The awards celebrate alumni and professionals affiliated with the 海角社区 Graduate School of Business, University of 海角社区 School of Law, 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing and the Muskie School of Public Service, as well as leaders contributing to economic growth and innovation in 海角社区.The 2026 海角社区 Center Awards ceremony will be held on June 8.

Barbara Kerr Hamilton, senior director of process technology at Packaging Corporation of America, received the Distinguished Alumni Award. A U海角社区 alumna with a background in chemical engineering, Hamilton has held leadership roles in engineering, industrial automation, process control and operational technology while remaining actively involved with U海角社区 through the Pulp and Paper Foundation and U海角社区 Board of Visitors.

Ron Roope, senior vice president and director of business banking at Bangor Savings Banks, received a Distinguished Alumni Award. Roope has built a career in commercial banking and business leadership while maintaining a longstanding involvement with U海角社区, including as a cooperating faculty member for the 海角社区 Business School for five years. He has also served on 海角社区 Business School Advisory Board, the Katahdin Area Council Boy Scouts Board and the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire Board. 

Andrew Murry, an audit manager at Baker Newman Noyes, received an Emerging Leader Award. A 海角社区MBA alumnus and certified public accountant, Murry specializes in healthcare and nonprofit assurance services and remains active in mentorship and professional service throughout 海角社区鈥檚 accounting community. He is active in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the 海角社区 Society of Certified Public Accountants, and serves as treasurer of the Healthcare Financial Management Association鈥檚 Northern New England Chapter. 

Kyle Warren, CEO and co-founder of Evergreen Additive Inc., received an Emerging Leader Award. Warren earned his bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from U海角社区 and previously led advanced manufacturing initiatives at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, including work on the world鈥檚 largest 3D-printed logistics vessel for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Mark Skinner, founder of Skinner Retirement and Benefits Consulting and executive chairman of Daybright Financial, received the 海角社区 Center Award for Innovation. A U海角社区 Business alumnus, Skinner has spent decades leading retirement and employee benefits organizations while helping develop integrated financial and benefits strategies used nationally. He has served as a corporate academy liaison for the National Academy Foundation and participated in Habitat for Humanity rebuilding efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. He continues to support the University of 海角社区 Graduate School of Business as an architect and advisory board member of the 海角社区 MBA Academy.

She was diving across a basketball court.

Atherley had traveled to the Cumberland County Civic Center during LaBonte鈥檚 senior year at York High School to evaluate the future Black Bear athlete. What stood out wasn鈥檛 her speed or finesse. It was the grit.

鈥淪he was always in the middle of a play,鈥� Atherley recalled. 鈥淪he was willing to do the dirty work 鈥� diving on the floor, fighting for rebounds, doing whatever it took for her team to win. You could see her competitiveness and leadership immediately.鈥�

That same mentality would later define LaBonte鈥檚 career far beyond the soccer field.

Today, the 2016 U海角社区 graduate is the founder of Sweet Addison鈥檚, a fast-growing gourmet dessert company specializing in gourmet gluten-free and dairy-free baked goods shipped nationwide. The company鈥檚 cookies and desserts have quickly gained traction online and through wholesale partnerships, fueled by LaBonte鈥檚 mission to create treats that feel indulgent while still being made with ingredients she feels good about eating. 

What began as recipe testing in a 700-square-foot Dallas apartment has become a multi-seven-figure business with six employees and products sold in dozens of coffee shops, hotels and specialty stores across the country.

But long before LaBonte was scaling a national food brand, she was a shy freshman walk-on from York trying to prove she belonged at U海角社区.

鈥淚 had just turned 18. I was homesick. I was timid. I felt so far outside my comfort zone,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淔ast forward four years, and I was so much more confident and outgoing. The University of 海角社区 transformed me.鈥�

LaBonte grew up in a family deeply connected to U海角社区. Her father, Richard LaBonte, played football for the Black Bears in the early 1980s. Her mother, Robin, also attended U海角社区, where the two met as students. Her younger sister, Delaney, later played soccer for the Black Bears, and her brother, Trevor, played baseball at 海角社区 during a postgraduate season after transferring from the University of Maryland. 

鈥淲e are obsessed with the University of 海角社区,鈥� LaBonte said with a laugh.

At U海角社区, LaBonte majored in mathematics, minored in business administration and earned an Honors College degree. All while competing for the women鈥檚 soccer team. 

But her path onto the field was anything but guaranteed.

Atherley recruited LaBonte as a walk-on after seeing her athleticism and determination translate from basketball to soccer. He remembered her as disciplined, analytical and intensely competitive from the start.

鈥淪he was very clear about who she was,鈥� Atherley said. 鈥淪he was regimented, organized and always looking to solve problems. You could already see the traits that would later make her successful in business.鈥�

During her first two seasons, LaBonte fought for playing time on a highly successful Black Bear team. Then came a turning point.

Early in one season, U海角社区 scheduled an exhibition against Harvard, giving Atherley an opportunity to play athletes who had not seen much game action.

鈥淲e started her against Harvard and she was arguably the best player on the field,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom that moment forward, she never looked back.鈥�

LaBonte eventually earned a scholarship and became a mainstay in 海角社区鈥檚 lineup, starting 16 games in 2013 and all 18 games in 2014 while helping anchor one of the America East Conference鈥檚 top defenses.

鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 the fastest player on the field,鈥� Atherley said. 鈥淏ut if you rolled a ball between her and someone else and said, 鈥楪o win it,鈥� she鈥檇 win the race every time.鈥�

That relentless mentality followed LaBonte after graduation.

After earning her degree in 2016, she returned home to York and began working in finance and data analysis, believing she would build a traditional career in business. But the work left her unfulfilled.

At the same time, she began dealing with health issues and eventually adopted a gluten-free lifestyle.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find desserts that tasted indulgent but were still made with quality ingredients,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淚t always felt like you had to choose between healthy and delicious.鈥�

She began experimenting in the kitchen, drawing on years spent baking with her mother and grandmother. Around the same time, she launched an Instagram account called Organically Addison, where she shared gluten-free recipes, wellness content and training updates from her growing passion for distance running.

The audience exploded.

Today, LaBonte has more than 300,000 followers across her online platforms, operates multiple food and wellness websites and hosts the Organically Addison podcast, where she interviews entrepreneurs and health and wellness experts. Before launching Sweet Addison鈥檚, she built a full-time career as a content creator focused on gluten-free recipes, wellness and healthy living.

Still, she wanted something more tangible.

In 2021, LaBonte made another leap, moving alone from 海角社区 to Dallas.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know a single person in Texas,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y dad drove me out there, and I just decided to take a chance on myself.鈥�

While working remotely and continuing to grow her online audience, followers began asking whether they could purchase the desserts she baked at home.

That demand became the foundation for Sweet Addison鈥檚.

LaBonte launched the company in early 2024 with a single product: chocolate chip cookies. She tested the recipe 26 different times before landing on the final version.

鈥淚 remember thinking, 鈥業f these cookies can survive shipping from Texas to 海角社区, then maybe I have a real business,鈥欌�� she said.

The company quickly took off.

Sweet Addison鈥檚 now ships nationwide and has been featured by TODAY.com, OK! Magazine鈥檚 鈥淭he Morning Honey,鈥� NBC Dallas-Fort Worth and multiple podcasts and digital publications. The brand has resonated with customers looking for desserts that are both gluten-free and dairy-free without sacrificing the rich, indulgent flavors of traditional baked goods.

The rapid growth has been exhilarating. And exhausting.

鈥淲hat we do in a daily average now is what we did in an entire month during the first year,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淪ome days it feels like I鈥檓 building the plane while flying it.鈥�

Her operation has expanded from apartment baking to a commercial kitchen and fulfillment facility in Dallas. The business now employs six people and continues growing its wholesale footprint.

One of LaBonte鈥檚 major goals for the coming year is expanding into more retailers in 海角社区.

鈥満＝巧缜� will always feel like home to me,鈥� she said.

Even as her business has grown, LaBonte said the lessons she learned as a Division I athlete remain central to her success.

鈥淭he biggest thing soccer taught me was discipline,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing a Division I athlete teaches you delayed gratification. You work for months and months hoping it pays off later, and there are no guarantees.鈥�

That mindset now shapes everything from her business operations to her personal life.

LaBonte runs marathons and completed her first ultramarathon 鈥� a 50-kilometer race in Dallas 鈥� last year. She hopes to tackle a 50-mile race next.

鈥淚 like to push myself to the extreme and then figure it out,鈥� she said.

Her daily schedule remains meticulously organized, often planned hour by hour.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 watch TV and I don鈥檛 drink alcohol,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just genuinely love what I do.鈥�

Atherley sees clear parallels between the determined walk-on he coached in Orono and the entrepreneur leading a rapidly growing company today.

鈥淪he took her opportunity and ran with it and never looked back,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 one of the most determined people I鈥檝e ever coached.鈥�

He also remembers the early version of LaBonte before the gluten-free recipes, ultramarathons and food brand.

鈥淲hen she first got here, she loved hamburgers, bacon and ketchup,鈥� Atherley said, laughing. 鈥淣ow she鈥檚 transformed her lifestyle completely. But the one thing that never changed is how driven she is.鈥�

For LaBonte, U海角社区 remains at the center of that story.

She still talks regularly with former teammates, stays close with fellow alumni and hopes to return to Orono this fall for a soccer game.

What she remembers most is the sense of community.

鈥淭he University of 海角社区 did such a great job of making a big campus feel small,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he whole town revolves around the university and everyone supports each other. There鈥檚 just something special about that place.鈥�

And when Atherley thinks back to that first basketball game years ago 鈥� the one where a future entrepreneur kept throwing herself into loose balls and fighting for rebounds 鈥� he sees the same person he sees today.

Competitive. Disciplined. Fearless.

A walk-on who built herself into something bigger.

And a 海角社区r who never stopped chasing the next challenge.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

Three couples were awarded the 2026 Stillwater Society Award, one of the institution鈥檚 highest honors for philanthropic leadership and service. This year鈥檚 recipients are J. Daniel Lafayette III and Carla Joy Lafayette; Raymond A. Jean 鈥�65 and Louise C. Jean; and Bion A. Foster 鈥�68, 鈥�70G and Dorain A. Foster.

鈥淚t is not a coincidence that we host this celebration of philanthropy just after commencement,鈥� said U海角社区 Foundation President/CEO Jeff Mills. 鈥淯海角社区 graduates benefit from scholarships, travel opportunities, new facilities and enhanced opportunities as a result of the generosity of these loyal donors, and it is important to recognize and thank them.鈥�

鈥淕atherings like this offer an important opportunity to reflect on the shared commitment that sustains the University of 海角社区,鈥� says U海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. 鈥淭he generosity of our Stillwater Society members continues to expand access, strengthen our programs and advance the impact of this institution across 海角社区 and beyond.鈥�

Bion A. Foster 鈥�68, 鈥�70G and Dorain A. Foster

For more than four decades, Bion and Dorain Foster have been influential leaders in 海角社区鈥檚 business, civic and academic communities, combining entrepreneurial vision with a deep and sustained commitment to U海角社区.

Bion Foster鈥檚 career reflects a remarkable record of entrepreneurship, spanning the startup, acquisition or ownership of more than 40 companies across 海角社区 and South Carolina. His work has impacted industries ranging from manufacturing and real estate development to hospitality, including stewardship of the historic Lucerne Inn. He also served as director of economic development for the town of Hampden, where his leadership helped establish a modern business park that contributed to the town鈥檚 growth. His achievements have been recognized with honors, including the Entrepreneur of the State of 海角社区 Award and the Hampden Business Award.

Dorain Foster built a distinguished 25-year career with the Bangor Daily News before bringing her expertise to U海角社区, where she served in both the Development and the President鈥檚 offices. Known for her precision and professionalism, she played a key role in advancing special projects and events that supported the university鈥檚 mission.

Together, the Fosters have left a lasting imprint on campus through transformative philanthropy, including the Foster Center for Innovation, the Foster Boardroom at the Buchanan Alumni House and a dedicated space within the New Balance Student Recreation Center. Bion Foster鈥檚 leadership has also included service as chair of the University of 海角社区 Alumni Association board, involvement with the Buchanan Alumni House Endowment and membership on the U海角社区 Board of Visitors.

Raymond A. Jean 鈥�65 and Louise C. Jean

Raymond and Louise Jean exemplify lifelong partnership, professional achievement and a steadfast commitment to community and education. Raised in Lewiston, 海角社区, their shared values of service and determination have guided both their personal and professional lives.

Raymond Jean earned a degree in engineering physics from U海角社区, where he balanced academics with varsity tennis and campus involvement. His career evolved from engineering into executive leadership roles at major corporations, including Evans Products, Gulf and Western and IC Industries. He later served as president, CEO and Chairman of Quanex Corporation and as CEO of Varlen Corp., while also contributing as a board member to several Chicago-based companies. He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago during his career ascent.

Louise Jean鈥檚 early interests in writing and communications shaped her contributions both professionally and within her family and community. As the couple raised their three children, she played a central role in supporting their education and activities while remaining actively engaged in volunteer service.

Despite careers that took them across the country, the Jeans maintained a strong connection to the University of 海角社区. Raymond served on the U海角社区 Board of Visitors and participated in campaign leadership efforts, while the couple established the Raymond & Louise Jean Scholarship to support business students. They also honored Louise Jean鈥檚 mother with a memorial scholarship at St. Dominic Academy.

Now residing in both Florida and 海角社区, the Jeans continue their philanthropic engagement, including leadership roles with the American Cancer Society, while remaining dedicated supporters of U海角社区.

J. Daniel Lafayette III and Carla Joy Lafayette

For over four decades, Daniel and Carla Lafayette have been cornerstones of 海角社区鈥檚 hospitality industry and beacons of transformational philanthropic spirit in our state. Their journey has been shaped by deep family connectivity, bold entrepreneurial leaps and an unwavering commitment to the community they call home.

Both proud alumni of Hampden Academy, Daniel and Carla Lafayette would go on to graduate from the United States Military Academy and Cornell University, respectively. After college, Daniel served five years in the army as Carla began her career in research chemistry for solar energy storage with what is now Texas A&M University-Central Texas.

In 1982, they took a leap of faith into an industry new to them both: hospitality. They bought the Best Western White House Inn in Hampden, 海角社区, from Henry Page, who donated to help start the Page Farm and Home Museum at U海角社区. Since that first purchase nearly 45 years ago, Danny and Carla Lafayette and their children have amassed an impressive and successful portfolio of more than 30 properties comprising over 2,500 rooms, condos, cottages and homes in 海角社区 and New Hampshire. That includes building the Best Western Black Bear Inn and Conference Center with another Stillwater Award Winner, Ralph Leonard, and the Sargent family. This hotel hosted many events to raise money for U海角社区 athletics.

As their knowledge and success grew, so did the couple鈥檚 footprint in the industry at large. Daniel has served as the president of the 海角社区 Innkeeper Association and on the Best Western Board of Directors and as chairman of the BWH Hotel Group, a leading global hospitality network that includes WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels and SureStay Hotels.

From Carla Lafayette鈥檚 impactful board leadership at the 海角社区 4-H Foundation and the family鈥檚 naming support of the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center at U海角社区, to Daniel鈥檚 work with the Hampden Recreation Committee, Kiwanis and the Greater Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce, the couple has proven that it is possible to serve your community in equal proportion to your personal success. Part of their enduring legacy will be the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute at Northern Light Health in Brewer, 海角社区, for which the family provided a critical lead gift. They have spent decades perfecting a 鈥渉ome away from home鈥� for their guests, but it鈥檚 clear that the family has never lost sight of where their own roots 鈥� and hearts 鈥� truly lie.

Passionate fans of U海角社区 athletics, Daniel and Carla Lafayette carry on a legacy passed down from Carla鈥檚 mother, Morna Kimball Rawcliffe 鈥�48, who was named an All-海角社区 athlete in basketball and field hockey. The couple gathers as often as possible in their U海角社区 hockey and football boxes to watch games with their loved ones. Today, U海角社区 student-athletes and U海角社区 Athletics staff proudly walk alongside the family at Champion the Cure events, uniting the campus and the community in a shared mission of hope and service.

The Stillwater Society Dinner also celebrates members of the Stillwater Society, U海角社区鈥檚 giving society, which recognizes donors whose lifetime contributions reach $25,000 or more. The biennial event also celebrates donors who have reached new levels of giving since the previous gathering, and highlights the collective impact of philanthropy on the university. 

Contact: Monique Hashey, monique@maine.edu

Michael Brzezowski, a technology teacher and integrator at Pemetic Elementary School in Southwest Harbor, was named Hancock County Teacher of the Year. Brzezowski earned his master鈥檚 degree in secondary science education from the U海角社区 College of Education and Human Development.

Marcy Soucy was named Penobscot County Teacher of the Year. A fourth and fifth grade teacher at Fairmount Elementary School in Bangor, Soucy earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education from U海角社区.

Allison Mundee, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Harold B. Emery Jr. Memorial School in Limington, was named York County Teacher of the Year. Mundee earned her early childhood education certification from U海角社区.

In all, nine of the 16 海角社区 County Teachers of the Year have degrees or earned their certification from 海角社区’s public universities.

County Teachers of the Year serve as ambassadors for schools, students and the teaching profession for the next year. They are nominated by members of their community and selected by a panel of other teachers, principals and business leaders based on their service in education and dedication to their students.

The field of 16 will be narrowed to a smaller group of semifinalists, who will put together a professional portfolio, part of the National Teacher of the Year selection process. Finalists will be chosen following a review of the portfolios and presentations to an expert panel, and the 海角社区 Teacher of the Year will be named in the fall.

More information about the 2026 海角社区 County Teachers of the Year is on the and websites.

Tim’s unlikely journey from rural Readfield, 海角社区, to U海角社区 to Los Angeles provides a backdrop for his latest gig: speaker for the 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremonies at his alma mater.

In this episode of 鈥淭he 海角社区 Question鈥� podcast, host Ron Lisnet and Allen Adams, communications specialist and marketing coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, speak with Tim about his journey, the business of show business, memories of his days in Orono and much more.

Listen to the podcast on , , , , or 鈥淭he 海角社区 Question鈥� website. 

What topics would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have for U海角社区 experts? Email them to mainequestion@maine.edu.

These questions serve as the inspiration behind the latest book from Caroline Bicks, professor of English at the University of 海角社区, which delves into the creative methodology of U海角社区鈥檚 most famous literary alumnus, Stephen King, by leveraging unprecedented access to his archives.

鈥淢onsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King鈥� is an exploration of King鈥檚 process through an examination of five of his earliest works: 鈥淐arrie,鈥� 鈥淪alem’s Lot,鈥� 鈥淭he Shining,鈥� 鈥淧et Sematary鈥� and 鈥淣ight Shift.鈥� The public launch party for 鈥淢onsters in the Archives鈥� will take place at 6:30 p.m. today  at Orono Brewing Company and will feature a conversation between Bicks and Justin Soderberg.

Through close readings of early drafts and comparisons to the final products, Bicks shows us how editorial choices and changes, whether large or small, can impact the flashlight-illuminated pages under the bedcovers that we ultimately experience.

But the book is also a story about Bicks鈥檚 own relationship with King鈥檚 work, from her discovery of the author鈥檚 work at a local library as a teenager through her 2017 appointment as the inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at U海角社区 and the writing of this book. The result is a blend of the personal and professional that is simultaneously scholarly and eminently readable.

Four years into her time at U海角社区, she received an unexpected phone call from King.

鈥淚 was pretty flabbergasted; it turned out he just thought it was time we meet,鈥� said Bicks. 鈥淚 invited him to come talk to the students on campus about 鈥楲isey鈥檚 Story鈥� and 鈥極n Writing,鈥� and he said yes, and it was just this magical first meeting I had with him. Seeing how passionate he was about talking to the students, how much he wanted to come back, and how much pleasure he took from it. It was really just a lovely way to meet him.鈥�

Bicks was a longtime fan of King鈥檚 work, having read it since discovering and falling in love with it in the Castine Public Library when she was 12 years old (coming to the author鈥檚 work perhaps a touch early, as so many of us do). And while the old adage might say 鈥渘ever meet your heroes,鈥� Bicks had the opposite experience. In fact, his generosity and kindness were a big reason why, when her year-long sabbatical approached, she reached out about this project.

鈥淚 felt comfortable enough to ask him and Tabitha,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 knew that they had just collected his manuscripts, a lot of them for the first time, and put them in a climate-controlled space attached to their home in Bangor, but that they hadn’t opened it up yet to people. I thought, 鈥榃ell, this is opportunity knocking.鈥� An amazing opportunity if they say yes.鈥�

It’s worth noting that Bicks wasn鈥檛 certain what this book was going to be when she made the ask. In essence, she had an idea to write about the books that scared her the most as a teenager and to try and understand how he crafted them.

鈥淗ow did he craft these moments that are so iconic, that have stuck in the heads of so many people?,鈥� Bicks said. 鈥淔ifty years after the fact, I can still talk to people my age who vividly remember Danny Glick at the window in 鈥楽alem鈥檚 Lot.鈥� And not just because of the movie. They actually remember the phrases that he wrote.

The question surrounding how he wrote these memorable moments was the seed that would eventually grow into 鈥淢onsters in the Archives.鈥� Bicks narrowed her focus to the five aforementioned King works, the ones that hit her hardest and scared her the most when she first read them as a teenager.

鈥淎s a scholar, you’re taught not to bring your personal feelings into your work,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I see the value in that to a point. But at the same time, I study gender and Shakespeare because I care about issues of gender. I really felt liberated to go in and say, 鈥業’m just going to look at these because they’re the ones that scared me the most.鈥� I’m going to go revisit these stories. I’m going to reread them. I’m going to look at them with the eyes of a literature scholar.

鈥淚’m bringing that view that I have that I didn’t have when I was a teenager,鈥� she continued. 鈥淏ut I’m not going to lose my childhood reactions to it. I don’t want to lose what makes these such compelling stories, which is that they connect to our deepest fears. And everyone reacts differently. Everyone has a different story that scared them the most. At the same time, certain ones have staying power because they connect to issues we all face and fears we all have.

When Bicks finally ventured into the archives, the materials, particularly those that had yet to be examined, were 鈥渂eyond my wildest dreams,鈥� she said. 

What followed was months of research, with Bicks making the trip to visit the archives for at least a couple of eight-hour days per week, focusing on one of the five works at a time. 

Among the many joys Bicks derived from the process was the discovery of just how many different versions of these stories existed. Just as one example, there were three complete versions of 鈥淧et Sematary,鈥� all of which she worked her way through. Bicks 鈥� a self-professed slow reader 鈥� took something like three weeks to work her way through those three versions of 鈥淧et Sematary.鈥� After that? Right back into it.

鈥淢y days were filled with close reading, just going through these different versions,鈥� she said. 鈥淔irst off, I just have to read and take notes and see what’s what. You can’t take photographs, so a lot of notes.鈥�

One such change in 鈥淧et Sematary鈥� really captured Bicks鈥檚 imagination, as a slight alteration turned a good line into an iconic one, among the most memorable in the book.

鈥溾�楧ead is better,鈥� which is almost the hallmark of that book,鈥� said Bicks. 鈥淚t started as 鈥楧eath is better.鈥� 鈥楧eath is better鈥� is so different from 鈥楧ead is better.鈥�  It still gives me chills. It is so much better and it’s one little change, right?

鈥淎nd you can see why it became 鈥楧ead is better.鈥� It echoes, right? I was so pleased to find out that he still considers that the line that is the one that sticks with him the most from that novel,鈥� she said.

Not every deep dive played out in the same way, however. For some, like 鈥淣ight Shift,鈥� the process involved following the collection鈥檚 various short stories through their publication histories. King was a working writer, selling stories to whatever outlets would take them, including a number of men鈥檚 magazines, which were once quite prolific publishers of short fiction. For others, like 鈥淐arrie,鈥� Bicks would see a first draft that was significantly different from the book as it would ultimately be published.

But while some aspects of the editorial process varied somewhat from book to book, Bicks would discover that the writing process itself stayed largely the same. That included some surprising discoveries about the physical act of writing and the logistical and financial realities of such, including learning that King made a conscious effort to use as much of each sheet of paper as possible.

鈥淗e’s fitting it in as few pieces of paper as he can, because he had to,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think people today fully understand that. Paper costs money; he had to consider the materials needed in the creation of a book. The act itself had financial issues tied to it. You couldn鈥檛 just store it on a computer or in the cloud.鈥�

That physical necessity also meant that there would occasionally be issues. Pages could get misplaced or ruined. There are a couple of incidents recounted in the book that feel genuinely harrowing, particularly to a fan of King鈥檚 work, tales of one book鈥檚 ending or another entire draft lost due to circumstance. The analog nature of it all is easy to forget until we鈥檙e confronted with the idea that a beloved horror classic might have simply disappeared because a briefcase got left in a cab or on a plane.

This book couldn鈥檛 have happened without the approval of the Kings. Bicks considers herself fortunate to have been given the opportunity 鈥� she鈥檚 the first scholar to be granted this kind of long-term ongoing access to the archive, something that simply would not have been possible without trust and transparency.

鈥淚 think he and Tabitha understood what I was trying to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 said to them, 鈥業鈥檓 not interested in exposing your family secrets or psychoanalyzing deep, dark things.鈥� I’m coming at this as a literary scholar and as a fan. I really just wanted to look at these five works. I was very clear about my parameters. I wasn’t going in there to just paw through boxes.鈥�

The end result of this lengthy literary odyssey is a very special book. It鈥檚 a work of thoughtful and compelling scholarship that is also reflective of one person鈥檚 personal journey with a beloved author. It is bibliographic and biographical all in one. 鈥淚’d like to think I did him proud,鈥� said Bicks. 鈥淚 know he likes the book. He read it and he said it’s 鈥榣ike a breath of fresh air,鈥� so that makes me feel really good. Like I got it right.鈥�

Contact: Allen Adams, allen.adams@maine.edu

Mark Bolduc 鈥�84 and his daughter Natalie Bolduc Nicols 鈥�17, 鈥�22G have gone on many outdoor adventures together, but in the spring of 2025, they embarked on their longest and most challenging journey to date: a thru-hike of the famous Appalachian Trail (AT). 

A continuous footpath that measures about 2,200 miles long, the AT offers an arduous journey as it follows the Appalachian Mountain Range from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in 海角社区. On average, the trek takes five to seven months to complete 鈥� for those who get that far. 

鈥淲ith thru-hiking together, if you鈥檙e not compatible, it鈥檚 not going to work,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淚f you aren鈥檛 the same speed, same attitude, same goals 鈥� So to be able to do it with my daughter is just tremendous, just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.鈥�

Of the hundreds of hikers who set out to hike the entire trail each spring, only about a quarter of them make it to the end. Illness and injury cause many to stop early, while other challenges such as lack of funding and plummeting morale take others off the trail. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really big commitment,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淏ut sometimes in life you just have to commit to things and not look back.鈥�

The two had toyed with the idea of hiking the AT for years. In the winter of 2024, the stars aligned. Natalie Nicols, who earned her degree in nursing, was between jobs in healthcare, and Mark Bolduc, president of The Fitch Company engineering firm, could plan ahead to take time off of work. Perhaps most importantly, both were in good physical health for the long-distance trek.

鈥淚 was totally on board with it,鈥� said Kim Archambault Bolduc 鈥�84, wife of Mark Bolduc and mother of Natalie Nicols. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something they鈥檇 been talking about for years. They鈥檙e both very determined, and they love the outdoors.鈥�

鈥淟ife goes by,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淵ou can always talk about things, but sometimes you have to just send it.鈥�

Going the distance

Mark and Kim Bolduc of Dixfield met at U海角社区 in 1983, and both graduated the following year. All three of their children are also U海角社区 graduates.

The family has always done outdoor activities together like camping, skiing and hiking, but when it comes to endurance outdoor sports, Mark Bolduc and Natalie Nicols take things to the next level. Together, they ran the 2014 Sugarloaf Marathon and did so well that they qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon, which they ran in 2015. 

In more recent years, they both raced in the 2023 Big Brad 50K Ultra Trail Race at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal. They also completed the 2024 Northwoods Gravel Grind, a 70-mile bike race on logging roads northwest of Rangeley. And they participated in the 2024 Uphill Will SkiMo event, a 24-hour uphill ski event during which the two hiked over 22,000 vertical feet together in a blizzard. (Natalie Nicols tied for first for the women, and they came in ninth place overall.)

鈥淏asically they鈥檙e the same person,鈥� said C茅line Bolduc Weeks 鈥�20, 鈥�22G, who is Natalie Nicols鈥� sister and Mark Bolduc鈥檚 daughter. 鈥淢e and my brother call our sister ‘Mini Mark.鈥� They鈥檙e similar in so many ways. When one of them wants to do something, the other one has to do it.鈥�

In February 2025, while preparing for their Appalachian Trail trek, the two participated in Last Skier Standing, an unusual endurance event held annually at Black Mountain of 海角社区 in Rumford. Participants hike up the mountain on skis, then ski down, once per hour 鈥� until they decide to quit. The last skier standing wins. 

Mark Bolduc completed 18 laps, then tapped out to address an electrolyte imbalance. Natalie Nicols completed 38 laps, winning the women鈥檚 event.  

鈥淚 really enjoy having something to train for, and then just getting to the event and seeing how much we can push ourselves physically and mentally,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淚t makes me feel so good. It鈥檚 like a drug, honestly.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e created a monster,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 

Prepping for the long journey

After deciding to hike the Appalachian Trail, the duo had over a year to plan and prepare. 

鈥淚t was something to really look forward to and we felt really prepared going in 鈥� though a little anxious,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淸My dad] had never really backpacked before, and I鈥檇 only done a total of three one-night backpacking trips in 海角社区.鈥�

Backpacking involves carrying the gear you need to survive in the backcountry for multiple days and nights. Usually that includes a tent, cookstove, sleeping bag, water purifier, food, extra clothing and other necessities. For tips, they listened to podcasts about long-distance hiking, and they tested out their camping equipment by tenting in their backyard.

鈥淲e slept horribly,鈥� Mark Bolduc said, chuckling. 鈥淭he next week, Natalie ordered us zero degree, zipper quilts, and we got sleeping bag liners.鈥�

When the father-daughter team arrived in Georgia to start their hike on February 28, 2025, they visited the visitor center at Amicalola Falls State Park to register as thru-hikers. They also took a lesson on how to safely hang their food in a tree so it wouldn鈥檛 be eaten by bears at night. 

鈥淲e were complete novices,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淲e went from zero backpacking experience and within two weeks, we had it pretty much figured out.鈥�

Snow, snakes, and aches

Though the father-daughter team was physically fit and well prepared, the AT tested them from the beginning. 海角社区 a week into their trek, they ran into a blizzard at about 5,000 feet above sea level and had to hunker down for the night.

鈥淚鈥檓 like, 鈥極K, this is real,鈥欌�� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淲e were very happy to have our zero-degree sleeping bags 鈥� Setting up the tent, my hands were very cold and I was almost in a state of shock.鈥�

Inside their tent, they shared a warm meal (thanks to their tiny backpacking stove) and tried to sleep as snow accumulated outside. In the morning, they laced up frozen boots and continued onward. 

鈥淭he sun came up, and it was gorgeous,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淲hen the sun hit our faces, it felt like a little heater. We finally felt warm.鈥� 

The two quickly adapted to life on the trail. While they didn鈥檛 run into any trouble with bears, they constantly kept an eye out for venomous snakes and disease-carrying ticks.

Though they experienced the typical aches and pains that come with hiking every day, they were lucky to avoid any major injuries or illness. Natalie Nicols, with her education in healthcare, constantly monitored their health, and the two prioritized good nutrition and hygiene. Every few days, they鈥檇 leave the trail and travel into town to do laundry, eat fresh food, shower and sleep in a real bed.

鈥淲e definitely depended on each other,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淲e both had a 鈥榥o quit鈥� mentality. Quitting wasn鈥檛 an option.鈥�

They also depended on their family back home. Each night, they鈥檇 video chat with various family members, telling stories from the trail and getting updates about the 鈥渞eal world.鈥� Natalie Nicols wrote in a blog daily, and Mark Bolduc planned the days ahead.

Crossing state lines

The AT travels through 14 states as it traces the spine of the Appalachians. Some highlights along the way include the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

鈥淲e loved the whole trail, but obviously we had our favorite sections,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淲e absolutely loved Georgia. Every mountain had these beautiful campsites.鈥�

The two moved fast, hiking about 20 miles a day. By starting early in the season, they aimed to stay ahead of 鈥渢he bubble,鈥� a large cluster of hikers that naturally forms on the AT each season. While this group offers companionship and camaraderie, it also means crowded campsites and hiker hostels. 

In 2025, more than 3,600 hikers registered to thru-hike the AT. The father-daughter team managed to stay ahead of most of them.

鈥淲e were so far ahead of the bubble that it was quiet on the trail,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淲e went full days sometimes without seeing any hikers. We didn鈥檛 mind.鈥�

Of the hikers they did meet, they quickly formed friendships. They also connected with 鈥渢rail angels,鈥� locals who help thru-hikers by offering food, rides into town and places to sleep. 

鈥淲e met so many people that we鈥檙e still in touch with,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淭here are people who鈥檝e already stayed with us in Rangeley since [finishing the trail].鈥�

Long-distance hikers usually adopt trail names. On the AT, Natalie Nicols became 鈥淕lam Girl,鈥� a name bestowed on her by a Georgia local in response to her well-manicured nails. Mark Bolduc became 鈥淗unger Pains,鈥� a nod to his greatest challenge on the trail: consuming enough calories. Due to his fast metabolism and their constant hiking, he sometimes had to eat up to 6,000 calories a day.

The two stuck together, never hiking separately. This gave them ample opportunities to chat and laugh 鈥� and on rare occasions, argue.

鈥淲e鈥檇 go off on some really funny conversations,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淚t鈥檇 just be us, talking in the middle of the woods.鈥�

If they needed a break from each other, they鈥檇 simply pop in headphones and listen to music or podcasts. Doing this would help them break up the monotony of hiking day in and day out.

鈥淭he trail taught me to be a little more resilient and roll with the punches,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a very type A kind of person, so if something doesn鈥檛 go my way, I get antsy. The AT taught me to simmer down a little and everything will be OK.鈥�

鈥淚t also teaches you that the human body is incredible,鈥� Mark Bolduc said. 鈥淓very night when we were done hiking, we were sore 鈥� Then we鈥檇 get up the next day, put on our packs, and hike 20 miles, and it was fine.鈥�

Walking home听

Once the two reached 海角社区, they were back in familiar territory. But they had one last major challenge: 海角社区鈥檚 100-Mile Wilderness, the longest span of the AT that doesn鈥檛 cross any paved roads or pass through any towns. In mid-June, it was brutally hot and buggy.

鈥淚 was the most miserable I鈥檇 been on the whole trail,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淢osquitoes, blackflies and horseflies 鈥� I was just covered.鈥� 

They were joined by Natalie鈥檚 husband, Ryan Nicols 鈥�18, who had provided off-trail support throughout their journey.

鈥淲hen the going gets tough, (Natalie) has always been one to bear down and just keep chugging along and get it done, and I think that mentality carried her through on the Appalachian Trail hike,鈥� said Ryan Nicols. 鈥淢ark鈥檚 the same way. They鈥檙e both very strong-willed.鈥�

Joined by a small group of family and friends, the father-daughter team finished the AT atop Katahdin, 海角社区鈥檚 tallest mountain, on June 26. It took them 119 days 鈥� or about four months. 

鈥淚t was just one of the most special moments of my life,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淲e started and finished together, side by side. I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to do that alone, and I鈥檓 OK with admitting it. I wouldn鈥檛 want to. I just always felt safe with my dad there.鈥�

The AT taught them to cherish the small things in life 鈥� things like shelter, good food and the company of family and friends. And while the journey was certainly a physical challenge, it was their grit and optimism that carried them to the end.

鈥淚鈥檇 say it鈥檚 80 percent mental,鈥� Natalie Nicols said. 鈥淲e really did have positive vibes, and we were so motivated to get it done, to walk home.鈥�

By Aislinn Sarnacki 鈥�10

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

Ron Lisnet and Julie Arnold Lisnet鈥檚 now 43-year love affair with each other, and the University of 海角社区, did not begin with a thunderbolt from heaven back in 1982, when they met inside the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre. In fact, it started with a snide comment. 

鈥淚 was sitting there with a friend, being a snotty senior,鈥� Julie said, remembering the day she first laid eyes on her future husband, 鈥渁nd Ron walks in, and I said, 鈥榃ho is that geek?鈥欌�� 

They were both there auditioning for a play. Ron was also in the middle of a fraternity beard-growing contest. It wasn鈥檛 going well. 

鈥淵eah, I was not winning,鈥� Ron 鈥�83 said. 

鈥淭here was a little patch here and a little patch there,鈥� Julie 鈥�82, 鈥�85G, said. 

But Julie鈥檚 original assessment changed after Ron shaved and applied his stage makeup for the show, in which he played a fishnet shirt-wearing brothel owner. 

鈥淚 thought he had beautiful eyes,鈥� Julie said, 鈥淚 thought, 鈥榟e鈥檚 actually a very handsome guy.鈥欌�� 

A few months and dates later, they were inseparable. The two married July 14, 1984. 

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e the only Bear Pair to have met inside the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre,鈥� Julie said. Bear Pairs are what U海角社区 calls alumni couples, many of whom met as students on campus. 

And Ron and Julie are more than just a Bear Pair. Ron started working at the university 33 years ago, in 1993. Julie began teaching in the School for Performing Arts in 2002. Their daughter, Natalie Lisnet 鈥�21, also works at U海角社区 at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. 

鈥淏etween us and our daughter, we have four [U海角社区] degrees and a teaching certificate,鈥� Julie said. 鈥淚 don’t think we could get much more involved.鈥� 

The whole family reunited inside the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre in January when Natalie directed both her parents in a production of 鈥淧ride and Prejudice鈥� produced by the Ten Bucks Theatre Company, which Julie co-founded 25 years ago. 

Originally constructed in 1908, the Pavilion Theatre used to be a livestock judging arena. Julie said she remembers it housing sheep when she first lived on campus. At the end of the 1970s, it was converted into a theater. 

鈥淲hen the theater department acquired it, I spent some time ripping out sheep mangers and shoveling lots of sheep poop,鈥� Julie said. Now, both she and Ron are getting involved in the fundraising effort for another refurbishment. 

Growing up in Milbridge, 海角社区, Julie always knew she wanted to study theater. She applied to both the University of 海角社区 and the University of Southern 海角社区 and chose the one closest to home. After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree in Orono in 1982, she continued on and earned a Master of Arts in Theatre in 1985. She now teaches in the same department. 

鈥淚 teach fundamentals of acting,鈥� Julie said. 鈥淥ccasionally, I teach a survey of dramatic literature, which means we read a lot of plays and talk about them. This year, for the first time, I’m also teaching in the Honors College. I鈥檝e basically taken my acting class and turned it into a class focused on acting for Shakespeare.鈥� 

Over the years, in addition to working at U海角社区, Julie has put her acting and directing talents to work at the Penobscot Theatre, 海角社区 Theatre, Theatre of the Enchanted Forest, The Assembled Players, Marsh Island Stage, 海角社区 Shakespeare Festival, Northern Lights Theatre, The Grand in Ellsworth and True North Theatre. 

In fall 2023 Julie directed 鈥淐rimes of the Heart鈥� for Penobscot Theatre鈥檚 50th season opener. In 2025, she directed 鈥淢atinicus: A Lighthouse Play鈥� for the same company. The play told the story of real-life 海角社区r Abigail Burgess鈥� heroic exploits keeping her father鈥檚 lighthouse burning on a desolate rock, miles out to sea. 

In 1995, Julie appeared in a two-part network television miniseries based on a Stephen King short story called 鈥淭he Langoliers.鈥� She played the part of Aunt Vicki, who gets erased by a mysterious force. 

鈥淥nly her fillings and her glasses were found on the airplane when everybody that fell asleep disappeared, I think.鈥� Julie said, struggling to remember the details. 鈥淢y mother was very excited about it. I had 17 speaking lines, though that was cut down to just two in the final edit. My mother was very upset.鈥� 

Ron was also in the film, sort of. 鈥淭hey had me put on this airline captain鈥檚 hat and drive around in the background,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e get a residual check for it every once in a while, for DVD rentals in Thailand, or something.鈥� 

After growing up in Connecticut, Ron arrived at U海角社区 to study forestry. He only auditioned for the play where he met Julie because a professor invited him. After graduating in 1983, Ron went to work for Bangor鈥檚 ABC television affiliate, WVII, where he eventually became sports director. After nine years, Ron brought his media production skills to the university. He鈥檚 now manager of visual media, overseeing all aspects of visual media for U海角社区, including photography and video production, as well as the university鈥檚 photo and video database and archives.

Ron has also been the play-by-play voice of U海角社区 Men鈥檚 Basketball broadcasts for more than 30 years. He hosts the university鈥檚 鈥淭he 海角社区 Question鈥� podcasts, which he created in 2019, as well. The podcast explores how U海角社区 students and researchers make sense of, and learn about, the world around them. Recent topics include 鈥淐an Zebrafish improve human health?鈥� and 鈥淲hat is the future for manufacturing in 海角社区?鈥� 

In 2025, the podcast won the Council for Advancement and Support of Education鈥檚 Circle of Excellence bronze level award, with judges saying, 鈥淲ith its punchy, distinctive title, this zero-budget podcast has impressive engagement metrics and demonstrates how thoughtful, location-based audio storytelling can translate complex academic work into accessible content that connects with local and national audiences alike.鈥� 

In addition to all their work at U海角社区, Ron and Julie have always found time to perform in plays together. 

鈥淲e鈥檝e probably played husband and wife 15 or 20 times,鈥� Ron said. 鈥淚鈥檝e lost count of how many times we鈥檝e been in shows together.鈥� 

Though they can鈥檛 remember the exact number, each agrees it’s in the dozens. For the past quarter century, the pair has appeared in an outdoor Shakespeare show put on by the Ten Bucks Theatre Company at Indian Trail Park in Brewer every summer. In 2010 Ten Bucks added Fort Knox in Prospect as a second regular Shakespeare venue. 

鈥淛ust about every anniversary we’ve had has usually been standing out in the field, getting bitten by bugs, rehearsing a show,鈥� Ron said. 

One of their favorite shows they鈥檝e performed together was the bickering couple in 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Woolf.鈥� They said it was fun because they鈥檇 never speak that way to each other in real life. 

鈥淚 got to say, 鈥榊ou make me puke,鈥欌�� Julie said. 

鈥淭hat was a good one,鈥� Ron said. 

Now, more than 40 years have passed since the couple first met at the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre. Julie no longer thinks Ron is a geek and his now-gray beard has come in nicely 鈥� and they have no plans to leave the theater life behind. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 enervating,鈥� she said. 鈥淭heater is energizing. It goes through a cycle. You get to the week before opening 鈥� we call it hell week 鈥� and you don’t think you’re going to get through it. Then you get to the play, and it’s just magic. It鈥檚 like getting high without drugs.鈥� 

Ron sometimes thinks about it in sports terms. 

鈥淭he similarities are quite striking. There’s a team chemistry kind of thing in both endeavors,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here’s nothing quite as cool as when you’re telling a good story, and it’s being told well, and either the place bursts into laughter or you can hear a pin drop. It鈥檚 a very inviting, alluring, intoxicating kind of feeling.鈥� 

Julie said she can鈥檛 even imagine her life without Ron or theater, both at U海角社区 and off campus. 

鈥淚鈥檝e never made a ton of money but it’s made me outrageously happy,鈥� she said. 

Story by Troy R. Bennett 

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

This story originally appeared in the, published twice yearly by the University of 海角社区 Alumni Association.

In the early 1990s as a student at Belfast Area High School, Rusty Brown 鈥�98, 鈥�01G admits that he was 鈥渇loundering鈥� somewhat on his educational journey. At a particularly low moment, coming off a three-day out-of-school suspension, a guidance counselor suggested that he might be a good candidate for Upward Bound. 

Established by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and later the Higher Education Act of 1965, Upward Bound is part of a cluster of federally funded U.S. college readiness and outreach programs, known as TRIO programs, which are designed to identify and provide services for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Upward Bound is aimed specifically at students who will be the first in their immediate family to attend college. 

Following the recommendation from his guidance counselor, Brown applied for and was accepted to the program, offered through the University of 海角社区, and participated in his first classic Upward Bound summer program in 1992. 

鈥淎fter that first amazing summer experience, I went from floundering to being on the honor roll for the rest of high school,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 participated enthusiastically in every Upward Bound event and summer program until I graduated (high school) in 1994.鈥� 

Brown, now the director of U海角社区鈥檚 Upward Bound programs, entered the university as a history major, eventually graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in secondary education in 1998 and a master鈥檚 in counselor education in 2001. 

Without Upward Bound, he says he would have been 鈥渟everely underprepared in every basic skill set imperative for all college students鈥� success.鈥� He credits the program with teaching him prioritization and time management skills and helping him develop the confidence to approach instructors with questions during class and office hours.

鈥淯pward Bound taught me financial literacy skills and how to navigate the complexities of applying for and receiving federal student aid, how to actively seek scholarships to help supplement my college costs and to reduce my overall college debt,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淢y college success is because of the blood, sweat, and tears I put into my time at the University of 海角社区, however Upward Bound prepared me to focus those energies and efforts to be successful.鈥� 

In college, Brown worked as a summer staff member and later a graduate assistant with U海角社区鈥檚 Upward Bound program. From 2001-12, he was the Upward Bound program coordinator and returned as the academic coordinator from 2018-23. Since 2023, he has served as the director of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science at U海角社区. All told, he has worked for the program for 23 years. 

鈥淢y time as an Upward Bound student set the stage for my personal and professional success,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭he lessons I learned then, and still carry with me today, have guided my work as a professional, and I can wholeheartedly say Upward Bound was, and continues to be, the inspiration that leads me to do good work in my part of the world. It has been my privilege and pleasure to call myself an Upward Bound alum and Upward Bound staff, and I am eternally grateful to have had these guiding experiences in my life.鈥�

What was the most interesting, engaging or helpful part of your Upward Bound experience?

During my summer programs, we had three amazing history/civics teachers who held 鈥渕ock trials鈥� at the end of every week of instruction. The students would be divided into two different groups: the 鈥減rosecution鈥� and 鈥渄efense鈥� counsel for historical figures that coincided with our learning material. I absolutely could not have enjoyed anything more than one week 鈥渄efending鈥� Robespierre and the next week 鈥減rosecuting鈥� Sarah Good as we studied the Salem Witch trials. It was not just the thrill of debating (which I truly enjoyed) but the skill set required to suspend your own personal beliefs and values (I did not believe that what happened to Sarah Good was right and/or just, for example) in order to examine an issue from all perspectives to develop a broader understanding of any topic. These history classes sparked a previously unknown academic fervor in me.

Did you work closely with any mentors or Upward Bound staff members who made your experience in the program better? If so, who were they and how did they do that?

Becky Colannino 鈥�89, 鈥�92G, the retired Upward Bound director at U海角社区, was the Upward Bound counselor who would visit my school and with whom I would have the vast majority of my individual academic sessions. I remember Becky using the phrase 鈥渢alented underachiever鈥� in some of our meetings to describe the potential she saw in me as a scholar. These were the exact words I needed to hear. In a compassionate way, she let me know that I was creating the biggest barrier to my success and that if I was willing to walk a different path I could create more opportunities for myself. Becky also validated the tough times I was going through in high school being raised by a single mom who did the best she could with what she had but who struggled with both mental health and alcohol addiction. The validation of these experiences were always coupled with holding me accountable for my academic performance. She let me know that success was within my grasp if I was willing to work hard to overcome the challenges of 鈥渢he life I was given鈥� and lay the foundation for 鈥渢he life I was willing to work for.鈥� Becky helped me believe in myself and with every new learning experience Upward Bound put in front of me, I was more ready and willing to accept new challenges!

What鈥檚 the most memorable moment from your Upward Bound experience?

There are many, many great memories from my time in Upward Bound, but if I was to choose one that stands out it would be a group trip to Boston during the summer between graduating high school and starting at U海角社区. That summer is called the 鈥淏ridge鈥� summer for students who choose to participate. I had never been further than Conway, New Hampshire where my great aunt lived, and I remember so vividly driving over the Tobin Bridge and seeing Boston for the first time. It was magical seeing this city of possibilities in front of me and the hope it inspired (and a little anxiety too) was thrilling. We toured Newbury College, ate at a German restaurant, went on the Freedom Trail and saw the science museum and the aquarium. My family could never afford a trip like that, and I felt like that one weekend in July of 1994 I saw more of the world than any time in my previous 17 years. I keep a picture from that weekend handy and am still in touch with the other Upward Bound students in that picture. What a pleasure it has been to follow their stories and to see their success!

As a former Upward Bound participant yourself, what fulfillment do you get from working with Upward Bound students today?

It is a privilege to work with these talented students who are willing and wanting to go out of their way to make a difference in their own lives! Our program is voluntary, so every one of our participants has made the choice to seek additional support to be successful in preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in a college educational path of their choosing.

How do you approach mentoring young people who participate in Upward Bound?

I鈥檝e heard it said that 鈥減atience is a virtue,鈥� and this is the foundation of the approach I employ when working with high school students. Just about all of the academic and pre-college skill building that Upward Bound engages in with our students is very new to them, and so it is important to show them patience as you help them start to 鈥渉elp themselves.鈥� We are introducing them to the possibility that they can go to college if they choose, which is often a foreign world to them and their families. There can be a lot of anxiety about being the first in your family to go to college, so patiently helping students prepare for the differences they will encounter when they go to college is important as well. Collegiate success happens both in the classroom and outside of it. We do our best to make sure they are as prepared as possible to do well with their academic work but also have as much skill in knowing how to advocate for themselves with vital college departments, such as financial aid, the business office, and more. 

Is there anything else you think people should know about Upward Bound?

We have the privilege of working with some of our students for the entirety of their high school career, so that gives us a lot of time to develop trust-based relationships. Upward Bound programs also assist our partner schools by providing individualized, pre-college guidance to our participants 鈥� increasing their capacity to help all of their students by lessening their workload. 

By Casey Kelly 鈥�19G, 鈥�25 CGS

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

鈥淚 was very all over the place and scattered,鈥� said Ernst, who鈥檚 from Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Her family worked with teachers and school personnel to secure an Individualized Education Program (IEP), a legal document that outlines specialized instruction, supports and services for public school students who need special education. 

鈥淛ust having that extra support helped set me up for success in the future,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t really helped with notetaking and making sure I knew what I was supposed to do for homework. By the time I was in high school, I didn鈥檛 need the IEP anymore. Looking back on it now I can see the progress that I made in such a short amount of time.鈥�

In December, Ernst graduated from the University of 海角社区 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education and a concentration in special education.  

After receiving her degree, the College of Education and Human Development recommended to the 海角社区 Department of Education that she be dual-certified in General Elementary (grades K-6) and as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities (grades K-8). Since graduating, she has been working at Asa Adams Elementary School in Orono as an educational technician and is planning to apply for full-time teaching positions in the area starting this fall.

Previously, the only option to become a certified special educator through U海角社区 was to complete a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in special education. 

鈥淚鈥檓 so glad U海角社区 is opening up more opportunities for its students to work in special education,鈥� Ernst said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very special job, and working with these students is just awesome.鈥� 

Providing more first-hand experiences for students

The College of Education and Human Development in partnership with three local school districts 鈥� Regional School Unit (RSU) 34 (Old Town, Alton and Bradley), RSU 26 (Orono) and the Hermon School Department 鈥� received a $20,000 grant last year allowing the university to pilot the four-year pathway to special education certification, which Ernst was the first student to complete. 

Funding for the pilot came from the at the University of Florida, which helps states and educator preparation programs enhance high-quality instruction for teachers and school leaders.  

A portion of the college’s share of the grant is helping pay for the work of staff and faculty to place students like Ernst in special education classrooms for their required field experiences. After completing the first half of her final semester as a student teacher in a general education kindergarten classroom at the Dedham School, Ernst spent the second half of her student teaching in a K-3 special education classroom at Asa Adams.

鈥淚n the general ed classroom, you鈥檙e lesson planning for a group of 20 students who are all mostly going to be doing the same thing,鈥� said Ernst. 鈥淚n special education, you have a wide range of students with different needs. I was in a life skills classroom, so we had students on the autism spectrum and students on the behavioral spectrum that needed very personalized instruction and one-on-one support.鈥� 

Ernst was also able to attend IEP meetings, where parents or other caregivers meet with school personnel to discuss their students鈥� progress and ongoing needs.

鈥淗aving first-hand experiences in a variety of educational settings is a vital part of our teacher education programs, and it鈥檚 essential we offer placements that are relevant to and align with students鈥� career goals,鈥� said Julie Ireland, field experience coordinator with the U海角社区 College of Education and Human Development.

Ireland, along with Director of Field Placements and Teacher Preparation Erin Staine, worked with the three partner districts to identify appropriate special education placements for U海角社区 student teachers.

Boosting the K-12 workforce

The college鈥檚 share of the CEEDAR Center grant also supported a series of asynchronous online professional development modules developed by faculty members in special education. The modules, which are being rolled out this spring, will be completed by undergraduate students in the special education concentration as part of their training as student teachers. They will also be offered to practicing teachers and other educators, initially in the three partner districts and eventually to personnel at other schools and districts.

Each online module takes about an hour-and-a-half to two hours to complete. Topics include 鈥淓xplicit Instruction,鈥� developed by associate professor Sara Flanagan; 鈥淢athematics Language and Communication,鈥� developed by assistant professor Joo Young Lee; 鈥淐reating Digital Accessible Educational Materials,鈥� developed by lecturer of special education Krystle Merry; and 鈥淪upporting Multilingual Learners,鈥� developed by assistant professor Melissa Cuba.

鈥淲e really wanted to use our portion of the funding to make sure our students enter the field as prepared as possible, but also to make professional learning more accessible to our district partners,鈥� said U海角社区 professor of literacy education William Dee Nichols, who is co-principal investigator of the grant along with associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth. 

In addition to the online modules, the College of Education and Human Development arranged for students like Ernst to take undergraduate special education coursework virtually through other institutions within the University of 海角社区 System, including U海角社区鈥檚 regional campus, the University of 海角社区 at Machias; the University of 海角社区 at Presque Isle and the University of 海角社区 at Augusta. 

Nichols said the goal is to make the pilot program permanent so more students who want to become special educators can do so with a bachelor鈥檚 degree rather than continuing into a master鈥檚 program. Doing so is contingent on the continued availability of field placements in special education classrooms. Nichols added that any four-year pathway will not replace the master鈥檚 in special education, which is one of the largest master鈥檚 degree programs at U海角社区. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 really meant as a supplement to the master鈥檚 program, which will still offer a pathway for educators who are not certified special educators and want to become certified. The master鈥檚 degree can also be a way for those who are already certified to develop additional skills and leadership, or to earn their master鈥檚 on their way to doctorate or other terminal degree,鈥� Nichols said.

海角社区, like many other states, faces , including special education teachers. As a largely rural state with an aging population, many districts face additional challenges recruiting and retaining certified educators. 

Kimm Kenniston, director of special education for RSU 34, said anything that increases the pool of qualified special education teachers is a positive for the field.

“RSU 34 is thrilled to collaborate with the University of 海角社区 to bring this pilot certification program to our district,” said Kenniston. “This partnership allows us to build a workforce of adaptable educators who are trained in the high-leverage practices necessary to support all students, ensuring that our schools remain places of equity, growth and excellence.” 

Staying in 海角社区 to Teach

As an educational technician, Ernst has been providing one-on-one support to a student in the same special education classroom where she did her student teaching last fall. She says the people she鈥檚 met through U海角社区 and her field placements influenced her decision to plant roots in the state.

鈥淚 found my community in 海角社区 and I really want to stay here,鈥� she said.

For other students who are pursuing teaching careers, Ernst said she would encourage them to give special education a try.

鈥淵ou hear a lot of, 鈥榃ell, the kids you鈥檙e working with aren鈥檛 easy,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏ut if you think about it, there鈥檚 always some aspect of learning that鈥檚 hard or difficult, even for kids without an IEP. And even in a general education classroom, you鈥檙e going to have special education students, because of how integrated they are. So knowing how to work with them is really important. I鈥檇 just say if you鈥檙e thinking about it, you should try it.鈥�

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

鈥淚t鈥檚 not exactly what we learned,鈥� Patrick Breeding said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 that we learned how to learn 鈥� how to go out and seek new information, take it in and understand it.鈥�

For Amber Boutiette, that growth continues long after graduation.

鈥淵ou have no idea where you鈥檙e going to go or how much you鈥檙e going to grow,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a beautiful, scary and exciting part of life.鈥�

Boutiette and Breeding both earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in biomedical engineering from the University of 海角社区 in 2017 and 2019.

They went on to found Marin Skincare, a company born from research they conducted as students while at U海角社区 with Lobster Institute faculty members on Marine Glycoproteins, a natural byproduct of lobster processing used in skincare to help repair the skin barrier.

Since launching its first product in 2020, Marin has grown into a national brand, expanding its product line and forming retail partnerships with companies including L.L.Bean and Sea Bags.

Boutiette and Breeding will share their story as speakers at the U海角社区 Graduate School commencement ceremony on May 8. The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in Alfond Arena and will recognize students who earned doctoral, master鈥檚 and education specialist degrees, as well as certificates of advanced study.

鈥淎mber and Patrick exemplify the creative and entrepreneurial spirit that define the University of 海角社区,鈥� President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淭heir journey from graduate research to building a nationally recognized company is a powerful example of what our amazing students can achieve.鈥�

Marin鈥檚 roots trace back to their time at U海角社区, where they developed the skills that continue to shape how they approach problems and opportunities.

鈥淭hrough our program, we learned how to think first with principles,鈥� Breeding said. 鈥淲e learned to see everything from the bottom up, not the top down, and understand how all the parts work together.鈥�

Boutiette echoed that perspective, saying their U海角社区 education taught them to break down complex challenges and apply knowledge across disciplines.

鈥淚t really shapes how we approach problems in the real world,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e both very grateful for that.鈥�

Their path to entrepreneurship was not linear. As students, they explored multiple ventures and immersed themselves in U海角社区鈥檚 startup ecosystem, supported by mentors and programs that encouraged innovation and experimentation.

That mindset continues to guide how they define success and what they hope to share with graduates.

鈥淐uriosity is the most important thing,鈥� Breeding said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 value in stepping back and asking, 鈥榃ho do I want to be? What do I want to do?鈥欌��

Boutiette encourages graduates to trust both their training and themselves.

鈥淯se the skills you鈥檝e learned, but also follow your heart,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tart sharpening your intuition and use it to make decisions.鈥�

As they return to campus as commencement speakers, both said the moment is still difficult to fully process.

鈥淲e never would have thought this would happen,鈥� Breeding said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy to go back, see where it all began and recognize who we鈥檝e become.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a gift to go back to where it all started,鈥� Boutiette said, 鈥渁nd reflect on how far you鈥檝e come.鈥�

Complete details about U海角社区鈥檚 2026 commencement ceremonies are available on the U海角社区 Commencement website.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

University of 海角社区 student Maeve Littlefield has always been creative, and developed a passion for the scientific process late in high school. A sophomore majoring in biology, she found a class at U海角社区 that combined her passion for science with her sense of creativity.

During the fall 2025 semester, she enrolled in a Research Learning Experience (RLE) that immersed her in the creative side of science communication and encouraged her to take risks by experimenting with new ways to understand and communicate research and science.

RLEs allow students to participate in real-world research, problem-solving and other hands-on learning early in their college careers, reflecting U海角社区鈥檚 commitment as a learner-centered R1 university and laying a stronger educational foundation and pathway to a meaningful career. U海角社区 is a leader among the nation’s flagship institutions in offering these high-impact opportunities to all incoming students. 

They are funded as part of the University of 海角社区 System鈥檚 Student Success and Retention initiative, which is made possible by a $320 million investment from the Harold Alfond Foundation and matching contributions known as UMS TRANSFORMS. 

Students in the fall course, 鈥淐reative Expression of Science鈥� showcased prints, paintings, drawings, creative writing, digital storytelling and other pieces designed to improve how people engage with scientific concepts. Their projects encouraged each of them to use experimentation as a method of creativity and communication. 

Littlefield鈥檚 final portfolio included several artworks that used a block printing technique to represent the positive impressions humans leave on the environment.

鈥淪ometimes we get caught up in seeing statistics about the environment and human impact,鈥� Littlefield said. 鈥淏ut we also forget that adaptation and evolution make really resilient communities and populations, and that it’s not hopeless. It makes you want to fight more for these things that are important 鈥� that if we do lose them, they aren’t coming back.鈥� 

Learning from local artists

The course featured guest lectures from local artists who showcased their creative processes and demonstrated how forms of communication can connect science and research with audiences on a personal level. Having built successful careers at the intersection of art and science, the speakers offered insight into their professional journeys and provided guidance to help students envision and pursue their own pathways to careers.

The first guest speaker, , did a block printing workshop during her visit and spoke about how to create environmentally conscious art. One of the co-instructors of the course, Holly White, said most students ended up doing at least one block print for their own projects.

鈥淗er approach to making art that is place-based through an environmental lens really resonated with students,鈥� said White, who is also a Ph.D. student at U海角社区. She co-instructed the course with Bridie McGreavy, associate professor of environmental communication. 

Other guest speakers included a children鈥檚 book author who narrates scientific themes digestible for youth; an ecologist and writer who encouraged students to reimagine scientific representations and consider the context beyond the data; and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. student at U海角社区 who creates digital media to honor Wabanaki knowledge and cultures.

鈥淚 hope students left with the idea that science communication can be fun, creative and accessible and that you don鈥檛 need to be a professional artist to turn scientific ideas into art,鈥� White said. 鈥淎 goal of the class was to help students take risks, try new modes of expression and treat experimentation as a valuable part of the process.鈥�

Littlefield said all the guest speakers spoke toward the power of perspective, which in turn informed her own work. 鈥淚 was able to connect that with science and how we talk about how important diversity is,鈥� Littlefield said. 鈥淓ach species, each part of this ecosystem, is important and has its own role.鈥�

Her piece titled 鈥淯nderneath and All Around鈥� shows a scuba diver engulfed in darkness except for an illuminated line of sight filled with different aquatic animals. The idea started from an experience one of the guest speakers shared. 

Drawing on success stories

鈥�25G, a photographer and videographer who works with underwater drones, talked to the class about how to use visual communication in research and storytelling. As a former graduate research assistant for the 海角社区-eDNA project, she shaped, traced and explored communication and collaborative opportunities for the initiative’s coastal ecosystem monitoring research using underwater drones and virtual reality. 

She collaborated with other U海角社区 graduate students to study how these technologies benefited the outreach for 海角社区-eDNA by engaging with researchers and K-12 students. Their work suggested that providing a new perspective can help people connect with and understand the environment in a new way.

By working directly with professionals like Smith-Mayo, students in 鈥淐reative Expression of Science鈥� saw firsthand how exploring new forms of expression and applying creative thinking can address challenges facing 海角社区鈥檚 communities and beyond, such as the need to better understand and communicate changes in the Gulf of 海角社区.

Guest speaker 鈥�15, 鈥�18G combines data, landscapes and ecosystems to communicate the ways in which the Earth is changing. Her work integrates data into artistic backdrops, such as a line chart overlain on a mountain, and was even featured on the cover of Time Magazine鈥檚 July 2020 special issue 鈥淥ne Last Chance.鈥�

Pelto, an Honors College graduate, studied studio art and Earth and climate sciences at U海角社区 as an undergraduate, then stayed for the master鈥檚 program in Earth and climate sciences.

Her journey from an interdisciplinary student to a full time artist and small business owner followed a niche path and stands as a testament to the vastness of science communication. While the students鈥� own journeys would likely look different from hers, Pelto talked to them about the tangible aspects, like income and networking.

鈥淲hat makes me love what I do is that it gets to be a little bit more broad,鈥� Pelto said. 鈥淚 love painting and creating the art, but I also love that I get to share it with people, like through class visits.鈥�

Pelto accompanied a group of U海角社区 students to Iceland in the summer of 2025 as part of the Sea-to-Sky Experience, which she鈥檒l be joining again in 2026. She led them in art classes and created her own work inspired by the journey as students participated in research and learning across the Nordic country. 

Her personal connections to her work bonds her to it, and she strives to represent a variety of places in a way that will emotionally resonate with others like they have with her. 

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

This story originally appeared in the , published twice yearly by the University of 海角社区 Alumni Association.

The distance to Orono from Ewa Kleczyk鈥檚 native Poland is just under 4,000 miles, but her journey is perhaps more properly measured in experiences, accolades and giving back to her many communities.

Kleczyk, who first arrived in 海角社区 in the late 1990s as an exchange student at Belfast Area High School, enrolled at the University of 海角社区, where she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics in 2001 and a master鈥檚 in resource economics and policy in 2003. She continued her education at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where she earned another master鈥檚 in 2005, followed by a Ph.D. She has since parlayed these degrees and her experiences into becoming a healthcare analytics executive and author.

Currently the founder of Kleczyk Con颅sulting LLC and a strategic advisor in healthcare artificial intelligence (AI), analytics and platforms, she works to leverage real-world data and AI to improve patient outcomes, optimize research and advance digital transformation within the healthcare industry. Kleczyk is also a sought-after speaker and author of the 2025 book 鈥淓mpowered Leadership: Breaking Barriers, Building Impact and Leaving Legacy.鈥�

Among her many accolades are a 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, the Pharmaceutical Marketing Sciences Association Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2016 U海角社区 Alumni Association鈥檚 Spirit of 海角社区 Achievement Award. She was also included in The Healthcare Technology Report as among the top 50 women in the industry in 2024.

For Kleczyk, this extraordinary arc of achi颅evement and service can perhaps claim Orono as the academic origin and spark for what was to come, but the foundation resides in far more distant lands.

Raised in Poland during the Cold War, Kleczyk鈥檚 upbringing was forged not only by the monumental political events of the era, but by parents who 鈥減laced a strong emphasis on education, resilience and self-reliance 鈥� values that were essential rather than aspirational at the time,鈥� she said. 

鈥淢y mother worked in the healthcare in颅du颅s颅try, which exposed me early to the realities of patient care and the importance of functioning health systems,鈥� Kleczyk said. Her father, a quality engineer with his own firm, taught her 鈥減recision, accountability, and the discipline of systems thinking.鈥�

鈥淪tudying math was non-negotiable in our household,鈥� she said. 

Early on, she was shaped by a fascination with how systems operate 鈥� scientific, social and institutional ones. Over time, this evolved into a focus on healthcare and data-driven decision making, she said. 

鈥淩ather than a single 鈥榓h-ha鈥� moment, it was a series of realizations that rigorous data, when applied responsibly, can 鈥� improve human lives,鈥� she said. 

Making Connections at U海角社区 and Beyond

While in Orono, Kleczyk fell into the academic embrace of mentors, including Mario Teisl 鈥�90G, Gary Hunt, Adrienne Kearney and others, who shaped how she approached academic problems while also considering real-world implications. 

鈥淭heir mentorship reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and ethical leadership 鈥� principles that continue to guide my work today,鈥� she said.

On campus, she embraced student life, skating at Alfond Arena, meeting friends at the Bear鈥檚 Den, attending the Oronoka International Dance Party and participating in Culturefest. 

鈥淚t was an incredible opportunity to connect with so many students and celebrate their diverse talents,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it gave me a whole new appreciation for student life and leadership at U海角社区.鈥�

Kleczyk鈥檚 experience at U海角社区 extended beyond the campus and was enriched when she was introduced to Stacey Smith Guerin 鈥�81 and her family. Guerin was a homeschooling mother looking to expand her children鈥檚 understanding of different cultures. She contacted the International Student Association at U海角社区, and they connected her with Kleczyk. The Guerins 鈥渂ecame my family in 海角社区,鈥� Kleczyk said. 

鈥淭hey provided not only warmth and stability, but a true sense of home,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o this day, Stacey calls me her 鈥楶olish daughter,鈥� a reflection of the lasting personal bonds.鈥�

鈥淚n the many years that I have been friends with Ewa, we have grown and expanded our horizons with both of us embracing our passion for leadership and community service,鈥� said Guerin, a state senator from Penobscot County since 2018. 鈥淗er grasp of analytics and incredible work ethic have propelled her into national leadership in her field,鈥� Guerin noted. 鈥淗er leadership and community service have been noted by others, culminating in her earning more awards than I can count.鈥�

These principles have been key in Kleczyk鈥檚 success.

A Commitment to Community Service

But if analytics are her profession, com颅munity service is perhaps her passion. Kleczyk is deeply committed to mentoring new generations of women in STEM fields. She also remains tied to her personal causes in 海角社区.

Kleczyk and her husband, James 鈥淛R鈥� Strout, serve on the Community Cancer Council for the Northern Light Health Network, and co-founded the Kleczyk-Strout Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping others by supporting healthcare, education, housing and other issues. Additionally, she serves as the chair of the College Advisory Board for U海角社区鈥檚 College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. If that weren鈥檛 enough, she also has been a guest lecturer at the School of Economics. 

鈥淭hese lectures allow me to share my experience in data-driven decision-making, AI in healthcare, and strategic leadership with students preparing for careers in business and technology,鈥� she said.

Sheree Tilson, Strout鈥檚 aunt who has known Kleczyk for some 16 years 鈥� glows with pride about her friend鈥檚 dedication to the community, healthcare causes, and dogged work ethic.

鈥淓wa has a very strong work ethic,鈥� Tillson said. 鈥淪he is driven, committed, and loyal to the organization she works for.鈥�

鈥淗er career journey has not been easy,鈥� she added. 鈥淧olish was her first language, so she had to learn English in addition to a very different life in the states.鈥�

鈥淗er education and career journey has required her to be resilient, committed to her goal, very driven to succeed, willing to be open to feedback, and able to overcome setbacks,鈥� she said.

As much as any other experience, Kleczyk鈥檚 tenure in Orono helped to complete the path from young immigrant to student to worldwide healthcare research and analytics leader.

鈥淢y U海角社区 experience laid the foundation for how I lead today: with curiosity, accountability, and respect for interdisciplinary collaboration,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was a place where independent thinking was encouraged 鈥�. Curiosity was welcomed, and ambition could coexist naturally with humility.鈥�

Story by By John Ripley 鈥�90

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

Simons, a 2001 University of 海角社区 graduate and native of Readfield, 海角社区, will return to Orono on May 9 as the university鈥檚 2026 undergraduate commencement speaker.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to welcome Timothy back to campus,鈥� said U海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. 鈥淗is story is a wonderful reminder of how discovering a passion at U海角社区 can shape a lifetime. Our graduates will see in his journey how curiosity, creativity and community can open pathways to meaningful careers.鈥�

For Simons, the invitation carries personal meaning.

鈥淯海角社区 is where I found theater,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 an actor in high school.鈥�

As a student in Orono, Simons discovered both the Division of Theatre & Dance and a creative community that helped shape his career. He said working with the late theater professor Sandra Hardy played a pivotal role in his development as an actor.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where my love of theater and acting first started,鈥� Simons said. 鈥淚 can kind of connect every dot of where I am now to being at U海角社区 and stumbling across the theater department there.鈥�

Simons studied theater at U海角社区 before building a career in television and film. He is best known for his role as Jonah Ryan on HBO鈥檚 political satire 鈥淰eep,鈥� which ran for seven seasons and won multiple Emmy Awards.

More recently, Simons received a Critics Choice Award nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy series for his role as Sasha in the Netflix series 鈥淣obody Wants This.鈥�

Simons has remained connected to the university and helped establish the Sandra E. Hardy Theatre Scholarship Fund, which honors his former professor and supports theater students.

鈥淓veryone has a certain special connection with their first acting teacher,鈥� Simons said of Hardy.

Simons鈥� return to campus also highlights the impact of U海角社区鈥檚 arts programs, which have helped launch many graduates into careers in theater, television and film.

鈥淭he University of 海角社区 has a long tradition of students discovering their voice here and going on to succeed creatively and professionally,鈥� said Philip Edelman, director of the U海角社区 School of Performing Arts. 鈥淢r. Simons is a shining example of that tradition and it鈥檚 especially meaningful to see him return to Orono to speak to our graduates at commencement.鈥�

Looking back on his time in Orono, Simons said he appreciated the mix of a large public university and a close-knit campus community.

鈥淚 liked that it was a state school 鈥� a big flagship school 鈥� that also still felt pretty small,鈥� he said. 鈥淏y the time I left there, I felt like I knew most of the people on campus.鈥�

Being surrounded by students with a wide range of interests also shaped his perspective.

鈥淭hey always say that as actors you have to know a little about a lot of stuff,鈥� Simons said. 鈥淗aving access to people whose interests were completely opposite of mine was always really fun.鈥�

Some of his strongest memories of campus life have little to do with theater.

鈥淚t was always that first day when it would get up to about 45 degrees and everybody was walking around in shorts 鈥� the first day of spring,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verybody was in a good mood. People would skip class and hang out on the mall because finally we were out from under the boot of winter.鈥�

U海角社区 will hold two undergraduate commencement ceremonies inside Alfond Arena on Saturday, May 9. A morning ceremony at 9:30 a.m. will include graduates from the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, the 海角社区 Business School and the Division of Lifelong Learning.

An afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m. will celebrate graduates from the College of Education and Human Development, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing.

The Graduate School commencement, recognizing master鈥檚, education specialists and doctoral candidates, will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 8, also at Alfond Arena. The speakers for that ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Complete details about U海角社区鈥檚 2026 commencement ceremonies are available on the U海角社区 Commencement website.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

Along the way, she rediscovered a part of herself that she had nearly forgotten.

鈥淲hen I was a kid, I loved the ocean. I was always saying to everybody I was going to be a marine biologist when I grew up,鈥� Fish said. 鈥淏ut you’re like five or seven or 10 at the time, and it goes on the back burner.鈥�

At the University of 海角社区, Fish found a way back to the ocean and the chance to explore the kind of future she once imagined.

The U海角社区 campus is about an hour from the coast 鈥� an unlikely location for a marine sciences hub. But that distance and region-leading affordability is exactly what gives the program an edge.

As early as the spring semester of their sophomore year, students can live, study and conduct research at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. Their learning grounds are far removed from busy tourist beaches and urban waterfronts. The center sits on a quiet stretch of the Damariscotta River, where students can see the ocean from their dorms and access research vessels, laboratories and field sites.

These experiences reflect U海角社区鈥檚 commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities, where undergraduate students work directly with faculty and industry partners to tackle challenges facing 海角社区 communities.

海角社区鈥檚 coast may not be the warmest, sandiest or most biodiverse, but it offers something equally valuable: a resilient working waterfront and seasoned blue economy. Students learn to conduct research in demanding conditions 鈥� from diving in icy waters to studying marine life adapted to one of the North Atlantic鈥檚 most dynamic environments.

That environment was both unfamiliar and transformative for Emily Stricklin. Growing up in the Midwest, Stricklin said her experiences with the ocean were limited to the occasional family vacation. But she embraced the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone.

Stricklin, like Fish, saw her future in a new light when the pandemic hit. She was living in Chicago at the time and pursuing musical theatre. The city鈥檚 dense population fueled strict restrictions and indoor isolation.

鈥淚 decided that I wanted to work outside for the rest of my life,鈥� Stricklin said. 鈥淚 wanted to be in nature, where I’m happy, where it’s peaceful, and I wanted to make a difference in working there, not just to be in it, but to help.鈥�

Once she got to U海角社区 and started the marine sciences program, associate professor of chemical oceanography Margaret Estapa hired her to be a research assistant. Estapa鈥檚 lab is where Stricklin first began tackling microplastic pollution and where she decided to make the switch from marine biology to oceanography. 

Her proximity to the ocean during Semester by the Sea has helped her pursue her own active research in the field. She鈥檚 exploring whether spectrophotometry, a study that measures how light interacts with substances, is a reliable method of detecting microplastics in the ocean and whether temperature has an effect on their presence.

鈥淚t’s very hands-on and very immersive down here (at the Darling Marine Center), which I really like. You get a lot of experience and build a lot of skills very quickly,鈥� Stricklin said.

Building a coastal community

In addition to research projects and courses, students can participate in group trips and activities planned and led by program coordinators. After spending two semesters in the program, Fish worked as its residential coordinator during the fall 2025 semester after she had graduated that May. She and the students went to an apple orchard, corn maze and botanical garden with holiday lights and spent a day on the open ocean in a sailboat.

But Fish said those activities aren鈥檛 what really bond the students together. It鈥檚 more about the day to day experiences.

鈥淵ou’re such a small group, and the way that your day is structured: you eat every meal together; you have all the same classes together. You get really close, really fast,鈥� Fish said.

That makes the outings, the research and the experience as a whole more impactful. 

Wge Ellis has been a part of the School of Marine Sciences for nearly 23 years. Now the associate director of the school, he has helped grow enrollment in Semester by the Sea from about 10 students to over 30 in the fall semesters. U海角社区鈥檚 College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences established the undergraduate marine sciences program in 1996. Just two years later and with support from the college, the Darling Marine Center began building a dormitory and dining facility 鈥� Brooke Hall 鈥� as a way to bring students to the coast. Semester by the Sea started shortly after that.

鈥淲e don’t have the ocean in Orono, but because we don’t, we’ve created something pretty unique, pretty special, for a whole semester,鈥� Ellis said. 

Faculty members don鈥檛 worry about what time of day high or low tide is. Class meets for a whole day, and students get unlimited access to a range of coastal ecosystems, from the three miles of hiking trails on campus to an entire river estuary. Coursework spans oceanography, ecology, aquaculture, scientific diving and data analysis, while ongoing research includes exploring fish diets, kelp forests, microplastics, life cycles of scallops and larval lobsters. 

鈥淵ou will get more hands-on experience and time in the field in one semester than some of these institutions on the coast will give you in four years,鈥� Ellis said.

The School of Marine Sciences offers scholarship funds to help students participate in the program.

Fueling 海角社区 aquaculture

Some of the first U海角社区 graduates who studied at the Darling Marine Center as graduate students went on to launch oyster aquaculture businesses along the Damariscotta River in the 1970s. Today, the river produces roughly 80% of 海角社区鈥檚 oysters and supports a thriving aquaculture industry.

Through Semester by the Sea, students are able to work alongside many of these companies while completing their coursework. According to Ellis, the experience often convinces students 鈥� many of whom come from out of state 鈥� to stay and build careers in 海角社区鈥檚 aquaculture industry.

That was the case for Katie Conklin, a marine sciences student from Connecticut. An aquaculture systems course she took her junior year in Orono helped her land a summer internship with Mook Sea Farm, an oyster hatchery on the Damariscotta River. Conklin continued working with the company as a part-time hatchery assistant during her senior year while participating in Semester by the Sea. After graduating, she will remain with Mook as a full-time hatchery technician.

While living at the Darling Marine Center, her work and proximity to the river estuary has also informed her senior capstone project, which is exploring the impact of nearby oyster hatcheries on wild populations of oysters. She, like all students who take part in the spring semester of the program, will get to witness the coastal ecosystem 鈥� and young wild oysters 鈥� emerge from winter dormancy. 

Leadership is brainstorming options for summer programs that could integrate internships directly into coursework, strengthening connections between the classroom and the state鈥檚 aquaculture industry.

For students like Conklin, Fish and Stricklin, the program offers more than hands-on research experience. It opens pathways to careers along 海角社区鈥檚 coast and the chance for students to pursue their own blue horizons.

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Hospitals soon became a familiar part of their lives, giving the sisters early exposure to the medical world. Watching doctors and nurses track vitals, administer medicine and comfort patients gave the sisters early insight into patient care 鈥� experiences that sparked their own paths toward careers in medicine.

鈥淚 learned how to flush a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line at the age of 8,鈥� Albert said. 

Their brother survived his battle with leukemia and later became a biomedical engineer. The sisters share their brother鈥檚 interest, and decided to study biomedical engineering at the University of 海角社区. 

鈥淚t feels like I went into medicine because I鈥檓 interested in helping other families have that happy outcome,鈥� Varney-Lewis said. 

For Albert, U海角社区 became a place to explore research and technical problem-solving, ultimately leading her to complete a master鈥檚 degree during the COVID-19 pandemic. She credits that experience with shaping her analytical approach to medicine.

鈥淚 was really shy in high school and I was not sure I could spend my days talking to people. So I decided biomedical engineering would be that space where I could still be in the medical industry without feeling overwhelmed,鈥� Albert said. 鈥淚 thought biomedical engineering would be the perfect middle ground.鈥�

Varney-Lewis followed Albert to U海角社区, trusting her sister鈥檚 judgment and path. Engineering challenged her academically, but also taught her how to work under pressure and collaborate in teams, skills she later carried into emergency medicine.

鈥淚鈥檓 spoiled in the sense that I am younger and Hannah did it first,鈥� Varney-Lewis said. 鈥淪he told me I should do it, and I figured if she liked it, I was sure I鈥檇 like it too.鈥�

After U海角社区, their careers diverged. Albert transitioned from research into family medicine. She now works as a resident physician at Northern Light Eastern 海角社区 Medical Center in Bangor, balancing hospital and clinic care. Varney-Lewis pursued patient care, earning her emergency medical technician license and working in the emergency department at Central 海角社区 Medical Center in Lewiston before entering medical school at Tufts University.

鈥淗annah did the research and the academics, and that wasn鈥檛 necessarily my thing,鈥� Varney-Lewis said. 鈥淚 really like being with people and interacting with people. Engineering was so important for me because it鈥檚 a team-based sport, and especially for the emergency room, you work in a huge team.鈥�

Though they鈥檝e pursued their careers in places hours away from home, the sisters鈥� roots continue to shape how they work and care for others.

In Bangor, Albert says she often builds trust with patients through shared experiences of growing up in a small town. Surrounded by family farms, Albert and Varney-Lewis spent much of their childhood outside in Turner, learning how to rely on each other and solve problems without many outside resources.

鈥淎ll of my patients can relate to something that I enjoy doing,鈥� Albert said. 鈥淲e can talk about hunting or fishing or hiking, and all of a sudden we have a connection. That connection is super valuable.鈥�

The sisters remain deeply bonded. Varney-Lewis has long looked up to Albert, while Albert has felt a responsibility to lead by example, especially as they followed similar academic paths.

鈥淪he鈥檚 my mini-me, my copycat, the built-in best friend,鈥� Albert said. 鈥淚 just want the absolute best for her.鈥�

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu

The professor, Connie Carlson, had become more than a teacher.

鈥淪he was very important to me as a mentor and became a lifelong dear friend,鈥� Riley said.

At one early commission meeting, Riley watched as Carlson poured coffee for a room filled with distinguished male faculty members.

鈥淚 said, 鈥楥onnie, what the heck? You鈥檝e just put yourself in the same role we鈥檙e trying to change,鈥欌�� Riley recalled.

Carlson鈥檚 reply stayed with her.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to push people too far.鈥�

It was a lesson in strategy as much as conviction. Change required persistence, but it also required bringing people along. That balance would define Riley鈥檚 career, from the 海角社区 State House to Washington, D.C., and now back to her alma mater as chair of the University of 海角社区 System Board of Trustees. Her mantra has always been 鈥渞aging incrementalism.鈥�

This spring, Riley will receive the Alumni Career Award, the most prestigious honor presented by the University of 海角社区 Alumni Association. The award recognizes a graduate whose life鈥檚 work reflects outstanding achievement in professional, business, civic or public service.

Building a voice in health policy

Riley鈥檚 life鈥檚 work spans decades of leadership in state and national health policy.

She is president emerita of the National Academy for State Health Policy, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works with state policymakers to improve health systems and health care policy. She first led the organization from 1988 to 2003, building it into a nationally respected voice for states, and returned in 2014 to guide a financial and organizational turnaround before retiring in 2020.

From 2003 to 2011, Riley served as director of the Governor鈥檚 Office of Health Policy and Finance, where she was the principal architect of Dirigo Health Reform and 海角社区鈥檚 liaison to the federal government during deliberations over national health reform. She chaired the governor鈥檚 steering committee to develop 海角社区鈥檚 plan to implement the Affordable Care Act.

Over the course of her career, she has held appointed positions under five 海角社区 governors, directed the Office on Aging and Medicaid and served on national bodies including the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission and committees of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. In 2005, Modern Healthcare named her among the top 25 women in healthcare in the U.S.

When she learned she would receive U海角社区鈥檚 top alumni honor, her reaction was characteristically understated.

鈥淓mbarrassment,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like these things. I don鈥檛 like the attention.鈥�

Finding her voice at U海角社区

Riley arrived in Orono in the late 1960s, amid student activism and social change. She had once hoped to attend Brown University, but her mother famously threw the catalog in the wastebasket.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not us,鈥� her mother told her.

A scholarship brought Riley to U海角社区 instead. She found a campus alive with ideas.

鈥淚t was such an open door,鈥� she said. 鈥淎n opportunity to explore different classes, different ideas, music, theater and the extraordinary natural wonders and beauty of 海角社区. It was a comprehensive university that said, 鈥楥ome. Experience what you want.鈥欌��

She was deeply engaged, serving as student government president and immersing herself in the issues of the day. The experience gave her confidence and something more enduring.

鈥淚t was 海角社区鈥檚 public university,鈥� Riley said. 鈥淭he taxpayers of 海角社区 helped pay my way. You feel that profoundly. It gives you a real commitment to the state itself.鈥�

After beginning a doctoral program in American studies at Purdue University and teaching freshman composition, Riley returned to 海角社区 for a position at the State House. While working full time, she completed a master鈥檚 degree in community development at U海角社区.

A career built on problem solving

Her career path, she said, was less linear than it may appear.

鈥淚鈥檝e never really done a job interview the way people think of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y life has been sort of like Ping Pong. 鈥極h yeah, I鈥檒l do that.鈥欌��

Early on, at age 26, she led the effort to abolish mandatory retirement in 海角社区.

鈥淚 had no clue what I was doing,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we got it done.鈥�

She went on to create Legal Services for the Elderly, an organization that recently marked its 50th anniversary. She launched the National Academy for State Health Policy in 1987, which continues to thrive. And though Dirigo Health Reform was controversial, she noted that its framework anticipated elements later included in the Affordable Care Act.

鈥淚t was an early canary in the coal mine,鈥� she said.

Riley describes her creative talent not as artistic, like that of her siblings, but as problem solving.

鈥淢y brother is an artist. My sister was a poet. I have none of those creative skills,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y creative skill, if I have any, is problem solving.鈥�

There are usually a million ways to solve a problem, Riley added. 

鈥淏ut solving it requires everybody to agree on a solution,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 find that fascinating.鈥�

Throughout her career, Riley measures success by durability.

鈥淚鈥檓 most proud that the things I led were sustained,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat they worked. That they helped people.鈥�

Deep roots, lasting impact

As chair of the Board of Trustees, she sees U海角社区鈥檚 trajectory through that same lens. She points to the growth of the university鈥檚 research enterprise and its designation as an R1 research institution.

She also reflects on how the campus has changed since her student days.

鈥淲hen I started, I had two female faculty members,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ook at where we are now.鈥�

She cites the leadership of U海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy as evidence of that progress and of the university鈥檚 continued strength.

Riley also speaks about the lasting relationships forged in Orono. Early in her State House career, the reporters covering her work were people she knew from campus. The television reporter had been part of WMEB, U海角社区鈥檚 student-run radio station, when Riley was a student.

There was trust, she said. Those connections mattered.

鈥淵ou create deep roots,鈥� Riley said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 those relationships that really matter.鈥�

For students who hope to build careers of impact and service, her advice is direct.

鈥淟earn broadly. Learn how to think,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ake something that stretches you: modern poetry, analytics, something outside your comfort zone.鈥�

Then she offers a line she has carried with her for years from a political leader whose views she did not share.

鈥淢argaret Thatcher said politics used to be about doing something. Now it鈥檚 about being somebody,鈥� Riley said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 the focus. What can you do? Not what you can be?鈥�

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

Each year, Forbes offers up their 鈥�30 Under 30鈥� lists, compiling names of young professionals who are excelling within their respective fields.

This year, a University of 海角社区 alum joined their ranks.

Morgan Stosic, who earned her Ph.D. in psychology from U海角社区 in 2023 鈥� she was also the Outstanding Graduate Student in the College of Liberal Arts of Sciences for that year 鈥� was named to the Forbes list in the category.

Stosic works as a research scientist for KBR at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center, utilizing behavioral psychology to study and improve human performance in space. She uses facial expressions, body movements and other nonverbal cues to study fatigue, awareness and group dynamics. 

Among other purposes, her work is being applied to the development of next-generation spacesuits, intended to be worn as astronauts explore the Moon鈥檚 South Pole in 2027. In essence, Stosic鈥檚 work helps others shoot for the stars.

In the following Q&A, Stosic talks about choosing her field of study, her discovery of this particular path, what a day in the life of a NASA behavioral scientist can look like, and more.

How did you decide on pursuing psychology as your field of study?

Initially, like many psychology students, I was attracted to the medical counseling side of psychology due to my general fascination with the brain and human behavior. However, my freshman year of college at Oregon State University, I joined a social psychology research lab to gain some related experience. I learned how to run experiments, do data analytics and even put together poster presentations for conferences. 

What fascinated me most was that there were moments when I would run the final analysis on a series of data we had collected and realize that I was the only person in the world who knew the answer to the question we had asked. There was something so exciting to me about being at the forefront of a discovery; even if the question felt small, being the only one to know the answer felt large! So, I decided to focus my career instead on becoming a psychological scientist.

What attracted you to the University of 海角社区? And what was your U海角社区 academic experience like?

I initially became interested in attending the University of 海角社区 for my graduate studies due to the research portfolio of then-professor Dr. Mollie Ruben, who I believed would be a good match to the kinds of topics I was hoping to study. When I visited U海角社区 for my interview, I was impressed with the heart of the community and supportive spirit of the graduate students already enrolled in the program, which matched the values of what I was looking for in a Ph.D. program. 

My graduate experience matched these initial impressions, where I formed close academic relationships with the graduate students and professors in the program and was connected to robust networks of researchers and professionals outside of U海角社区, giving me exposure to diverse experiences of paper writing, data analytics and conference presentations with others in the field.

One doesn’t necessarily hear 鈥渂ehavioral science鈥� and think 鈥淣ASA.鈥� What led you to follow this particular path?

While at U海角社区, I set the goal of improving my grant writing skills. I saw that the university was accepting applications for the 海角社区 Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) award and decided to apply as a learning exercise, assuming an application from a psychological science student would not be competitive against those from aerospace technology, space science or Earth science. Surprisingly, I was awarded the grant and was matched with Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans of NASA鈥檚 Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory as a mentor. 

I began to realize that psychological science was not only valued within such a highly engineering- and technology-driven organization 鈥� it was essential. When I later saw a research psychologist position open in the Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at Johnson Space Center, I was inspired to apply and continue exploring the intersection of psychology and space research.

What does a typical day in your work life look like? Does such a thing even exist?

It typically falls into one of four categories; applying to calls for research to address fundamental risks to NASA, developing research protocols to address these challenges, collecting data from test subjects, and analyzing that data. 

More concretely, that means that I may sometimes be working at my computer writing or analyzing data, I may sometimes be at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, one of the world’s largest indoor pools, helping collect data from research subjects in a neutral gravity environment, or I may be meeting with astronauts who are about to take flight, or have recently landed, in order to conduct cognitive performance testing. No two days are ever the same!

What advice would you offer current students 鈥� undergraduate and graduate 鈥� about maximizing their U海角社区 experience?

For undergrads, my biggest piece of advice would be to really pay attention to the things that excite you in your courses and reach out to professors to find out how you can do more of that thing. Even though I wasn’t directly interested in psychology research at the time, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made was joining a research lab as a college freshman to simply get my hands into more psychology. College is the perfect time to spread your net, try new things and really dig deep to find your “spark.” 

For graduate students, my biggest piece of advice would be to put yourself out there for the sake of learning, even if you expect to fail. Apply for grants you have no business applying for, seek out internships you may not feel qualified for, write the paper you don’t think you’re knowledgeable enough to write yet 鈥� the experience of learning is worth it on its own, and you never know when you might get that lucky break.

Can you give an example of an 鈥淚 can’t believe this is my job鈥� moment? Something unexpected or amazing or both?

I have these moments almost every day! One that stands out to me is that I was able to attend a training session for the Artemis II crew on emergency procedures in the event of a crash-landing scenario upon their return to Earth. Being in the presence of the Artemis II crew, who will be the first humans to leave Earth’s orbit in over 50 years and will travel the furthest into deep space that humans have ever been, was surreal. And knowing that the research I help conduct here plays one small role in giving humans the tools and knowledge to make those advances back to the moon, and on to Mars, truly makes me feel like 鈥淚 can’t believe this is my job.鈥�

Contact: Allen Adams, allen.adams@maine.edu听

This semester, that meant working as a consultant for one of the nation鈥檚 premier sports destinations and presenting strategic recommendations to industry executives.

Undergraduate sport management students completed an industry-embedded consulting project with the Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana. Instead of hypothetical assignments, students addressed a real strategic challenge facing a real organization, applying classroom knowledge in a professional setting and gaining exposure to executive-level decision making.

鈥淥ur group developed technology-focused ideas that were both innovative and aligned with Grand Park鈥檚 goals,鈥� Winship said. 鈥淲e researched tools like AI cameras, smart facility features and tech-driven fan engagement. I learned how mission alignment, stakeholder priorities and operational goals all influence decision making.鈥�

Students worked in teams of five to six, operating as consulting groups tasked with a central question: How can the campus activate its facilities 365 days a year while encouraging fans and families to stay longer, in ways that support Grand Park鈥檚 mission, align with the priorities of the city of Westfield and advance the operating goals of Grand Park Sports and Entertainment?

Over 12 weeks, students conducted research; analyzed comparable national and international sport facilities; evaluated financial and operational constraints; and balanced competing stakeholder interests. Each team developed strategic recommendations to strengthen Grand Park鈥檚 position in the sport tourism marketplace.

The course was designed and led by Buffie Quinn, a 海角社区 Business School lecturer in management and marketing, who served as consulting lead and faculty advisor. 

鈥淭his type of class is intentionally challenging because that is where the most meaningful learning happens,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淪tudents learn to recognize when an idea is not working, pivot their approach and persevere through uncertainty. Navigating setbacks and adapting in real time mirrors the realities of the sport industry and helps students build the resilience and problem-solving skills needed for professional roles.鈥�

Partnerships elevate student learning

Greg Stremlaw, president and CEO of Indy Sports & Entertainment and CEO of Grand Park Sports & Entertainment, 海角社区 Business School MBA graduate and member of the 海角社区 Business School Advisory Board, served as the industry partner and project lead on behalf of the Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus, providing executive insight and feedback throughout the semester.

鈥淚 have a genuine passion for the University of 海角社区, and any way I can help give back or create opportunities for students is vital to the continued pathway of excellence that they deserve,鈥� Stremlaw said. 鈥淚t was an absolute pleasure to work with the 海角社区 Business School and especially the collaboration of professor Quinn and executive dean Jason Harkins, who help exemplify what U海角社区 is all about.鈥�

Quinn guided students through the realities of consulting, including ambiguity, time pressure and feedback cycles. Stremlaw shared industry context and executive-level expectations, helping students understand how strategic decisions are evaluated and implemented.

鈥淧artnerships of this caliber elevate student learning in ways that cannot be replicated in a traditional classroom,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淧roviding students with access to senior leaders, major sport organizations and real decision-making environments helps them connect theory to practice in powerful and lasting ways.鈥�

One team invited to Indianapolis

The semester concluded with formal presentations during which teams pitched recommendations as emerging sport management consultants. One team was recognized for strategic clarity, feasibility and executive-level thinking. Its proposal emphasized technology, including checkout-free retail systems, to enhance food and beverage operations, demonstrating how digital tools could increase engagement, improve operational efficiency and strengthen Grand Park鈥檚 long-term competitiveness.

The winning team 鈥� Ian Lillis, Ian Luciano, Jameson O鈥橪eary, Tom O鈥橪eary, John Sutton and Winship 鈥� was invited to Indianapolis to present its work and receive feedback from Stremlaw and senior leadership in the Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus executive boardroom.

The visit also included a professional immersion experience organized through Stremlaw鈥檚 leadership and industry connections. Students attended an NBA Indiana Pacers game and toured NCAA headquarters, Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus and major sport venues, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Victory Field and Lucas Oil Stadium.

鈥淓xperiencing Grand Park Sports Campus in person after working on it all semester was a surreal moment because it鈥檚 so much bigger than I imagined,鈥� Jameson O鈥橪eary said. 鈥淭his trip had a huge impact on me. I鈥檓 so proud of the way our group worked together to perfect our final presentation to Greg Stremlaw. The people I met and the connections I made have changed my life in a positive way.鈥�

Contact: Melanie Brooks; melanie.brooks@maine.edu