Hello, Class of 2017 friends! As I write this, we are post-Homecoming festivities — I hope some of you were able to make it back to campus to enjoy some of the fun.
I heard from my former colleague and pal Aysha Vear ’20G, who left her position at the Alumni Association in 2022 to attend law school. Aysha graduated last spring from the University of Maine School of Law in Portland with a certificate in information privacy law. She is currently working with Tinder’s privacy legal team, supporting customer care escalations while she awaits results from the July bar exam. Aysha also got married in June 2025. Though not a Bear Pair, she met her husband, Matt Robinson, at The Family Dog in Orono during her UMaine days. Congratulations, Aysha!
More congratulations are in order for Jocelyn Runnebaum, Ph.D. She recently joined the Maine Department of Marine Resources as Director of the Maine Coastal Program. As MCP Director, she will guide partnerships across federal, state, and local levels to support projects that promote coastal resource conservation and responsible development. Such a meaningful role in Maine, where so much of the state’s natural beauty and economy is tied to its coast.
We’re also remembering a classmate whose remarkable accomplishments warrant mention here in our column. Levi Frye passed away in October of 2024 after serving as a conservation officer with New Hampshire’s wildlife law enforcement since 2018. During his service, Levi received a New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Award and was named NECLECA Officer of the Year in 2023. He was also featured in the television series North Woods Law. Shortly before his passing, he was set to receive the “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” Award for helping save a woman who had crashed her car into a river. At a ceremony just days after his passing, the award was presented to two of his colleagues in his name. Levi met his future wife, Shannon O’Neil Frye ’16, at UMaine. He leaves behind one young child. Levi’s family is in our thoughts, and I apologize for the delay in sharing news of his passing and this well-deserved recognition of an accomplished and remarkable classmate.
That is all I have for now. Don’t forget to reach out with any updates. I challenge you to think of anything you’d like to share with our class for the next issue of the magazine. We’d love to see your wedding photos, too! Next year marks our 10th reunion- who will join me in celebrating?