A forthcoming book about the 1979 murder of a University of Maine history professor was the subject of a recent webinar co-hosted by the University of Maine Alumni Association and the Maine Historical Society. The presenters–Amy Banks and Isaac Knapper, co-authors of Fighting Time—have unique perspectives. Banks was the teenage daughter of Professor Ronald Banks,…
Black Bear alumni, faculty, staff, and students are among Maine’s most productive innovators and entrepreneurs. This month, Innovators of UMaine showcases Jill Pelto ‘15, ‘18G, a Maine-based artist and scientist who incorporates scientific research and data into pieces designed to raise awareness about environmental topics. Climate change is a key theme in Pelto’s work, which…
More than 10,000 Black Bear alumni in Maine hold management positions in their place of employment. They comprise the largest type of employment among the roughly 33,000 working-age UMaine alumni in the state’s workforce. The findings are part of an extensive study of UMaine alumni in Maine and in the U.S. Conducted by the Margaret…
I CAN ONLY SPEAK from my own experience. Growing up in Maine, I have a very unique experience compared to most of my family who grew up in the inner cities, but we will get there. Growing up in Maine. The first time I can recall being called “the N word” I was four. At…
GINA FERAZZI frantically loads her Ford Fusion for a 300-mile drive north from her home in Riverside, California, to Mammoth in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. She says good-bye to Charlie, her Goldendoodle, who sulks when she departs. It’s November 19, 2020, the end of a typical week in Ferazzi’s life as a staff photographer for…
UMaine alumni figured prominently in the 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration held on January 18 and co-sponsored by the UMaine Alumni Association and the Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP. The annual event was webcast on YouTube and within 24 hours had been viewed live or on-demand more than 750 times. Speakers included UMaine…
Alumni of Maine’s flagship university in Orono tend to earn more than others in Maine with comparable levels of education. They also pay more in state and local taxes than the average Maine household. Those are among the findings of a first-ever study of the economic and community impact of Black Bear alumni in Maine…
The University of Maine is recognizing Black History Month with both on-campus and online events. The McGillicuddy Humanities Center (MHC) is hosting three events that participants can access online. On Feb. 24, MHC fellow Leela Stockley will discuss her research on racial bias in the media in relation to recent Black Lives Matter protests in…
To kick off Black History Month, the University of Maine Black Student Union and the Alumni Association discussed the relevance and impact of Black Studies in 21st Century Higher Education featuring Dr. Sonia Sanchez and Dr. John Bracey. The session and Q+A discussion were moderated by current UMaine Chemistry PhD Student: Lauren Babb.
A federal judge, medical researcher, and journalist are among the 2021 Alumni Award recipients who will be recognized during an awards celebration in late April. The Hon. George Singal ’67 was selected to receive the Alumni Career Award, the Alumni Association’s highest honor. Singal has had a long, distinguished career in law. Singal arrived in…
This fall, the Alumni Association will launch the Robert Talbot Civil Rights Speaker Series as part of a campus and community collaboration with the Greater Bangor Area Branch of the NAACP. The Robert Talbot Civil Rights Speaker Series is intended to “promote dialogue and engagement that advances the political, social, educational, and economic equality of…
An anonymous donor has made a $100,000 gift to create the Wabanaki Student Development and Success Fund at the University of Maine Foundation. The fund will assist Native American students pursuing University of Maine degrees “so that they can graduate as tomorrow’s leaders of their communities.” John Bear Mitchell ’96, ’99G, Wabanaki Center outreach and…