Social Impact

December 11, 2020

Wreaths Across America Decorates Veteran Graves at Arlington National Cemetery

Wreaths Across America will again decorate the graves of veterans at Arlington National Cemetery and other military and civilian cemeteries. Although in-person ceremonies won’t take place this year because of the pandemic, the group has planned virtual events. Each year the group places wreaths at more than 2,200 locations across the U.S. This year, December…

November 12, 2020

Twenty-Five Alumni Elected and Re-Elected to Maine Legislature

A total of twenty-five UMaine alumni were elected or re-elected to the Maine House of Representatives and Maine Senate on election day. Eight state senators and seventeen state representatives will be part of the next legislative session when it convenes on December 2. We congratulate them and wish them success as they work on behalf…

November 12, 2020

UMaine Honors Veterans with Week of In-Person, Virtual Events

The university hosted a series of activities honoring veterans last week. Veterans week began with a flag ceremony in front of Fogler Library and included sessions addressing a range of veterans’ issues, a lunch, and an art exhibition. Activities were coordinated by the UMaine Office of Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) and UMaine Veterans…

UMAA Logo
October 22, 2020

“UMaine UVote” Initiative Encourages Students to Vote

The University of Maine’s “UMaine UVote” education and outreach initiative has been working to encourage students to vote. The Division of Student Life coordinates the program. Because many college students are first-time voters, UMaine held a campus-wide voter registration drive in September. A web page is dedicated to information, whether students want to register to…

October 22, 2020

“First Persons: The Wabanaki Peoples of Maine” Available to Watch

More than 400 people joined the UMaine Alumni Association’s webcast “First Persons: The Wabanaki Peoples of Maine” on October 8. Panelists included Penobscot Ambassador Maulian Dana ’06 (top left), indigenous rights attorney Sherri Mitchell ’08 (bottom right), and nurse practitioner Bridgid Neptune (bottom left). Donna Loring ’86, ’17 L.H.D. (top right), senior policy adviser to…

August 12, 2020

Di Giovanni ’83 Sheds Light on Experiences Writing about People in War-Torn Countries

Janine di Giovanni ’83, recipient of the Alumni Association’s Bernard Lown ’42 Humanitarian Award, has spent more than three decades writing about the lives of people in war-torn regions, from the Balkans to the Middle East and African nations.  Watch her interview with Ric Tyler ’87, recorded during isolation caused by the pandemic: https://vimeo.com/447293283.  

August 12, 2020

UMaine Reaches New Record in Research Grants

The University of Maine reached a new record by generating $104.2 million in research grants and awards during the fiscal year 2020. That figure is an all-time high level of externally generated research funding realized by UMaine, and stems from the university’s pursuit of growth in research. The number of larger awards has increased nearly…

August 12, 2020

President Appoints Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy has appointed a Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to advise campus leadership and report on the University’s efforts and actions to ensure inclusive excellence. The 30-member council is co-chaired by Vice President Kimberly Whitehead, the president’s chief of staff, and Dr. Susan McKay, founding director of the Maine Center for…

August 5, 2020

Alumni Association Webinar Series Proves Popular

Prompted by restrictions on in-person events, the Alumni Association has launched a series of online discussions and presentations addressing a wide range of topics related to alumni interests and public affairs. Using Zoom, an internet-based video conferencing system, the first series of 60- to 90-minute webinars have addressed topics such as journalistic ethics, the pandemic’s…

August 5, 2020

First-ever Bilingual Portal to Franco American Heritage Records

Wedding of Marie Philippon and Alfred Tancrel, Lewiston Maine, 1897. Photo courtesy of the Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries   UMaine has received a nearly $60,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create a first-ever bilingual portal to Franco American heritage records from archives in the United States and Canada.…