heat now. Thankfully, they aren’t the only pools in the city. “UMPI has a nice facility, so rather than not offer anything, we decided to offer programs there,” former pool leader Sloan Dionne said. When news of the closings got around, Gentile Hall quickly offered up its services to help. In the coming days, pool staff members plan to offer more hours for swimming, along with official swimming lessons. The transition should help Gentile Hall have more traffic in the future. Overall, little stress has been placed on the employees, and they’re happy to provide the time necessary. When asked about motivation for this offering, employees described it as “returning the favor to the city.” “We’re happy to be able to help the city continue with their

aquatics program,” Gentile Hall exec Dick Gardner said. The transition isn’t without some turbulence, though. For the most part, previous Gentile Hall members are used to having their own lanes for lessons. It will take some time to get used to an open-pool system. Also, with more children comes more of the usual responsibilities, such as more lifeguards and more careful attention. For the most part, however, there’s little argument about the transition. Most members of the Presque Isle indoor pool have already transferred to Gentile Hall. Plus, with the increase in traffic, Gentile Hall will be able to show off some of its other facilities as well, such as the rock wall or the gymnasium. So if you need somewhere to go and beat the heat this summer, come check out Gentile Hall. You’ll be glad you did.

Discovering the Importance of the Ocean Matthew Glover CONTRIBUTOR

On University day the oceanography class presented important, interesting, and current news and issues in the field of oceanography. Some of the presentations consisted of a threat in the food supply, to how marine life is threatened by the acid we dump into the ocean, to Phytoplankton and their significance, discovering new species of life in the ocean, and over-catching fish and how it will affect us. Going to this event was a real eye-opener for those who don’t really have an idea of what is going on in our oceans. If you didn’t know anything about the ocean, this event was good to get introduced to its issues and news. Greg Smaligo, an UMPI student, said, “The presentations were really significant and relevant and it really shows the

reality of what’s going on with life in the ocean. It was a great event to go to and it had some really interesting subjects to it. The over catching fish presentation was one of the most eyeopening. My next question here would be how we could make a call to action to resolve this and the other issues we have in our ocean? The other presentations were good, too. I also liked the presentation where a new form of aquatic life was found. The fact that we are still finding them is a great marvel to me.” The crowd seemed to have enjoyed this very informative event and the all of the presentations within them, since attendees were able to learn new things about ocean life they may not have known. University Day was certainly a busy day for many and the oceanography event was worth going to.

Un i ve r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! May 9 , 201 4

The Most Rewarding Teacher

Kelly Gumprecht CONTRIBUTOR

Experience is worth a thousand words. And that is exactly what you will get from the professional communication courses under Dr. Jacqui Lowman. Kathi Jandreau, Katie York and Ben Pinette have developed some amazing communication skills. Their last semester at UMPI provided the opportunity to put those skills to good use. Trading out regular homework, they went to work for the public. Jandreau enrolled at UMPI to be a reporter. As she honed her skills, she uncovered a new desire. She had developed a love for marketing. She focused her talents on the EMMC Inpatient Rehab Center. She improved marketing opportunities by revamping their

If you are taking summer classes and are planning on applying for financial aid, please be aware that you should be applying now and that the process is somewhat different than applying for financial aid during the academic year. Here are a few things to remember when considering summer financial aid: 1. Your 2013-14 FAFSA must be on file with us; 2. The summer session is considered part of your 2013-2014 application year and as a result, financial aid and loan eligibility may be limited or not available;

brochures and service booklet. Jandreau enjoyed working with EMMC and the staff. “I was able to build experience as well as provide some new products for the business,” she said. Katie York had a similar experience. She focused on a different skill: editing. Finding a rare document about the history of Presque Isle, York went to work. The 400-page paper, written by the Rev. George Park, is a part of history. York knew that she could not change the information. She could edit it, however, for consistency and readability. “I was able to take something good and make it better,” she said. Her goal was to get it ready for publication so that others could use it as a resource. Focusing on film, Ben Pinette also put his abilities to good use

for the EMMC Rehab Center. Going outside of the classroom, Pinette went on a field trip. With camera in hand, he interviewed patients and staff. “It was an eye-opening experience,” Pinette said. The final product was a 15-minute video. The rehab center will show the tape to all incoming patients and their families. A shorter version of the video will also be available on the rehab center’s website. Jandreau, York and Pinette had different projects. Yet all reported a rewarding connection to their subjects. Now ready to graduate, these seniors are looking forward to what lies ahead. And they feel that their classes in PCJ, filled with hands-on projects and work with outside clients, has prepared them well.

3. You must be in enrolled in an eligible UMPI degree program; 4. You must meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the end of the Spring 2014 semester. 5. You’ll need to register for summer 2014 classes - a minimum of 6 credits will be required; 6. You’ll need to complete a summer financial aid resource worksheet which is available in the Financial Aid Office as well as the Houlton Center. This form needs to be in the Aid Office no later than May 31st in order to be awarded aid for the summer;

7. If any of the courses you are planning to take are not UMPI courses, you will need to complete a Study Away Form (available in the Student Records Office) and have the course work approved by your academic advisor as well as the Director of Student Records. Please remember that you can only be awarded financial aid for courses that meet your degree requirements; 8. If the courses are not offered by the University of Maine System, it will also be necessary for a Consortium Agreement to be completed. This process cannot

Capstone presenters, from left to right: Ben Pinette, Kathi Jandreau and Katie York.

Summer Financial Aid be initiated until we have received your completed and approved Study Away Form; 9. Your request for summer financial aid will be reviewed. If you are eligible for summer aid you will be notified via email that your award has been posted and can be viewed on MaineStreet; 10. Financial aid summer budgets and awards are created based on each student’s specific summer class schedule. Any changes in a class schedule and/or enrollment may result in an adjustment to your summer aid award.

You are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid office of any changes in your summer enrollment plans; 11. Refund checks will not be issued until money has been received and a credit balance has been created on your student account. You can see this on MaineStreet. If you intend to request summer financial assistance please stop by the Financial Aid Office, or the Houlton Center to complete the Summer Resource Worksheet. Have a great spring. -Financial Aid Staff

Unive r si t y T i me s ! C A MP US ! May 9 , 201 4

18th Annual SpringBall “Moonlight Masquerade”

On April 25, the Campus Center Multipurpose room was creatively transformed into a grand ballroom. The decorations tied in the “Moonlight Masquerade” theme, which made everything look elegant.

A group during the social at SpringBall. From left to right: Tyler Cavanaugh, Gaila Allen, Ryan Thompson, Nicole Duplessis, Alex Csiernik and Stephanie Jellett.

The senior class officers. From left to right: Elyssa Deschaine, Tyler Cavanaugh, Josh MacKinnon and Brittany Lovely.

Univer sity Ti m es ! AWAR DS C ON VO C ATIO N ! M ay 9 , 2 014

Awards Convocation Student Senate Scholarships Zachary Benner, Alan Arman Scholarship Corey Levesque, Monica G. Gilbert Memorial Scholarship Cody Tompkins, Steven Eagles Memorial Scholarship Kathryn Patenaude, T.W. Morrison Scholarship Michaela Bragg, Humanities Scholarship Award AngelinaHilary Saucy, Ruel Parks Memorial Scholarship Dashi Li, Math-Science Scholarship (MATH)

Distinguished Teaching Award Barbara Blackstone

Distinguished Staff Award Keith Madore

Departmental Awards Rowena Forbes, Art History Award Heather Herbert, English Book Award Marc Knapp, Film Scholar Award Mirandah Akeley, Fine Art Talent Award Kati Christoffel, Fine Art Talent Award Kelsey Churchill, General Biology I Award Kayla Ames, Outstanding Achievement in Professional Communication and Journalism Kimberly Englund, Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Accounting Matthew Tompkins, Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Accounting Josiah Brazier, Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Business Management Henry Pelletier, Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Project Management & Information Systems Lucas Bartlett, Outstanding Athlectic Training Major Award Alex Csiernik, Outstanding Athlectic Training Major Award Benjamin Hamilton, Outstanding Criminal Justice Major Award Danelle Grenier, Outstanding Elementary Education Major Desiree Genthner, Outstanding History Major Award Justin Howe, Outstanding History Major Award Randi Kaplan, Outstanding Physical Education Major Award Amanda Doiron, Outstanding Post-Baccalaureate Education Student Tiffany Fraser, Outstanding Post-Baccalaureate Education Student Whitney Flint, Physical Therapist Assistant Program Academic Achievement Award Kevin Huston, Physical Therapist Assistant Program Academic Achievement Award Nicole Duplessis, University Times Advisor Award Stephanie Jellett, University Times Advisor Award

Uni ver sit y Ti m es ! AWAR DS C O N VO C AT I ON ! M ay 9 , 2 01 4

Recipients 2014 Maine Policy Scholar Angelina Jackman, Maine Policy Scholar 2013-2014

Honors Miranda Bickford, Honors Program Jenny Blaisdell, Honors Program Brandon Bonney, Honors Program Makaila Bourgoine, Honors Program Hannah Boyce, Honors Program Ashley Christie, Honors Program Kelsey Churchill, Honors Program Jessica Coppola, Honors Program Tiffany Curtis, Honors Program Mallorie Cyr, Honors Program Hazen Dauphine, Honors Program Elizabeth Day, Honors Program Ashley Drost, Honors Program Taylor Dwyer, Honors Program Dylan Hackworth, Honors Program Erica Hemphill, Honors Program Katelyn Hewitt, Honors Program Vannessa Higgins, Honors Program Andrew Hunt, Honors Program David Huntley, Honors Program Katarina Jenson, Honors Program Jamie Martin, Honors Program Alexander Metrano, Honors Program Thomas Pietroski, Honors Program Natasha Smith, Honors Program Michelle Tardiff, Honors Program Nick Whitehead, Honors Program Dale Winslow, Honors Program

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who Lucas Bartlett, Who's Who Zachary Benner, Who's Who Mark Cavanaugh, Who's Who Courtney Cray, Who's Who Alexander Csiernik, Who's Who Sara Gendreau, Who's Who Molly Lindsey, Who's Who Steven McDougal, Who's Who Donna Robichaud, Who's Who Michael Warner, Esq, Who's Who

Student Senate Jessica Coppola, Student Senate Wendy Genthner, Student Senate Dylan Hackworth, Student Senate Jeffrey Jamieson, Student Senate Thomas Jeh, Student Senate Michael Muir, Student Senate Ryan Ouellette, Student Senate Craig Pullen, Student Senate Leah Rodriguez, Student Senate

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May 9, 2014

o mmun i t y

Overscheduling Isn’t Helping Anyone Hannah Brilliant CONTRIBUTOR

College prep class. Soccer practice. Dance class. Music lessons. Today’s children seem much better-rounded than past generations. True, their calendars are fuller. But are these activities helping children in the long run? “The distance that children play from their home has shrunk by 90 percent in 30 years. Time outside is down 50 percent in just one generation,” Gretchen Voigt told her class. Voigt is a school-age child-care provider. She also

educates others about permaculture. Permaculture is a holistic approach to both farming and living. It works to build sustainable agriculture practices. It also strives for resilient, self-reliant communities and individuals. These are traits highly valued in today’s tough job market. Voigt was one of dozens of speakers at the Windham School Age Child Care Conference. The conference was held April 5, 2014, at Windham High School in Windham, Maine. The conference focused on ways to better engage students.

A plan for a natural playspace; an actual natural playspace

Rosemary Jordan is the owner of The Little Log Cabin Montessori School in Windham. Jordan led a workshop focused on the effects of commercialism on young children. “Even educational television exposes children to advertisements. It discourages creative thinking,” Jordan said. “Children begin to need physical things to be happy. They lose their internal drive for success.” This has led to an increase in childhood anxiety, depression and obesity. Spending time in nature has the opposite effect. “Time in nature increases observation. It increases creativity. It increases feelings of well-being. It helps children heal from adverse conditions,” Voigt said. A 2001 study found the same results. “Children who have experiences in nature show more advanced motor fitness. They have better coordination. They have better balance and agility” (Early Childhood Education Journal). Time spent outdoors positively affects mind and body. It seems the key to engaging students is to let go. To ditch the over-scheduled weekends. To let them play. To be OK with them getting dirty. Because resilient, self-motivated kids will be better prepared for success in adulthood.

Third Annual UMPI and Wintergreen Arts Center 12 X 12 Auction: SUCCESS! The auction featured original works from approximately 50 artists from Aroostook County, the nation and Canada. The fundraiser brought in $3,400 to support the art programs downtown. A special thanks go to: Karen Lodge, Kari Wells-Puckett Law Office, Star City IGA and Graves Shop 'n' Save for donating the incredibly bountiful table of food; the hardworking volunteers from UMPI and Wintergreen; the faithful supporters and bidders; and a huge thank you to the artists. Your talents, generosity and heart are so genuinely appreciated. It was an amazing showcase of artistic work!

Univer sit y Ti m e s ! C O MM UN I TY ! May 9 , 201 4

To College, Or Not to College: That Is the Question Jason Hoyt CONTRIBUTOR

How do we get people to learn? Are there ways that are easier than others? Is everyone able to learn? These are questions that are on many people’s minds, and can you blame them? When starting something new such as college, people wonder to themselves, “Can I do this?” “What will happen if I cannot succeed?” “What will I do if I fail?” These are the reasons that most will either not complete college, or perhaps not even go. These thoughts should do anything but stop you from attending college or getting in the way of any other goals you have. Before starting college, you have to literally get yourself into a different mindset. You have to engage your mind for it to be open to the new experiences. Take Shirley Wallace, a 33year-old from Houlton, Maine,

who now attends NMCC in Presque Isle. Wallace, along with many others, waited until slightly later in life to return to school. “I started attending NMCC in 2010. At that point, I had been out of school for almost 11 years. It was very hard to prepare myself. I actually had

started trying to go to college years before that. It just wasn’t till recently where I landed in the right frame of mind to do so,” Wallace Said. Wallace isn’t the only one who has had trouble with college and making the decision to go or not to go. Take Dustin

Burby, for example. Burby is 26, also from Houlton, Maine, and made the choice to never attend college, although it’s something he’s been interested in. “When I graduated from high school, I was never really interested in continuing my education. My mother really wanted me to go,

but I had a good job and was making good money. Before I knew it, I got promoted. Looking back, I really wish that I attended college. I’m beginning to notice that it’s something you need now-a-days. It just wasn’t the right time for me to go: I had no motivation,” Burby said. In order to be successful in college, you have to be in the right mindset. You have to engage your mind for success. If this isn’t done, you may be led astray from your choices. But one thing can be promised. If done the correct way, you’ll take yourself farther and higher than ever before. Wallace and Burby were examples of each side of success. Things will not be the same for everyone. But one thing is true: everyone will be presented with a moment to succeed at somepoint in their lives, when that moment comes you’ll know to make the most out of it.

Dear Seniors: As your Senior year is coming to an end here at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, the Financial Aid Office would like to congratulate you on your accomplishments and hope for success in the future. You will have many new things that will be happening in the next few months, whether you are applying for Grad School, finding that first full time job, or having to relocate – things can be a bit overwhelming for some. The Financial Aid Office at UMPI wants to help

ease some of those questions you might have about your Federal Student Loans. As a reminder to many, your Federal Student Loans will go into repayment 6 months after you graduate. If you have questions and/or need help on repayment of these loans, please take advantage of our new program we have teamed up with called SALT (website is www.saltmoney.org) – many of you might have seen Laurie and Candace around campus this year promoting this program that is brought to

us by the American Student Assistance and Finance Authority of Maine. For those who haven’t been able to find out what SALT is, here is a little information: SALT is an educational program for higher education that helps students be successful with managing their student loans by educating, empowering, and engaging them to know about their finances. SALT is there to help the process be easier to all, in hopes that students are successful in repaying their stu-

dent loans and do not default on them. Also SALT can help students/alumni with other benefits too, not just loans: You can do career searches, learn how to write a resume, do scholarship searches, help with budgeting and other life finances, and so much more. Please take the time and check out this wonderful website – www.saltmoney.org – it is a very safe website to use and will protect the security of integrity of your personal information. If you have not signed up for SALT, please do so as

soon as you can, to take advantage of all it has to offer (when signing up it will ask for the school you attended – you will have to type out University of Maine at Presque Isle – it will not accept UMPI). Also, if you would like to talk to an actual Loan Counselor, feel free to give them a call at 1-877-523-9473. Again, we want to congratulate you on your graduation. -The Financial Aid Office

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May 9, 20 14

ports

Athletic Award Ceremony Male Athlete of the Year: Michael Warner This year’s male student-athlete of the year has had a steady climb of improvement during his outstanding 4-year career. The last two years he has been named to the AD3 Independent All-Association First Team. This past season, as the Owls leading scorer he was named a USCAA second-team All-American. “Mike had an exceptional year leading our basketball program, he was one of the top 3-point shooters and free throw shooters in the country. Without question, Mike has been a great representative of UMPI,” Coach Casciano said. Off the court, this young man is well-respected by his teammates, peers and campus community. He has participated in multiple community service projects including: Special Olympics, Team Impact and the UMPI Athletic Department Toy Drive. Recently passing his athletic training certification test, there is no doubt he will continue on to provide his clients with outstanding service and uphold the highest standards of care that have been honed here within the UMPI athletic programs through his many hours of volunteer clinical work.

Female Athlete of the Year: Olivia McNally The 2014 female award winner is an example in perseverance and hard work. As a freshman, this young lady played a limited role, averaging only a few minutes a game. The lack of playing time motivated her and her passion for the game fueled her tremendous work ethic. She worked and worked, a true gym rat, by the start of her sophomore year she became a starter. Some of her career highlights: -4 year member and 3 year starter of the Owl Basketball Program -2013-14 GSAC All-Academic Team -2012-13 Association of NCAA DIII Independents “All-Independent” Second Team -2013-14 GSAC All-Conference First Team -And proudly a 2013-14 First Team USCAA All-American She is a coach’s dream, a self-made player and gym rat. A quiet, but effective leader and role model. Tough and determined--a relentless competitor who did the dirty work, she was our best defender and always our hardest worker on a team filled with focused and committed young ladies of outstanding character.

Uni ve r sit y T i me s ! SP O RTS ! May 9, 20 1 4

Athletic Awards Ceremony Cont.

Athletic Training Awards

Athletic Training Student Rising Star: Molly Lindsey Co-Athletic Training Students of the Year: Alex Csiernik & Lucas Bartlett

Speical Awards Al Arman “Make A Difference Award” Male Recipient: Lucas Bartlett (Men’s Soccer) Female Recipient: Kathryn Patenaude (Basketball/Softball/Volleyball) Stanley H. Small Coaches Award: Joshua MacKinnon (Asst. Coach, Men’s Soccer) Ruel Parks Coaches Award: Darby Toth (Women’s Basketball) Donald N. Zillman Character Award: Kathryn Patenaude (Basketball/Softball/Volleyball) Royal Goheen (Highest Team GPA): Women’s Cross Country Sharon Roix (Most Improved GPA): Men’s Soccer

Team Awards Rookie of the Year: Most Inspirational Runner: Most Valuable Runner:

Men’s Cross Country

Jessie Sandstrom Corey Hebert Philip Boody

Women’s Cross County Destinee Neureuther Ghazaleh Sailors Kayla Legassie Men’s Golf Rookie of the Year: Eric Depner Most Inspirational Golfer: DJ (Kenneth) Conley Most Valuable Golfer: Mike Balmer Men’s Soccer Co-Rookies of the Year: Erik Gumaer & Derek Healy Most Inspirational Player: Seth Cote Most Valuable Player: Lucas Bartlett Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year: Taylor Gardner Most Inspirational Player: Jasmine Cote Most Valuable Player: Jen Ouellette Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year: Abigail Jewett Most Inspirational Player: Shaina Hood Most Valuable Player: Shannon Brown Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Year: Thiago Conceicao Most Inspirational Player: Alex Jardine Most Valuable Player: Michael Warner Women’s Basketball Co-Rookies of the Year: Kristin Thompson & Sydney Churchil Most Inspirational Player: Kathryn Patenaude Most Valuable Player: Olivia McNally Captain’s Leadership Award: Brigitte Pratt Men’s Nordic Skiing Rookie of the Year: Zacharia Veayo Most Inspirational Skier: Andrew Nesbitt Most Valuable Skier: Ethan Burke Women’s Nordic Skiing Rookie of the Year: Lydia Streinz Most Inspirational Skier: Natasha Smith Most Valuable Skier: Lydia Streinz Baseball Rookie of the Year: Adam Begos Most Inspirational Player: Lucas Molloy Co-Most Valuable Players: Josiah Brazier & Alex Csiernik Women’s Softball Rookie of the Year: Shannon Brown Co-Most Inspirational Players: Kathryn Patenaude & Taylor Cochran Most Valuable Player: Krista Coffin Rookie of the Year: Most Inspirational Runner: Most Valuable Runner:

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May 9, 201 4

ifestyl e

The Reel Deal: Delivery Man Alexander Csiernik CONTRIBUTOR

PG-13 2/5 stars In the movie “Delivery Man,” David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) is a hapless meat delivery truck driver. He comes to find out that his decisions he made many years ago are coming back to haunt him. David used to donate at a sperm bank and has now fathered 533 children. Of those children, 142 of them have filed a class action lawsuit against the sperm bank to find out the David’s identity. During this period of despair, David is also trying to convince his pregnant girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smulders) to

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keep him around and help her raise the child together. David gets an envelope of all the children who want to know who he is and as he looks at their profiles he tries to help them out in any way that he can without revealing his true identity. Will his children ever find out who he is? Or will David remain a secret from his children and go on leading a normal life? “Delivery Man” looked much funnier than it was in the trailers. You do see a lot of the good one-liners there and the movie turns more serious as it progresses. Vince Vaughn is quite funny but at some point you can feel a serious mood come on and even though he

tries, it is hard for him to be a part of something serious. It could be due to the fact that he is in so many funny movies that he is only cast into that one roll but Vince Vaughn and serious do not go together well. The film is a good date movie or a movie that will make you chuckle. There are no outrageously funny moments that you think that you would hate to miss but at the same time there always tries to be a joke here and there to break up the serious parts. This is a good movie for you to see and watch if you have some free time but I would not go out of my way to make time to watch “Delivery Man.”

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Un ive r si ty Tim e s ! L IF ES T YL E ! May 9 , 2 01 4

Summer Astronomy Jim Stepp CONTRIBUTOR

Since this is the last issue of the University Times for the academic year, I figured I would let you know what will be happening in the skies above us throughout the summer. Meteor Showers This summer will bring the opportunity to see two and possibly three meteor showers. Astronomers are not sure if the first meteor shower will actually occur. During the morning hours of Saturday, May 24, the Earth will pass through the debris left behind by a comet known as P/209 LINEAR. This comet is small and its debris field is very narrow. Because of this it is uncertain that a meteor shower will actually occur, but if it does, we may see a short intense burst of meteors that could range from a dozen or so to a hundred meteors per hour. If the skies are clear, grab a lounge chair and sit outside with a few friends. If the meteors come you will have a great show, if they no show, you would have had the chance to chat with your friends. On the nights of July 28-29, the Delta Aquarid Meteor shower will peak. The Delta Aquarids produce about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. This year’s show should be a good one because the moon will be a thin crescent, setting in the evening, so the skies will be dark. The Perseid Meteor shower will peak on the night of August 12-13. The Perseids can produce up to 60 meteors per hour at the peak. This meteor shower is connected with comet SwiftTuttle. The Perseids come from a wide debris field and are visible from July 17 to August 24, but the best time to observe this meteor shower is about one week prior to or after its peak.

The waning gibbous moon will block out some of the meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it should still be a good show. Events Involving the Planets On May 10, Saturn will be at opposition or on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun. When planets reach opposition, they are at their closest to the Earth, at their brightest, and when seen through a telescope – their largest. Summer will begin on June 21 for the northern hemisphere of the Earth. At 6:51 a.m., the North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, and the Sun will reached its northernmost point in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. On August 18, Venus and Jupiter will be very close to each other. This event is called a conjunction. These two bright planets will only be 0.25 degrees from each other or about half the width of the Moon apart. Conjunctions of two bright planets this close to each other are very rear. This one will be made especially interesting because the two will be only about one degree from the beehive cluster in the constellation Cancer. This event will be visible just before sunrise. On August 29, Neptune will be in opposition. This is the best time to view and photograph Neptune. If you use a good pair of binoculars you will be able to see a bluish-green dot THE NIGHT SKY The International Space Station is visible as follows: Mornings–May 15 through June 13, July 15 through August 10. Evenings–May 30 through June 23, August 2 through August 28. For the times of other events go to www.calsky.com. You will need to register at this site and load your location to be able

to get exact times. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is located at 68d00m7.8s west longitude and 46d40m45.6s north latitude. To get a free sky chart go to www.skymaps.com. Sun and Planet Visibility 05/15/2014 04:47 Sunrise. 19:59 Sunset . 20:12–21:48 Mercury. 03:36–05:00 Venus. 20:12–03:24 Mars. 20:12–00:00 Jupiter. 20:36–04:24 Saturn. 06/15/2014 04:37 Sunrise. 20:27 Sunset. Not visible Mercury. 03:00 – 04:36 Venus. 20:42 – 01:24 Mars. 20:42 – 22:18 Jupiter. 21:06 – 02:54 Saturn. 07/15/2014 04:53 Sunrise. 20:22 Sunset. 03:30–04:18 Mercury. 03:00– 4:54 Venus. 21:00–23:42 Mars. 20:36–20:42 Jupiter. 21:00–00:54 Saturn. 08/15/2014 05:30 Sunrise. 19:42 Sunset. 19:5 –20:06 Mercury. 03:54–05:30 Venus. 20:18–22:18 Mars. 04:06–05:18 Jupiter. 20:12–22:48 Saturn. 05/10@14:00 Saturn at Opposition–Directly behind the Earth and closest to the Earth– 1,331,000,000 km or 827.3 million miles from Earth. 05/11@03:06 Moon 4.7 degrees from Mars. 05/14@04:30 Moon 2.9 degrees from Saturn. 05/14@15:15 Full Moon. 05/15@19:54 Venus 1.2 degrees from Uranus. 05/21@08:59 Last Quarter Moon.

05/25@03:12 Mercury at greatest elongation–22.7 degrees east of the sun– visible in the evening sky. 05/28@14:40 New Moon. 05/31@22:24 Moon 6.4 degrees from Jupiter. 06/05@16:38 First Quarter Moon. 06/07@20:24 Moon 2.1 degrees from Mars. 06/10@21:06 Moon 4.4 degrees from Saturn. 06/13@00:11 Full Moon. 06/19@14:38 Last Quarter Moon. 06/19@18:48 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction–Between the Earth and the sun. 06/21@06:51 June Solstice– summer begins in the northern hemisphere and winter begins in the southern hemisphere. 06/24@09:24 Moon 1.8 degrees from Venus. 06/26@20:29 Latest Sunset. 06/27@04:08 New Moon. 06/28@20:48 Moon 6.2 degrees from Jupiter. 07/03@20:13 Earth at Aphelion–Farthest from the Sun-152.1 million km or 94.54 million miles from sun. 07/05@07:58 First Quarter Moon. 07/05@21:54 Mars 0.6 degrees from the moon. 07/07@22:30 Saturn 1.3 degrees from the moon. 07/12@07:24 Full Moon. 07/12@14:24 Mercury at greatest elongation–20.9 degrees west of the sun–visible in the morning sky. 07/16@14:44 Mercury 6.2 degrees from Venus. 07/18@22:08 Last Quarter Moon. 07/24@12:30 Venus 4.9 degrees from the moon. 07/24@16:44 Jupiter in conjunction with the sun–Farthest from the Earth. 07/26@18:41 New Moon. 07/29@04:00 Beta Cassiopeid Meteor Shower–5 meteors per hour. 07/29@20:00 Beta Cassiopeid

Meteor shower Maximum. 07/30@04:00 Beta Cassiopeid Meteor Shower–6 meteors per hour. 07/31@04:00 Beta Cassiopeid Meteor Shower–5 meteors per hour. 08/02@14:52 Mercury 1 degree from Jupiter. 08/02@22:12 Mars 5.1 degrees from the moon. 08/03@20:49 First Quarter Moon. 08/03@23:00 Saturn 4.6 degree from the moon. 08/08@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–5 meteors/hour. 08/08@12:24 Mercury in superior conjunction–on the other side of the sun. 08/09@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–8 meteors/hour. 08/10@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–13 meteors/hour. 08/10@14:09 Full Moon. 08/11@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–23 meteors/hour. 08/12@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–44 meteors/hour. 08/13@01:00 Perseid Meteor Shower maximum. 08/13@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–56 meteors/hour. 08/14@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–37 meteors/hour. 08/15@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–20 meteors/hour. 08/16@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–11 meteors/hour. 08/17@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–7 meteors/hour. 08/17@08:25 Last Quarter Moon. 08/18@01:11 Venus 0.2 degrees from Jupiter. 08/18@04:00 Perseid Meteor Shower–5 meteors/hour. 08/24@04:54 Venus 6.9 degree from the moon. 08/25@10:12 New Moon. 08/25@15:0 Mars 3.4 degrees from Saturn. 08/31@19:42 Saturn 2.3 degrees from the moon. 08/31@21:36 Mars 3.2 degrees from the moon.

Have a great summer!