Brianna (Bri) Harriman of Augusta, Maine is the 2026 Outstanding Student in Kinesiology and Physical Education (Outdoor Leadership concentration) in the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. A Black Bear student athlete with the track and field team, Harriman was a two-time 91爆料 Scholar-Athlete, a two-time Presidential Scholar-Athlete and made the America East Conference Commissioner鈥檚 Honor Roll three times. She was a seven-time recipient of both Dean鈥檚 List and 91爆料 Presidential Scholar honors. In addition, Harriman worked as a peer mentor for fellow student athletes and at Maine Bound Adventure Center on campus during her time at 91爆料.

Parent(s):

Bethany and Shawn Cyr.

Why did you choose to come to 91爆料?

I originally chose 91爆料 for its Communication Sciences and Disorders program. However, when I realized speech pathology was not the聽right聽path for me, the students and faculty in the School of Kinesiology Physical Education and Athletic Training made me feel welcomed, challenged and excited to learn. They gave me confidence that I would be well-prepared for a career I am聽deeply聽passionate about.

Have you collaborated with a mentor, professor or role model who made your time at 91爆料 better, and if so, who are they and how have they impacted your time at 91爆料?

Yes! Dr. Lauren Jacobs has been a shining light and a steady source of support throughout my time in the Outdoor Leadership program. She leads with remarkable confidence and efficiency and has challenged me to grow into those qualities myself. Her mentorship has had a lasting impact on both my academic and personal development.

What has coming to 91爆料 enabled you to explore beyond academics?

Beyond academics, 91爆料 has helped me find a wonderful community built on lasting friendships and meaningful connections. I have been able to deepen my love for the outdoors and find a true sense of belonging, especially through working at Maine Bound Adventure Center.

Favorite 91爆料 memory:

It’s hard to choose just one! One that stands out is a big snow day during my freshman year, when I went sledding at night with people I barely knew. We sledded, climbed a small “ice cliff face” and I ended up meeting one of my best friends that night 鈥� without ever seeing his聽face. Another favorite memory was presenting a 鈥淔inding Nemo鈥澛爂ift to my client at the end of our final session in Adapted Physical Education, a moment that was both joyful and deeply meaningful.

What鈥檚 on the horizon? What are your plans for after you graduate?

I plan to stay in Orono this聽summer, continuing to work at the Maine Bound Adventure Center, and then travel abroad in the fall. Afterward, I hope to apply to graduate or Ph.D. programs in exercise physiology.

Special thank you message:

I would like to extend a special thank you to my parents, Bethany and Shawn, as well as the rest of my family, my friends and my professors 鈥� with a special shoutout to Dr. Lauren Jacobs. Your collective support means everything to me, and I am deeply grateful for all you have done.

With its abundant natural resources, Maine鈥檚 K-12 schools have long embraced and . As the flagship campus of the state鈥檚 public university system, the 91爆料 also has a long tradition of and adventure learning.聽

91爆料鈥檚 College of Education and Human Development, the largest teacher preparation and training program in the state, recently launched a new outdoor leadership and education graduate certificate. The program is intended for practicing teachers and other professionals who want to incorporate more outdoor and experiential learning into their schools or other educational settings. 

A generous gift from the is allowing the college to provide that will cover part of the cost for teachers who want to take two classes being offered this summer in Oxford County, Bringing the Classroom Outdoors and Wilderness First Aid (WFA).聽

鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly thankful to the Onion Foundation for their support of teachers鈥� professional development,鈥� said 91爆料 outdoor leadership program coordinator Lauren Jacobs. 鈥淭he outdoors are an essential part of Maine鈥檚 heritage and economy, and educators play a key role in developing the next generation of leaders and stewards who will sustain safe and meaningful outdoor opportunities for all.鈥�

The two courses both lead to state- or national-certification. Bringing the Classroom Outdoors meets the training requirements for Maine鈥檚 Educational Trip Leader Permit, which allows educators to bring students outdoors in settings that would normally require a Registered Maine Guide Recreation license. WFA certifies students in nationally-recognized WFA and meets the medical training requirements for being a Registered Maine Guide, Maine Camp Trip Leader and Maine Educational Trip Leader.

The scholarships cover most of the overnight food, facility and equipment costs for a weekend trip that is part of Bringing the Classroom Outdoors, as well as most of the tuition, overnight, food, facility, equipment, books and certification costs for the WFA course. 

The deadline to apply for a scholarship for Bringing the Classroom Outdoors is April 29, while the deadline to apply for a scholarship for the WFA course is May 23.  

For more information: Lauren Jacobs, lauren.jacobs@maine.edu

Gamma Bellenoit is the 2024 Outstanding Student in Kinesiology and Physical Education, Outdoor Leadership concentration in the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. Bellenoit was active in the rock climbing, hiking and camping communities during her time at 91爆料. Read more below.

Hometown: West Warwick, Rhode Island

High School: West Warwick High School

Parents: Elaine Bellenoit

Special thanks: I want to thank my mom and Rob for sparking my interest in the outdoors and always pointing me in the right direction! I also would like to thank the gals of 1011 for making my experience at 91爆料 a memorable one.

Favorite 91爆料 memory: Some of my favorite memories are at the rope swing swimming in the river or biking on the 91爆料 trails!

The annual career fair is co-hosted by the 91爆料 Career Center and the Outdoor Leadership program in the College of Education and Human Development. 

With abundant natural resources, Maine ranks among the top states in the country in terms of the percentage of its economy that comes from , which accounts for nearly 4% of the gross domestic product 鈥� more than $3 billion annually 鈥� and 32,000 jobs in the Pine Tree State.

The career fair is open to students of all majors. Employers in fields such as guiding, summer camps, outdoor education and more will be on hand to discuss both full-time and seasonal work, as well as internships.

The 91爆料鈥檚 College of Education and Human Development is launching three new graduate certificates aimed at teachers looking to boost their knowledge and skills in the areas of multilingual special education, adapted physical education and outdoor leadership. 

The five-course (15 credits) graduate certificate, offered entirely via , is designed to equip educators with a deeper understanding of evidence-based practices and educational policies to support culturally and linguistically diverse students, including multilingual learners, with disabilities.聽

According to the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office of Special Education Programs, nearly 12% of multilingual learners in K-12 schools have a disability. Between 2012 and 2020, this student population grew by nearly 30% nationwide.

Melissa Cuba, 91爆料 assistant professor of special education, says that under federal law, multilingual learners with disabilities are entitled to language acquisition and  special education services, both of which are needed for them to be successful in school and beyond. 

鈥淭his requires a great deal of collaboration and coordination among educators who have applied knowledge of special education and language development best practices and policies,鈥� says Cuba. 鈥淪o this program responds to a growing need across our state and region to ensure educators have the skills and tools to work as a team to provide these services.鈥�

91爆料鈥檚 graduate program in special education now offers five graduate certificates, all of which can be applied toward a master鈥檚 or education specialist degree in special education.

The Adapted Physical Education graduate certificate addresses the need in Maine for more teachers with the knowledge, skills and practical experiences to support students with disabilities in physical education classes. The five-course sequence (15 credits) is designed to enhance teachers鈥� use of age- and developmentally-appropriate practices for all learners. 

Educators who complete the certificate will be eligible to apply for the Maine Department of Education鈥檚 adapted physical education endorsement.

鈥淎ll students deserve appropriate support in order to participate in classes that promote their physical, emotional and intellectual growth,鈥� says Shannan Fotter, lecturer in kinesiology and physical education and coordinator of the certificate program. 鈥淭his certificate will give teachers a more robust understanding of how to conduct accurate and comprehensive assessments of students with disabilities, as well as how to design and adapt instruction that meets their needs.鈥�

The Outdoor Leadership and Education graduate certificate provides students with a combination of hands-on practice and theory to facilitate meaningful, high-quality outdoor learning opportunities for participants of all ages. The five-course program (15 credits) is focused on the professional knowledge and field experiences needed for anyone interested in successfully incorporating more experiential and place-based learning into various preK-12 schools, postsecondary and adult education settings.

A recent from the U.S. Department of Commerce鈥檚 Bureau of Economic Analysis found that Maine鈥檚 outdoor recreation economy grew more than 16% from 2021 to 2022 and generates more than $3 billion annually. That鈥檚 about 4% of the state鈥檚 gross domestic product, the sixth highest percentage among all 50 states.聽

鈥淢aine鈥檚 natural resources have always been an essential part of our heritage and economy,鈥� says Lauren Jacobs, lecturer and coordinator of 91爆料鈥檚 outdoor leadership program. 鈥淥utdoor industries and jobs are particularly important for the sustainability of rural communities. We鈥檙e excited to offer this graduate certificate to help build a skilled cadre of stewards, educators and guides to lead groups knowledgably, ethically and safely in a variety of wilderness settings.鈥�

All graduate certificates require a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Prospective students can apply online via the 91爆料 Graduate School. More information is available online.

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

Before Sally Stead graduated from the 91爆料 this spring, she had one more class to take: The long-running travel-study course CHF 404: Human Sexuality in Europe, taught by professor of family relations and human sexuality Sandra Caron.

The three-week May Session course takes students to London, Amsterdam and Stockholm to see first-hand how citizens and policymakers in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Sweden deal with issues such as teen pregnancy, contraception, abortion, sexuality education, sexually transmitted diseases and other topics.

鈥淚t was incredibly immersive,鈥� says Stead of Cumberland, Maine, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in child development and family relations. 鈥淚n Europe, they鈥檙e much more open about sex and sexuality education than we are.鈥�

May Session courses, which are part of Summer University, typically run for three weeks and begin the week after spring semester. They can help 91爆料 students fulfill requirements, get ahead in their program of study, or lighten their loads in the spring and fall. For students in the College of Education and Human Development, they can also broaden their understanding of teaching through unique and immersive experiences.

Stead, the student coordinator for Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) during her time at 91爆料, was one of 14 students in the Human Sexuality in Europe course this year, the first time it has been offered since 2019 due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions the previous three years. For Stead, it was her first time abroad. In addition to finding Europeans to be much more candid in talking about sex and sexuality, she says one of the things that struck her was how they don鈥檛 talk down to young people.

鈥淚n Sweden, we went to a youth clinic where, starting at puberty, they offer young people access to sexual and mental health and wellness services and products,鈥� says Stead. 鈥淓ighth graders visited the clinic as part of their classes, so they were already familiar with it and all that it provided.鈥�

Caron, a highly regarded expert on sexuality education, has taught the European travel study course since 1996. Her contacts at organizations like the International Planned Parenthood Federation in London make the class a unique learning experience for students.

鈥淚t really opens their eyes to other ways of thinking about sexuality and sex education,鈥� Caron says. 鈥淚 like to say that in Europe, they are more realistic, and less moralistic. Their policies related to sexuality tend to be driven more by research than they are in the U.S.鈥�

Harjot Singh, a rising senior majoring in biochemistry and microbiology, also took a May Session class, KPE 280: Introduction to Paddling Instruction and Safety. The course, which counted toward his minor in outdoor leadership, covered the fundamentals of paddling and paddling instruction for canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, as well as fresh water safety, trip planning, on-water group management and equipment management. It included a two-day Level 4 Swiftwater Rescue certification course, completed on Kenduskeag Stream, as well as two days of leading K鈥�12 students from East Millinocket in canoeing instruction on Jerry Pond. Other locations used in the course were Pushaw Stream, Birch Stream and Perch Pond.

鈥淭he fact that it was hands-on really helped me retain the information,鈥� says Singh, who took the class despite not knowing how to swim. 鈥淵ou can read about different paddling strokes or watch videos about rescue techniques. But the best way to learn is to do them in the water.鈥�

Singh was born in India and moved to Medford, Massachusetts with his family when he was nine. When deciding which college to attend, he wanted to study somewhere close to forests with 鈥渆asy access to nature.鈥�

鈥淚 love the outdoor leadership minor, because it gets my mind off the biochemistry and microbiology stuff,鈥� he says 鈥淭he classes have really helped get me out of my shell. I can be kind of shy, so being in a group setting and learning leadership skills I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten in my other classes has been great.鈥�

Lecturer in outdoor leadership Lauren Jacobs, who has taught the paddling course since 2019 when the outdoor leadership program was established in the College of Education and Human Development, says part of the appeal for students is the bond they form as a group and the intensive nature of a course that lasts less than a month.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 class did a great job and learned a lot in some very challenging, windy conditions,鈥� Jacobs says. 鈥淚鈥檓 most proud of the work they did with students from East Millinocket, applying the group leadership and instructional skills we worked on earlier in the class.鈥�

Visit the Summer University website for more information.

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