Hello, Class of 2017! I hope you and yours are well and continue to be safe amid
these unprecedented times. You’ve all been up to a lot of cool stuff this year-
please don’t hesitate to reach out with all your great updates for future issues!
Cam Brown is back in our class news, as he heads overseas to play for
Denmark’s SonderjyskE Isehockey. The team is part of Denmark’s top pro
hockey league! Cam was the leading scorer for the Wheeling Nailers of the
ECHL prior to COVID-19 prematurely ending the season.
In other sports news, Justin Courtney was one of the finalists for a chance to try
out with the St. Paul Saints baseball team. Even though Justin was not offered a
chance to try out, he reports it was a positive experience, he appreciated the
exposure on social media, and the Saints did get in touch with him to get his
contact information. Congratulations!
Victoria Waugh, who works for Michaud Accounting Solutions, earned a Sage
Intacct certified implementation specialist certification in February. Sage Intacct is
the first and only cloud accounting software to meet the standards to be preferred
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Congratulations on this
professional advancement, Victoria!
Andrew Schank, who is currently a Ph.D. candidate at UMaine after receiving his
BS in civil engineering in 2017 and his MS in 2019, was recognized with an
Outstanding Student of the Year Award by the Department of Transportation
(DOT) for his research efforts with the Transportation Infrastructure Durability
Center at UMaine. Andrew was one of 34 students nationwide recognized by the
U.S. DOT, and has a history of being a strong researcher on a variety of projects
during his time at UMaine. Congrats, Andrew!
Last but certainly not least, Skylar Bayer, who graduated from UMaine with her
Ph.D. in marine science in 2017, took a position as an assistant professor of
biology and aquaculture at Roger Williams University starting fall 2020. This is a
tenure-track position, and Skylar is actually replacing another UMaine graduate
(small world!). Fun fact — Skylar is not only an incredible scientist but has also
been on TV, appearing on The Colbert Report. She has been pretty busy this
year — she and a collaborator recently signed a book deal with Columbia
University Press, and will be publishing a collection of stories from scientists with
disabilities and illnesses. Congratulations on your new position! The Class of
2017 looks forward to seeing your book in print.
Stay safe, wash those hands, and wear those masks! I look forward to receiving
your next round of updates in 2021.