That’s why when working toward her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) at the 91±ŹÁÏ, Woodard, now assistant principal of Old Town Elementary School, focused on tackling a key issue for her dissertation: the in-the-moment decisions teachers make during literacy instruction and how those decisions can lead to better outcomes for students.   

“As I got into an administrative role, I wondered why teachers were making the decisions they were making and about all of the new literacy programs that are available for schools,” said Woodard. “I wanted to be able to answer some of those questions through research, and get a better understanding of what our teachers are doing in the classroom.”  

Woodard is one of 10 full-time professional educators who just graduated with their Ed.D. degrees. Many of them were already leaders in their schools and communities. Now, using what they learned through their courses and dissertation research, they are able to make even greater contributions while advancing in their careers. 

For Woodard, that means continuing to mentor teachers in a new role that she’ll be stepping into next school year as principal of Marcia Buker Elementary School in Richmond. Eventually, she hopes the doctorate will allow her to teach literacy at a college or university, helping shape the next generation of reading and writing teachers in Maine. 

“I’m so glad 91±ŹÁÏ has the opportunities it has,” Woodard said. “Living in Orono, it was a natural choice for me to get my doctorate here, but I don’t believe I would have found a better opportunity elsewhere.”

Statewide impact, local relevance

Based in schools and districts spanning two states, including five counties in Maine, the members of this year’s Ed.D. cohort currently serve in positions such as superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, special education director, instructional coach and classroom teacher. They not only spent the past four years taking classes together, but also supported each other through dissertation research and writing.

An innovative, 100% live and online executive doctoral degree, the Ed.D. program uses a cohort model that brings working professionals together to share knowledge and develop the research skills needed to critically engage with educational practices and better support the students, families and communities they serve. Each member of the cohort chooses a problem-of-practice related to their professional work to investigate for their dissertation.

Nicole Hatch is one of three 2026 Ed.D. graduates who work at Rockland-based RSU 13, a rural district serving five communities in midcoast Maine. Having grown up in the midcoast, Hatch, who is an assistant principal at Oceanside High School in Rockland, was eager to explore the dual roles that teachers in rural schools fulfill as professional educators and regular members of the communities that they serve.

“It was a narrative inquiry using emotional intelligence as a tool to navigate issues of rurality, the overlaps between teachers and students, and school leaders and students, and the dual-relationships and power dynamics that exist in small communities,” said Hatch, who has a background in school-based and clinical counseling. “The study was a great reminder of the influential roles and power we educators have in our communities, and how we can be mindful of that and maintain positive relationships with our students and their families who don’t have a choice of where they go to school or who their school leaders are.”

Hatch said she plans to stay in her position at Oceanside for now while pursuing principal certification and continuing to serve students throughout the midcoast both as an educator and as community member.

Heather Mitchell, another recent Ed.D. graduate, has held various building administrator roles at schools in RSU 29, the district for Houlton in Aroostook County. She’s currently administrator and teacher at Summit Academy, the district’s alternative education school. 

For her dissertation, Mitchell originally set out to do a comparative study of parent expectations for alternative education versus general education. That morphed into a project that explored parent-voice in administrative decision-making, through which she found that caregivers — regardless of whether their child was in an alternative or a traditional classroom — wanted a model. A framework that’s already employed by several schools in Maine, the model provides targeted academic, behavioral and social-emotional services and interventions to meet the needs of students.

“I believe the next step is to work with teachers and hopefully organizations beyond the school and the district to make sure that kids are getting all the support they need no matter what type of classroom they’re learning in,” Mitchell said. 

The Ed.D. will allow Mitchell to take on additional roles and responsibilities, including becoming a district-level administrator, she said.

A belief in each other

Each Ed.D. in educational leadership cohort at 91±ŹÁÏ collectively chooses a name for itself. The name chosen by the group that just graduated was the Credo Cohort. The word “Credo” derives from the Latin word for “I believe” and means “an idea or set of beliefs that guides the actions of a person or group.”

“It helped tremendously to go through this process together,” said Woodard. “We met almost every week, developed critical friendships and partnerships within the cohort. We had people we were able to reach out to in times of need.”

“I can’t imagine going through a learning experience like this without that type of support,” said Hatch. “I can look outside and name other things, but it was really that we leaned on each other, and these friendships and relationships within the group. These educators are 100% my role models.”

This year’s group of Ed.D. graduates is among the largest doctoral cohorts from a single program to graduate from 91±ŹÁÏ in recent years. In addition to each other, members of the cohort say they leaned on associate professor of educational leadership Esther Enright, who served as chair for all of their dissertation committees, as well as other 91±ŹÁÏ educational leadership faculty members, including Catharine Biddle, Lindsey Kaiser, Maria Frankland and Paul Austin.

“I’m incredibly proud of this group and the perseverance they showed in getting to graduation,” said Enright. “Completing a doctorate is a massive undertaking by itself, and all of them did it while balancing their professional duties, including all of the challenges facing educators today, serving as role models and leaders in their communities, raising families, and so much more.”

The other members of the Credo Cohort include Janet Corcoran, Benjamin Greenlaw, Briana Haynes-Morrill, Janet Hicks, Steffany Tribou, Amy Sullivan and Sue Sydnor. 

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

The field of medicine is constantly evolving to optimize care and patient outcomes. Technology growth and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) have changed what it means to be a doctor and a patient, even in the recent decade. To contend with this, researchers at the 91±ŹÁÏ are helping medical education adapt to a changing world of medicine. 

Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. candidate Kevin Real MD is part of this movement, working to shape the way students understand medical issues and develop innovative solutions. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and completing medical school, Real put his medical career on hold to further pursue a passion in education and technology. 

Over the past year, Real has focussed his research on an innovative approach to eye disease in premature infants, utilizing both his engineering and medical backgrounds. He partnered with ophthalmologists in Portland, Oregon to help them advance their curriculum and way of understanding eye models. 

“I used my ECE experience to ultimately help the surgeons look at 2D images and transpose them to 3D images, specifically for looking at disease progression. The question is, how can we do this better, how do you make these models more precise? That was my mission this year,” explained Real. 

He specifically looked at a disease process called retinopathy prematurity, the leading cause of childhood blindness in the United States, according to the . The disease impacts infants born prematurely who received supplemental oxygen. This can impact the eye’s ability to develop normally because abnormal blood vessels can grow inside the retina and lead to retinal detachment. Surgeons are able to fix retinal detachment, but rely on a two-dimensional view of the retina. Real is hoping to bring more precision to this process by making two-dimensional view into three-dimensional models. 

It was important to Real to not limit this research to the lab or a hospital and engage students in the research process. He took this concept of two to three-dimensional image transposition and further explored the idea with a Maine high school senior, helping them use simple geometric principles to develop a 3D model of an infant’s eye. The student was then able to present their work at a conference for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and gained real-world research experience. 

Real’s passion for student engagement extends beyond his direct research. He helped high school students from John Bapst Memorial High School participate in ophthalmology research on glaucoma progression, eventually leading to publication of their work in the Proceedings of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (). Real’s motivation for working with students comes from his time teaching a high school science class here in Maine, and they still inspire his research methodology today. 

“One thing that I like about high school students is that they come up with the craziest ideas, and sometimes they work. We tend to get stuck in our ways about the best way for research to be conducted, but students come up with ideas we might never have heard of,” remarked Real. 

His passion for education extends into his work with National Science Foundation Maine-SMART project, working to revitalize education efforts in the state. Real helped develop new educational modules that have been distributed across the state to diversify STEM education for local students. Last year, he helped develop new educational modules on the uses of cellulose nano fiber (CNF) that are now in use throughout the state. He also created modules and curriculum on CNF that were used by the Maine Mobile BIOLAB, a traveling laboratory that provides hands-on STEM education to students in Maine. 

“I really understand that education is what I love, and my mission today is incorporating AI, neural networks and technology into education at every level, not just medical school,” said Real. 

Looking ahead, Real will be starting his residency this fall with the John Peter Smith Family Medicine Residency program in Fort Worth, Texas, but hopes to return to Maine in the future. He is part of a coalition that aims to establish Maine’s first medical school for MDs, and would love to be a part of the process down the line in his career. With an MD and Ph.D., Real’s end goal is to eventually become a dean of a medical school, bridging his experiences with medicine and education, and helping med students adapt to changing technology and practices.Ìę

Real’s mission and reasoning behind his journey is a goal to never stop learning and innovating in his field, and teaching those along the way. 

“The whole point is not only that I hope to pass the torch, but I hope that the torch surpasses me,” said Real. 

Real would like to thank his advisor, Giovanna Guidoboni, 91±ŹÁÏ’s interim vice president for research and dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing, for her support in his endeavors. 

By Heather Johnson, graduate assistant

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

Researchers at the 91±ŹÁÏ are researching new ways to study and monitor the parasites that plague Maine’s moose in order to best help and manage the population. 

91±ŹÁÏ third-year Alden Falardeau of Saco, Maine, is leading the team in testing new methods of monitoring for parasites in moose. Advised by associate professor of animal health Pauline Kamath, Falardeau is focusing on lungworm (Dictyocaulus spp.) and gastrointestinal parasites. Lungworms weaken a moose’s immune system and hamper its ability to fight off external stressors like winter ticks. Gastrointestinal parasites also can weaken moose, making them more susceptible to other parasites, some of which  may cause emaciation. 

Falardeau, an animal science major, is investigating whether lungworm infections can be detected through DNA analysis of moose lung tissue, while identifying the gastrointestinal parasites present in their fecal pellets. Her team is testing these methods using samples from live captures and hunter harvests. Better detection can improve monitoring and understanding of parasite prevalence among moose. 

For the lungworm, the team extracted DNA from lung tissue samples. Researchers then evaluated them for traces of lungworm using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which amplifies a unique section of lungworm’s DNA where signs of this parasite can be found.

“If we can verify lung tissue as a sample to detect lungworm, that could help with future research,” said Falardeau. “It can also help get the community more involved in research if we are able to use hunter harvested samples for identifying infections like lungworm.” 

Current research on lungworm in moose relies on visually examining moose lungs or waste, the efficacy of which can be dependent on a range of factors. Genetic data, in contrast, may allow scientists to identify traces of lungworm faster and with greater accuracy. 

Understanding what gastrointestinal parasites they should be looking for will allow for better detection and management in future. “Essentially, we are looking to identify and quantify the parasite eggs and larvae that are present in fecal samples,” said Falardeau. Crucially, this approach is not invasive, which is great for the moose. 

This project was made possible by funding from 91±ŹÁÏ’s Center for Undergraduate Research and has provided Falardeau valuable hands-on experience. 

“I’ve learned so much, from lab techniques to experimental design, and I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in meaningful conservation research,” he said.

This research is rooted in the One Health approach, which recognises that people, animals and the environment are interconnected. It also highlights the importance of monitoring wildlife disease for broader ecological well-being. 

As Maine’s moose remain a vital part of the state’s identity, efforts to better understand parasite impacts are critical to ensuring the long-term health of this iconic species and the ecosystems of which they are a part. 

Story by Sophie Knox, research media internContact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

“At 91±ŹÁÏ, we are intentionally building a coordinated system of support and opportunity that reaches students early and continues throughout their academic journey,” said Scott Marzilli, senior associate provost for student success and innovation. “This work is not about isolated initiatives, but about creating a consistent, high-impact experience that prepares students for success in their studies and their careers from day one.”

The student experience is being transformed from beginning to end at 91±ŹÁÏ through the Student Success and Retention Initiative, a hallmark of UMS TRANSFORMS. Thanks to the historic investment from the Harold Alfond Foundation, over half of all first-year students at 91±ŹÁÏ engage in research and inquiry-based creative work early in their college careers. 

As a result, more students have been able to succeed in challenging, core courses, and build essential skills that support participation in high-impact internships along the way.

The initiative is organized around three interconnected efforts: Research Learning Experiences (RLEs), Gateways to Success (Gateways) and Pathways to Careers (Pathways). Together, they ensure that students are engaged early in their college careers, have the academic support they need to succeed and are connected to opportunities that prepare them to enter the workforce after graduation.

RLEs were first piloted at 91±ŹÁÏ and 91±ŹÁÏ Machias in fall 2021 with more than 30 course sections enrolling 250 students. Following the pilot, courses expanded across Maine’s public universities, and participation increased by 800%. In 2025, 2,374 students enrolled in 207 sections across 103 unique courses systemwide. More than 5,500 students have benefited. 

Maeve Littlefield, a sophomore majoring in biology, didn’t always imagine a career for herself in STEM. She didn’t develop a passion for the scientific process until late in her high school career.

Last fall, she enrolled in “Creative Expression of Science,” a Research Learning Experience (RLE) that combined creativity and science by exploring new ways to understand and communicate research and science. In examining prints, paintings, drawings and examples of digital storytelling, she began to see ways in which she could combine her creativity and interest in science to promote a broader understanding of changes in our natural world.

“Sometimes we get caught up in seeing statistics about the environment and human impact,” Littlefield said. “But 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 — that if we do lose them, they aren’t coming back.” 

Experiences like Littlefield’s are foundational to the initiative’s broader effort to engage students in meaningful, hands-on learning early in their academic careers. They are designed to build skills and confidence, and to promote a sense of belonging through creative learning opportunities and research.

Following the success of the RLEs, Maine’s public universities began offering Advanced RLEs (ARLEs). They provide students who have completed one semester with more in-depth knowledge and experience, enhancing their critical thinking and building specialized skills.  

Recent ARLEs have tasked students with identifying methods to treat human polyomavirus-induced diseases, pitching business strategies to Maine businesses such as Aroma Joe’s and Bath Iron Works, and conducting group research on tidal marshes, forests, seaweed and historical artifacts along the Schoodic Peninsula. 

While RLEs are designed to engage and empower, Gateways to Success aims to eliminate barriers to ongoing success for students in entry-level courses by implementing strategies such as mentorship, early alerts and curriculum updates. 

“Students struggling in certain courses isn’t new. What is new is that now because of the generosity of the Harold Alfond Foundation, we’ve been able to implement a number of interventions to address the issue,” said Gateways coordinator Mark Brewer, also professor and chair of 91±ŹÁÏ’s Department of Political Science. 

Since Gateways’ launch, the vast majority of students who were enrolled in historically challenging “gateway” courses have participated in pilot interventions to support their course experience. The program is currently in the third year of studying impacts from the pilot process to select and expand the strongest interventions. 

“I’ve seen an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm from faculty across the colleges and at Machias in designing interventions to improve student success,” Brewer said. 

In the Maine Business School, a Gateways coordinator sent students notices about exams and other assignments, connected them with tutoring and review sessions, coached them on time management and facilitated weekly tutoring and academic support sessions. These efforts correlated with a 7% improvement in course success for MBS students.  

The College of Education and Human Development launched similar interventions through its Academic Support and Advising Program. By fall 2025, 92% of Gateway course enrollments led to successful course completion, compared to an average of just 79% from fall 2018-2022. 

For the course “Algebra for College Mathematics,” faculty updated the course to support students who would not historically qualify for it. Their efforts paid off, with 62% of students earning a C grade or higher. 

In fall 2025, over 5,000 students across UMS were supported by one or more of 24 Gateways-funded projects, including 67% of Gateways-eligible students at 91±ŹÁÏ.

As students progress through their academic journeys at 91±ŹÁÏ, Pathways to Careers bridges classroom experiences and real-world opportunities, making it easier for students to gain relevant experience and prepare to enter the workforce. High-impact practices such as early-stage career exploration, pre-internship training, networking support and mentorship are the cornerstone of gold-standard internship programs.

Internships are a hallmark of the 91±ŹÁÏ experience, and graduates report high rates of participation. For the Class of 2025, 62% reported participating in at least one internship, totaling over 477,000 hours of experience. Furthermore, preliminary data from the first year of tracking graduates who participated in RLEs reveals that students who enrolled in them were more likely to complete an internship than students who did not participate.

For many, these opportunities are transformative.  

Pathways connected student Nathaniel Walker to an internship as a marketing and communications assistant at 91±ŹÁÏ’s Advanced Manufacturing Center. This summer, he will intern with the company Intuit.

“A year ago, I was unsure how to even find a job and honestly felt pretty overwhelmed and lost, but the Pathways to Careers coordinator went above and beyond to help me find a role,” Walker said. “That chance has opened the doors for completely new opportunities and directions for me to pursue, and I am beyond grateful.”

Student Holly Zschetzsche said Pathways’ networking support allowed her to secure an engineering internship with manufacturer Corning. 

“Pathways to Careers doesn’t just prepare students,” she said, “it actively connects them to opportunities where they are seen and considered.”

Systemwide, 51% of students surveyed in 2025 report undertaking at least one internship, resulting in 695,000 hours of workforce participation.

Taken together, Research Learning Experiences, Gateways to Success and Pathways to Careers reflect the university’s commitment to ensuring that every student is engaged in their academic studies and community from the start, and that they receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed at 91±ŹÁÏ and beyond.

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

The project team, made up of four senior biomedical engineering students, is developing an athletic shoe replacement indicator that measures structural changes in the footwear over time. Running shoes can lose cushioning and support after repeated loading cycles, even when visible wear is minimal. As the shoes’ midsoles degrade, impact forces transmitted to the body can increase, raising the risk of overuse injuries.

Replacing shoes too late is a common but overlooked problem among runners. Current methods for determining when to replace shoes, however, typically rely on mileage estimates or waiting for discomfort to occur.

“That solution is unreliable,” said 91±ŹÁÏ senior Paul Rudman, “If a shoe is replaced too late, the damage and wear might have already occurred. However, replacing before needed is costly, and the average person can not afford it.”

The team’s indicator would instead collect data related to activity and force changes within the show, translating that information into a clear indicator for users. 

By indicating when a shoe has been structurally compromised, the device aims to help runners make informed decisions that balance cost and health considerations. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing shoe constructions.

“The indicator will simply make key measurements of a person’s activity and force changes in the shoe to reliably indicate the most financially and healthily time to replace your shoe,” Rudman said.

Rudman focuses on modeling and materials design while also contributing to electrical component development. The other students involved in the project include Shawn Collins, who leads controller programming and testing; Mason Chase, who specializes in medical and design considerations; and Sreyas Sajen, who manages computations and force interaction analysis.

They are designing the replacement shoe indicator for their senior capstone project, which emphasizes applying interdisciplinary knowledge toward solving real world problems. Rudman and his colleagues are applying their past coursework in biomechanics, materials science and electronics curricula toward developing a product with clear market relevance.

“We learn to find existing problems and use the knowledge that we already possess to create a solution,” Rudman said.

The athletics shoe replacement indicator project highlights how undergraduate research at 91±ŹÁÏ can translate injury prevention research into practical technology aimed at supporting healthier movement for runners at all levels.

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer

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

“At the time, I 3D printed face shields because health care workers were having an issue with PPE (personal protective equipment),” Goodell said. “That really started it for me. Making things from my computer come to real life is pretty awesome.”

Upon arriving at the 91±ŹÁÏ, Goodell was searching for a space where he could continue his hobby while meeting friends when he found the 3D Printing Club. Now as a junior, he serves as the club’s vice president with an assortment of skills gained from his tenure. 

Every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, the club meets in the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center to design and produce figurines based on movie characters, toy cars and boats, mechanical hands, bowls, vases and more. About a dozen members create digital designs and use industrial printers to make items ranging from fingernail-sized pieces to models as large as 17-cubic feet.

Students in the club work on individual and group projects, maintain equipment and teach new members how to use the printers. As a result, it serves as a collaborative space for learning, problem-solving and teamwork.

Goodell, who has been involved with the club since his first year, said the experience has helped him develop impressive skills he applies beyond the classroom. For example, he recently designed and printed a custom case to mount a Starlink device on top of his car, allowing him to access internet service in remote areas of northern Maine.

“Without a 3D printer, I wouldn’t have been able to make that case,” Goodell said. “I wouldn’t have Wi-Fi in the middle of nowhere.”

Club President Jack Bernado, a junior who’s studying mechanical engineering, said the experience has strengthened both his leadership and organizational skills. 

“It has made me better at leading a team and being part of a team,” Bernado said. “It has helped me be more organized with all the different prints being submitted, as well as all the people to reach out to.”

Club members are currently planning a pinewood derby race with cars made of 3D printed parts for the fall 2026 semester. 

“We’ll have our own track, and it’ll be a fun race,” Goodell said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people make.”

The club includes mostly mechanical and electrical engineering students, along with some computer science majors, but Goodell and Bernardo say it is open to anyone interested and willing to show up and learn.

The group meets at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays in Room 337 of the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center. Students interested in joining the club can contact Bernado at jack.bernado@maine.edu or Goodell at timothy.goodell@maine.edu.

Story by Rowan MacDonald, news intern.

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

According to the , more than 3,000 Maine children experience brain injuries each year, and an estimated 20% — or 600 children — experience more severe trauma. Yet only about 130 receive formal school-based support for these injuries and often they often do not get the care needed to thrive.Ìę

Jessica Riccardi, an assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, leads the Brain Injury, Education, and Rehabilitation (BEaR) Lab at 91±ŹÁÏ. The team advances research as they support children with acquired brain injuries by working directly with them, their families and their practitioners to improve long-term outcomes for these children. Examples of support the lab provides includes professional development for schools and community organizations, consultation with educational teams on students with brain injury, and referring families to national, state and local resources for childhood brain injury. 

The team’s work is especially important in Maine, which does not have a pediatric rehabilitation hospital. The state’s only pediatric intensive care center is in Portland, limiting the availability of care options to children elsewhere in the state. Riccardi said the transition from hospital to school after traumatic brain injuries is often difficult for children, and Mainers feel the problem more intensely due to limited access to medical services for kids, particularly in rural communities. The direct work the lab does is important to improving detection and connecting children to resources.

In addition to improving long-term outcomes for children with brain injuries, Riccardi’s lab also offers graduate and undergraduate students research and hands-on experiences with clinical populations. 

One of these students is Elise DeRosby, a communication sciences and disorders major from Hampden, Maine. DeRosby has been working with Riccardi for nearly two years in research that complements her interests, including working face-to-face with people.

In collaboration with 91±ŹÁÏ’s Virtual Environment and Multimodal Interaction (VEMI) Lab, DeRosby recently helped run a project that uses virtual reality equipment to assess cognitive communication in kids with brain injuries. Cognitive communication is when cognitive skills, such as memory, attention, planning and organization, influence your communication abilities. 

“Think about it in a school setting,” Riccardi said. “If they have a hard time maintaining attention, they’re going to do poorly on a test, not because they don’t know the content, but because they didn’t pay attention in the first place.” 

To examine the cognitive communication of these kids, researchers put them in a virtual classroom where they had to make decisions in a simulated egg-drop science experiment. 

“They have to choose a design for which model of egg carrier,” said DeRosby. “They have to go through the process of picking a design, then instructions will tell them to collect materials and they have to assemble the design, then get the egg, put it in the design and drop it off bleachers in a school gym.”

Using this virtual reality scenario, researchers can collect data on a child’s decision-making, attention and processing, all of which are components of cognitive communication. While much more data collection is necessary for this project to be useful, Riccardi and DeRosby hope that their research will help in developing resources for clinicians, particularly speech-language pathologists, to serve kids with brain injuries.

DeRosby’s research experiences in the BEaR Lab and 91±ŹÁÏ more broadly have helped her understand what she wants to pursue in life. After originally pursuing molecular and cellular biology, DeRosby shifted to speech pathology to work more face-to-face with other people. 

With funding from 91±ŹÁÏ’s Center for Undergraduate Research, she was able to do that in the BEaR lab, studying art therapy for adults with brain injuries. Working with participants, learning about their injuries and experience and helping develop tools to help them was moving. 

“I think it is an eye-opening experience to get to interact with people. You don’t get that in the classroom,” said DeRosby. 

While the lab’s research is contributing to understanding childhood brain injuries, it is also helping to develop the next generation of researchers and professionals who will be working with the communities that need it most. 

“Our clients often say that the person who took a moment to understand their challenges was the person who really changed their recovery,” said Riccardi. Through her lab, Riccardi hopes the students in her lab can be “that person.”  Raising empathy and understanding for those with brain injuries is an important first step towards success in these individuals’ lives. 

“Taking the time to understand other people’s perspectives and where they come from,” DeRosby said, “any human can learn that, and it will make us all better.” 

If you are interested in learning more about the work Riccardi’s research team is doing, you can visit the BEaR Lab website, or contact Riccardi at jessica.riccardi@maine.edu. 

By Emma Beauregard, research media intern

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmerman@maine.edu

The cohort is implementing ReuseME, a pilot program in partnership with the coastal towns of Bar Harbor, Bath and South Portland. Participating eateries include Cafe This Way and Coffee Matter/Mother’s Kitchen in Bar Harbor, Solo Pane in Bath, and Second Rodeo Coffee and Verbena in South Portland.

By testing the viability of reusable takeout packaging in participating restaurants, students are at the forefront of developing a model that reduces waste, prevents plastic pollution and saves local businesses and municipalities money on the purchase and disposal of single-use food and beverage packaging.

Throughout this project, 91±ŹÁÏ student researchers are working directly with these businesses to track results and analyze usage patterns to refine the returnable model.

“The driver for this project has been a focus on wanting to maintain and protect Maine’s coastal environment because it’s a very important part of the state’s culture,” said Ryan Kennedy, a 91±ŹÁÏ senior in the Department of Anthropology.

Kennedy, an undergraduate research assistant on the project, has been involved since the initial baseline surveys last June. They noted that the team met with restaurant owners to discuss their establishments’ capabilities and customer habits.

“I want to help bring cost savings to the frontline because that drives most business decisions,” Kennedy said. “On the commercial side, choosing between the wallet and the planet can be difficult. With the cost of everything going up, people want to know if a change will save them money. By providing hard data to businesses and a simple message to its customers, we can show that sustainable swaps don’t have to be a complicated transition.”

These five local eateries now offer diners the option of having their food and/or beverage packaged in returnable stainless steel containers. Customers can check out these containers by signing up for a free account in the Recirclable app. After enjoying their takeout meals, customers can return the containers to any of the participating establishments.

“I think we’re starting to see people realize how easy it is to make more sustainable swaps,” Kennedy said. 

In just a little over a month since the Reuse Maine pilot project launched, more than 100 customers across the state have borrowed nearly 500 reusable containers. 

Other student researchers involved in the project include Chyanne Yoder, Catherine Segada, Gianna DeJoy, William Brenneman and Alejandro Snell. They are joined by project advisor Cindy Isenhour, a professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Climate Change Institute.

As part of an extensive, interdisciplinary effort to mitigate marine pollution, the project is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Maine Sea Grant and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The support allows the team to tackle environmental challenges while providing student researchers with the resources needed to develop scalable, real-world solutions.

“I think the hard data and transparency between the businesses, their customers and our team is what’s really driving the success and the happiness with this project,” Kennedy said. “It helps people feel like they’re making a difference without having to go out of their way. It’s just a part of their routine when they pick up a coffee or grab lunch.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

Contact: Marcus Wolf, marcus.wolf@maine.edu; Cindy Isenhour, cynthia.isenhour@maine.edu

The team designed the app so event organizers can instantly notify student users when they have leftovers available by sharing posts with pictures, locations, event end times and potential allergens or dietary restrictions. 

“We’re taking out two birds with one stone here, trying to reduce some food waste and trying to give students just a little something for a bit more reliable nutrition on campus that’s free and accessible,” said Moody-Broen, a computer science major and English minor, and his colleagues. 

The project was one of more than 350 on display during the 91±ŹÁÏ Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity on April 17. From lobster shell styrofoam and a shark fossil study to an autonomous model race car and a community loom, the event demonstrated the hard work and ingenuity of undergraduate and graduate students from both 91±ŹÁÏ and its regional campus, the 91±ŹÁÏ at Machias. 

The symposium reflects 91±ŹÁÏ’s commitment being a learner-centered R1 that offers hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities, where undergraduate students work directly with faculty and industry partners to tackle challenges facing Maine communities.

Participating in the symposium not only allows students to showcase their work, but also develop skills in poster design, presentation, communication and networking, all of which will serve them in future careers and advanced degree programs. For Moody-Broen, the event served as an opportunity to test how he presents his work and gain more exposure to his field.

“I think it’s great to be interacting with other researchers and other products and seeing what that looks like in an early professional, late graduate setting,” he said. “It’s good to be able to get your work out there for the first time.”

Over 200 judges from 91±ŹÁÏ and the community perused the posters and interviewed the students about their work. Among them was David Barrett, lecturer in accounting for the Maine Business School, who returned for a second year to support the students and enjoy their “really neat research.”

“What I’m looking for is that the presenter knows what they’re talking about and can communicate it effectively,” he said during the event. “Getting students more practice and getting them more comfortable with talking about something with someone they’ve never met is a massively important skill for students to have as they go out of that comfort zone.” 

Several rows down, Mya Griffith, a master’s student studying aquaculture and aquatic resources, presented her project to a judge, detailing her group’s ongoing investigation into the bioaccumulation of a group of toxic chemicals known as PFAS in seafood. Her team plans to integrate monitoring, predictive modeling and intervention for seafood food systems. 

For Griffith, participating in the symposium helps her refine her communication skills and network, both of which will help her toward pursuing a Ph.D. and career in sustainable agriculture. She also cares that people hear more about the issues she researches. 

“Even though I don’t have results, I want to bring awareness to it,” she said, “collaboration with the community is super important. And just raising awareness and making sure that people understand that these things are occurring in the environment and that they do affect us as humans, is super important.”

91±ŹÁÏ’s Center for Undergraduate Research has hosted a student symposium since 2008. At their first symposium, only 98 projects were presented. Now there are more than seven times that. The growth has been made possible by students, staff, faculty and community members investing their time and effort into the research experience. It is also aided by generosity of community sponsors who help cover the costs of the event itself. 

“As you go around today, I encourage you to ask our students what is their ‘why?’ and what they love about research. Please support them through the journey that actually never stops,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, interim vice president for research and dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing, during her remarks at the symposium. “Today is an opportunity to engage, connect and learn, be curious, ask questions and embrace the unexpected connections that emerge from conversations across the community.” 

Jordan Potter, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, stood alongside his partners and their poster ready to answer questions about their project, “Smart Scrubs: Enhanced Scrubs for Medical Personnel.” The group was designing moisture-resistant scrubs to protect healthcare workers from contaminants and prevent microbe colonization microbes through the application of water-resistant and microbiostatic coatings.

“What I want to do directly after I graduate is go to graduate school,” Potter said, adding that participating in the symposium helps me prepare for grad school because of the aspect of getting to present to people.I get to meet new people and tell them what we’ve been working on.”

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

Those meals will be assembled during the Maine Day Meal Packout (MDMP) on Wednesday, April 29, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the New Balance Field House. 

“Hundreds of volunteers — spanning individual students and faculty, community partners, sports teams and entire classes — show up to work together and accomplish an incredible amount of work,” said Valleli, an ecology and environmental sciences major who serves as the MDMP marketing and communications chair. “What the Maine Day Meal Packout initiative does communicate is that countless people — from the hundreds of individual volunteers packing each meal to the devoted student leaders or the philanthropic backers of the event — are willing to show up and make a difference together.”

Led by the members of the MDMP student leadership team, which includes Valleli, the initiative is on track to exceed last year’s goal of assembling and distributing over 50,000 meals in just a few hours. By the end of the event, the MDMP will mark the 800,000th meal packed at 91±ŹÁÏ since the initiative launched.

The project originated in 2017 as the “Hungry 100K,” after students were challenged to surpass Harvard as the top meal-packing university in New England. Spearheaded by Melissa Ladenheim, associate dean of the Honors College, the initiative rebranded as the Maine Day Meal Packout in 2018. Since then, it has maintained a consistent impact, even continuing through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and campus cancellations.

“The Maine Day Meal Packout is a truly extraordinary, transformative event that brings the campus together in service of a key element of 91±ŹÁÏ’s land-grant mission: to have a positive impact on the broader community of which we are a part,” said Honors College Dean Ellen Weinauer. “Thanks to the remarkable and enduring effort on the part of student leaders and their mentors, the Maine Day Meal Packout has justifiably become one of the 91±ŹÁÏ initiatives of which we can be most proud.”

In addition to bake sales, the student leadership team fundraised for the event through soliciting individual donations, garnering support from philanthropic organizations, participating in broader initiatives like the Maine Credit Union League’s Campaign for Ending Hunger and securing grants such as the Alton ’38 and Adelaide Hamm Campus Activity Fund.

“Maine is a small and tight-knit community, so when I’m presenting to fellow Mainers, everyone I’m speaking to has seen the impact of hunger,” said Ruth Griffith, a senior majoring in economics and the 2026 Valedictorian. Griffith serves as the MDMP fundraising chair and overall student coordinator. “When speaking with corporate donors who may not realize the scope of the Maine Day Meal Packout, I focus on the scale of their contribution. For example, I discuss how a $1,000 donation could feed 2,500 people, and how that goes a long way toward feeding hungry Mainers.”

Most participating food pantries pick up the meals at 91±ŹÁÏ, but students have delivered them to those that cannot come to campus to ensure people gain-access to much needed sustenance. Pantry operators sometimes join other volunteers in packing meals during the event. 

“The pickup and distribution of the meals is definitely the hardest part because some of our partners have a three-hour commute each way,” said Jasper Makowski, a senior majoring in microbiology who works directly with the food pantry recipients. “Taking the time to get to Orono is a huge challenge, especially for some of the mom-and-pop operations. Luckily, we have a great number of supporters who are willing to drive and deliver to some of these rural locations, but a significant challenge every year is making sure we can actually get the meals to the food bank.”

Students drive the success of the MDMP, gaining leadership skills through a committee system covering fundraising, outreach, partnerships, communications and logistics. For student leaders like Makowski, Griffith and Valleli, the event offers a tangible way to support fellow Mainers while developing professional expertise in project management.

“The Maine Day Meal Packout is a ‘win-win-win’—it’s a win for our students, it’s a win for the campus and it’s a win for the community,” said Ladenheim. “I am incredibly grateful for this year’s student leadership team. This group has been the most cohesive, collaborative and effective team I have ever worked with.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

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

“Rachel and Kalli are exceptional students who have achieved great things not only in the classroom, but across campus and our community,” said 91±ŹÁÏ Machias Dean Megan Walsh. 

D’Alessandro works as a phlebotomist, and plans to enter a medical lab technician program. Immersing herself in health sciences during her undergraduate career, she attended a week-long course at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, during spring break in 2025.

“I plan to use my experience and the degrees I am receiving at 91±ŹÁÏ Machias to continue and further my career in the medical field,” D’Alessandro said. 

With a passion for the outdoors, D’Alessandro worked for Project SHARE, an organization dedicated to Atlantic Salmon conservation, in the summer of 2023 and 2025. She participated in several Outing Club events, including a hike at Tunk Mountain, a canoe paddle at Six Mile Lake and a ski trip at Big Rock Mountain, where she learned how to snowboard.

“I also enjoyed regular events on campus like intramurals, bingo, paint and sips, terrarium building and all kinds of other events,” she said. 

Deeply connected to her hometown, Sternberg, who also pursued a concentration in elementary education and a minor in creative writing, recently completed her student teaching at Rose M. Gaffney Elementary School in Machias. Sternberg worked under Caitlyn Roy, who was her own teacher in fifth grade. While studying at 91±ŹÁÏ Machias, she earned her Wilderness First Responder license during one of her courses. 

“I hope to give back to my Washington County community by teaching locally!” Sternberg said. “Eventually, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in the educational space and perhaps earn a graduate Certificate in Outdoor Education and Leadership.” 

She volunteers with Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), the only non profit organization in Maine that offers support for students as they transition from middle school to high school, through high school graduation and onto post-secondary education. By partnering with Maine’s middle and high schools, community colleges and the 91±ŹÁÏ System, JMG promotes degree attainment and pathways to careers.

Sternberg is also the student representative for the 91±ŹÁÏ Machias Curriculum Committee, which is responsible for developing recommendations to add, drop or restructure academic programs and individual courses. 

Recently, she met with the Maine Department of Education to discuss 91±ŹÁÏ Machias’ Rural Education program. 

“I enjoy being a student ambassador and  talking to prospective students about the program!” she said.  

Contact: Jacqueline Leonard, jacqueline.leonard@maine.edu 

Standing at a table lined with maroon shirts and other gifts and a standup banner showcasing facts about her department and a logo of its mascot — an eagle — Chan was among many representatives from nearly 40 districts statewide vying for 91±ŹÁÏ talent during the College of Education and Human Development’s annual Education Career Fair on April 16 in the Wells Conference Center. 

Schools in Maine, like in many other states, are experiencing in a variety of areas, and are also seeking candidates for educational technician and substitute teacher roles. Education , and the College of Education and Human Development is the largest and most comprehensive teacher preparation and education program in the state.Ìę

Chan said 91±ŹÁÏ preservice teachers’ professionalism and preparation for classroom vacancies they seek to fill make them attractive candidates for school districts like hers. 

“They dress, speak, and introduce themselves professionally,” she said, adding the career fair is “a really valuable event to be a part of, not just for the students, but for the districts.”

Graduates of 91±ŹÁÏ’s state and nationally accredited teacher preparation programs are automatically recommended for initial teacher certification in several shortage areas, including general elementary, mathematics (middle and secondary levels) and . Students in these programs complete a variety of hands-on field experiences and observations in K-12 classrooms and other educational settings.Ìę

Experience working as pre-service teachers in Maine classrooms is a key reason why Chelly Schildroth, the curriculum director at Regional School Unit (RSU) 24 in Sullivan, was working to recruit 91±ŹÁÏ students for her district at the career fair. 

“I think a lot of students who attend 91±ŹÁÏ understand the types of schools that we have in Maine,” she said. “They aren’t big city schools, they are rural and a lot of kids who go to 91±ŹÁÏ are excited to work at smaller schools.” 

The College of Education and Human Development offers several programs that lead to teacher certification in Maine, including the undergraduate majors in elementary and secondary education, the early childhood education concentration in the child development and family relations major, and the health and physical education concentration in kinesiology and physical education.  

Sophia Ouellette, an elementary education major who attended the fair, said the field experiences she had while studying at 91±ŹÁÏ prepared her to have a classroom of her own after graduation. During her final semester, Ouellette completed her required 15-week student teaching internship in a first-grade classroom at Leroy H. Smith School in Winterport, Maine.

“I also did my 100-hour practicum at the same school in the same classroom last semester,” said Ouellette. “It’s honestly given me the best knowledge and the best experience I could have asked for as I’m graduating.”

Ouellette, who is from Scarborough, Maine, said she plans to return to southern Maine after she graduates to teach in an early elementary classroom near where she grew up.

“That’s the ideal situation, but I’m open to new opportunities and very excited to see where 91±ŹÁÏ will take me,” she said.

Story by Rowan MacDonald, news intern

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

The visit was part of a 10-day trip across Iceland in May 2025 that brought students not only to a volcano but also a geyser, a glacier, mountains, and the rugged coastline. They even trekked through a lava tube created by an eruption through a fissure in the surface, their hard hats with headlamps lighting up the dark cavern shaped by jagged walls of hardened lava. 

“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Hall said. 

The experience is a central component of an upper-level travel study course called “ERS410: Sea-to-Sky Experience,” in which students explore dynamic landscapes and conduct real-world research on the oceanic, geologic, atmospheric and ecological processes that shaped them.

In Iceland, students drilled ice cores, obtained water samples, conducted isotope and radiocarbon dating and used ground-and ice-penetrating radar to gather a wide range of data. 

The faculty also coordinated opportunities for students to meet and interview local residents affected by the natural processes they were studying for qualitative data and personal context.   

“I have been quite interested in natural disaster sciences and mitigation since I began my undergraduate career and seeing the ways that the recent volcanic events have impacted both the landscape and the surrounding communities was extremely interesting,” Hall said. “Having the opportunity to connect with people who were affected first hand by these tragedies was eye-opening and gave me a further sense of direction in my career planning.”

Unlike similar programs at other universities, “Sea-to-Sky” also trains students to become effective science communicators by teaching them how to translate complex research into more accessible formats for a general audience, including drawings, paintings and creative writing. 

Karl Kreutz, course instructor and director of the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, said what sets the program apart is the internationally recognized researchers who teach it —Ìę Seth Campbell, associate professor of glaciology, and Aaron Putnam, George H. Denton Professor of Earth Sciences; Daniel Dixon, director of 91±ŹÁÏ’s Sustainability Office; and renown environmental artist and alumna ’15, ’18G.

“Our students are exposed to real-world problems that they help solve, and they work with some of the best scientists in the world,” Kreutz said.  

“Sea-to-Sky” has been offered four times over the past decade — once in Iceland and three times in Alaska. The idea took shape while Kreutz and Campbell were stranded on a glacier mountain during a five-day storm, where they began brainstorming a program that would immerse students in real-world field experiences in unique environments. 

Open to students in earth and climate sciences, environmental science, engineering or other programs, “Sea-to-Sky” prepares participants to become future scientists by engaging them in independent research projects and faculty-led work in the field. 

As a capstone course for Earth and climate science students, “Sea-to-Sky” requires participants to present their findings through presentations or posters at public events like the 91±ŹÁÏ Student Symposium. By contributing to faculty research, students may also receive credit in peer-reviewed journal publications, helping launch their professional scientific careers. 

The next “Sea-to-Sky” experience is scheduled for May, when faculty will once again bring students to Iceland for continued research. The program is supported by a gift endowment from the Golden family in honor of Nicholas Golden, an Earth and climate science student who passed away.

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

At the 91±ŹÁÏ, students graduate with the skills and experience to step directly into Maine’s growing workforce. 

Now, they are getting a clearer picture of how to get started.

“You already have the emotional intelligence and understanding, but you grow it by practicing new habits when you enter the work place,” said Ray Steen, vice president of human resources at Bath Iron Works. “It’s all about how you connect with others.”

Connecting students with industry leaders is among the many things the 91±ŹÁÏ does very well.

That was evident during a panel discussion, “Advice for Building a Career in the Blue Economy,” where industry leaders shared guidance with students preparing to enter one of Maine’s most vital and evolving sectors.

In a state where much of the fishing industry operates as a network of small businesses, that future may depend on students who are ready not just to enter the workforce, but to shape it.

The panel underscored the range of opportunities available. Bath Iron Works alone includes roughly 350 job titles, from welding and electrical work to engineering and operations roles, reflecting the breadth of careers that make up the blue economy.

Connection was a major theme throughout the discussion.

Speakers encouraged students to start small, working alongside local fishers and coastal businesses, and to take advantage of expanding internship opportunities across the state.

That approach shaped the career of Monique Coombs, director of community programs for the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, who entered the industry during the 2008 recession with the goal of supporting her hometown of Harpswell and preserving fishing for future generations.

“Try different things and have the ability to quit and fail,” Coombs said. “That’s how you know what you like and don’t like and what’s important to you.”

Coombs began with contract work before joining the association full time in 2016. Today, the organization works to inventory and preserve Maine’s working waterfront while also supporting fishermen through programs that address both physical and mental well-being. It also offers two internships each summer, giving students hands-on experience in the field.

“Interns assist in our pre-established projects for the summer, but we always leave space for them to come up with a few of their own,” said Coombs.

For some, the blue economy offers an opportunity not just to join an existing industry, but to rethink how it operates.

Liam Fisher, founder of the Maine Garum Company, described how he built a business at the intersection of engineering, sustainability and food. Using organic waste from the fishing industry, Fisher produces garum, a fermented sauce, creating value from materials that would otherwise be discarded.

“There’s an entire ecosystem to help small start-ups in this state,” Fisher said. “Talk to other Mainers. You’d be surprised how excited people get about seeing their state’s name on a sauce bottle.”

His work reflects a broader shift in Maine’s coastal economy, where traditional industries are increasingly intersecting with entrepreneurship and innovation.

“We need to change commodities to culture and cuisine,” said Fisher. “I see that as an opportunity within the next five years with new faces entering the workforce. We can create an identity around the region.”

Story by Mello Vancil, news intern.

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

Dawna Kulakowski teaches first through third grade in Troy, Maine. For her, moments like this are the point.

“I think it’s important for kids in these grades to come to the farm and learn about agriculture here at the university, because they have a lot of this out in their own communities, and they might be interested in a career in this area in the future,” Kulakowski said. “I think a lot of these kids like hands-on learning to experience things in the real world.”

Public access is central to operations at Witter Farm in Old Town. It welcomes K-12 students, community residents, university groups and professional organizations to meet the animals, learn about the research and contribute to Maine’s agricultural industry.

On a cool March day, students from Troy Central School, including those in Kulakowski’s class, traded their desks for a behind-the-scenes look at a working agricultural operation just outside 91±ŹÁÏ’s campus.

Trotting horses, mooing cows and fresh hay greeted the group as their chatter and laughter filled the barns. The visit connected Maine’s traditional classroom education with the state’s agricultural industry — one that relies on a new generation to sustain it.

Guiding them through the barns were 91±ŹÁÏ student workers, who balance coursework with leading tours and completing their daily responsibilities on the farm — an example of the university’s learner-centered approach as an R1 research institution.

Their work gives visiting students a peer-led introduction to agriculture while reinforcing their own hands-on education.

“As part of the class, students come in during their sophomore year and start working on the farm doing all kinds of things. The highlight, though, is when they are assigned to a pregnant female cow,” said Chelsea Carr, livestock operations manager. “They get to be here for the birthing as part of their grade, and once the calf arrives, they get to name it as a group.” 

The Witter Center houses multiple operations, including Witter Farm, and serves as a hub for animal sciences and sustainable agriculture. As a primary facility for the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, it integrates hands-on undergraduate and graduate education with high-level research.

The farm houses 78 animals and regularly welcomes school groups that engage directly with the animals and learn where their food comes from.

Many students also connect with the farm beyond their visit through the “Adopt a Cow” program, a Discover Dairy and New England Dairy joint initiative that features Witter Farm as one of several participating farms across New England.

“Every farm puts up two calves that get adopted by classrooms. I believe last year we were adopted by 600 classrooms of kindergarteners, and the adopted cows that we have this year are Darling and Doris. I’m sure that most of the tours on my schedule are here to see them,” Carr said.

Through this yearlong virtual initiative, educators can bring the world of farm life into their classrooms. By adopting a calf from a New England dairy farm, students can follow a specific calf’s development over the course of the school year. This immersive experience is supported by complimentary educational materials from Discover Dairy, helping students understand dairy farming and how milk reaches their tables.

“We send updates, photos and videos of our adopted calves to Discovery Dairy, who then shares this information with the participating classrooms that have adopted our calves,” said Patricia Henderson, Witter Farm’s superintendent.

Beyond traditional farm work, Witter Farm reflects the modernization of agriculture through its robotic milking barn.

“We put in the VMS300, a voluntary milking system, about a year ago in March. It’s a robot that milks the cows without people having to do it. The cows can come in whenever they want, and the robot will milk them, clean the teats and collect a whole bunch of data for us,” Henderson said.

The farm’s openness is intentional. Leaders say inviting the public in and encouraging questions helps challenge misconceptions about agriculture.

“I think there’s a lot of stigma behind dairy farming, so opening our tours to any and all questions is important for opening farms like this to the public and growing their knowledge of our industry,” said Riley McAllaster, a senior in the animal and veterinary science program with a pre-veterinary concentration.

That effort is tied to a broader concern: fewer people are entering the agricultural workforce.

“I hope these tours spark an interest in agriculture for these kids. With our new technology, like the robot barn, I hope people will understand that this is a modern, informing industry,” Carr said. “I want more people to be aware of the many agricultural jobs beyond working as a farmer, including research roles. Renewable farming is a growing industry, and it is full of jobs that need to be filled, and I hope these kids realize these opportunities early on.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

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

But when the junior mechanical engineering major from Winslow, Maine, sat down with a potential employer, the conversation quickly turned to a line on his resume: Naked Five.

“They recognized me,” Newgard said. “They asked about it.”

What might have been a passing detail instead became a conversation about leadership and follow-through, qualities that extend beyond the arena.

At the 91±ŹÁÏ, the Naked Five are a shirtless, painted fixture of Alfond Arena and one of the university’s most recognizable game-day rituals. Beyond the spectacle, the students behind it are high-achievers, balancing demanding coursework with career ambitions in fields like engineering, health care and environmental science.

Newgard, this year’s alternate captain and the only non-senior in the group, helps carry the tradition forward, representing both the energy of Black Bear hockey and expected academic discipline.

His experience isn’t unique.

Caleb Canders of Brewer, Maine, the group’s captain, is a senior studying zoology with minors in psychology and neuroscience who will attend dental school after graduation. The Naked Five also came up during his application process.

“It’s something that shows leadership and involvement,” Canders said.

Jacob Bentley of Vassalboro, Maine, is a senior electrical engineering major who plans a career in substation design.

Jason Wickett of Hermon, Maine, is a senior nursing major who plans to become a cardiothoracic surgery nurse practitioner.

Grady Gobeil of Bourne, Massachusetts, is a senior marine biology major who aims to work as a fisheries biologist.

By day, they move between labs, clinicals and coursework. By night, they step into one of the most visible roles at 91±ŹÁÏ hockey games.

“It’s about representing the university in every way,” Canders said. “In the classroom and in the stands.”

The group traces its roots to the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon. For more than 30 years, membership has been passed down to students who demonstrate commitment, enthusiasm and school spirit.

A typical gameday

Inside the Alfond, their presence is immediate and unmistakable.

The horn sounds. The crowd roars. Within seconds, the five students are on their feet, painted bright under the arena lights, moving along the concourse as fans reach out for high-fives.

They follow a set routine, lining up and spelling out “M-A-I-N-E” as the crowd joins in, repeating the pattern each time Maine scores.

“M” carries the cowbell. 

“A” wears orange headgear. 

“I” carries a bag with their phones. 

“N” wears an old Maine hockey hat. 

“E” has no signature item (by design, they joke).

“It’s a really cool feeling,” Canders said. “To have that kind of support from the community.”

Outside the arena, their schedules leave little downtime.

“It takes commitment,” Newgard said. “You have to manage everything and still show up.”

They also connect with the community beyond game day, volunteering at events around Orono and interacting with fans outside the stands.

After one game, as the arena emptied, a woman approached the group and asked for a photo. Afterward, she hugged one of the members and told them it had made her day.

“It’s moments like that you remember,” Canders said.

For the students, those interactions are what make the experience meaningful, creating a connection that extends beyond the game itself.

As this year’s group prepares to graduate, a new group will step in, continuing a practice that has lasted more than three decades.

For Canders, the goal is simple:

“We’re just trying to keep it going,” he said.

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

Jamie Fogg, a fourth-year marine science major, is studying the immunogenetic diversity of harp seals, focusing on the MHC-I gene, a key component of the adaptive immune system. The gene helps the immune system recognize virus-infected cells and trigger an immune response.

“Our seals are contracting these viruses and some species are showing higher rates of disease and mortality, where others are not,” Fogg said. “This leads us to the question, what is giving these seals immunity to these different viruses?”

Fogg’s study highlights 91±ŹÁÏ’s commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on research learning opportunities, in which undergraduate students work directly with faculty and industry partners to tackle challenges facing Maine communities. For her senior research, Fogg is working with Kristina Cammen in the School of Marine Sciences and partners from the regional marine stranding network. 

Harp seals are an Arctic species that have been migrating to the Gulf of Maine more frequently in recent years. Researchers believe harp seals may be introducing viruses that other local seal species have not previously encountered. 

“The reason seals are experiencing these viruses at such high rates is because they are social creatures and haul out in large groups,” Fogg said. “This is a great place for viruses to spread.”

Harp seals have been proposed as reservoir species, meaning they can carry viruses without severe illness and transmit them to more vulnerable populations, such as harbor seals. Without immunity to these viruses, outbreaks could threaten seal populations and disrupt the Gulf of Maine’s ecosystem.

By identifying why some seals survive viral outbreaks, Fogg’s work could help inform local conservation strategies and safeguard the health of a species that is both ecologically and culturally significant to the region. 

Fogg’s research could have real-world implications for Maine’s coastal communities. Harbor seals are a familiar part of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, contributing to biodiversity, local culture and balance of regional fisheries.

“They are a big draw of tourism and charismatic megafauna,” she said.

For Fogg, the project is more than an academic exercise. She is gaining hands-on experience in field research and genetic analysis. With the hope to continue working with marine mammals through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), she is building skills that will shape her future career. 

Fogg is a NOAA Hollings Scholar, which allowed her to intern at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. As she continues her research, Fogg hopes her work will deepen scientists’ understanding of seal immunity and help protect the health of marine ecosystems along the Maine coast.

Story by Rowan MacDonald, news intern. 

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

Piscataquis County has the lowest median household income in Maine, just over $61,000 as reported in Census data collected between 2020-24. Having seen the reality of those numbers, Griffith strives to bridge the inequality gap that defines many of Maine’s communities.

At the 91±ŹÁÏ, she has used her knowledge and resources as an undergraduate student to track business cycles in small regions of the state and lead community service initiatives.

Majoring in economics with minors in mathematics and international affairs, Griffith developed a methodology to measure economic expansion and contraction in sub-county regions. This approach can help show how state policies impact regional economies.

The project was one of many reasons Griffith was named the 2026 91±ŹÁÏ valedictorian.

“I felt like there were a lot of very substantial economic differences across smaller regions of Maine,” said Griffith, who is also the Outstanding Graduating Student in the Honors College. “I was always interested in figuring out why those might happen and learning more about them. This was a way to do that analytically.”

For her Honors thesis, she adapted a business cycle algorithm that is popularly used to analyze stock markets to allow input of regional sales tax data from Maine. Using this method, someone can analyze a region’s economy before and after a local, state or national policy takes effect, allowing them to better understand the regional impacts.

In high school, Griffith worked on a farm and imagined having a career in the fields. She enrolled in 91±ŹÁÏ’s economics program because of its focus on agriculture. Little did she know that one course in finance would push her interest toward rows of numbers instead of fruits and vegetables.

After she graduates in May, she’ll be moving to New York City — a “very big change” from her upbringing in Piscataquis County — to work for Canadian company TD Bank. As part of the bank’s risk management team, Griffith will help assess financial threats. 

She didn’t shy away from choosing a path that diverged from her family’s careers. Her mother taught history at a middle school, her father works for an insurance company and her brother is a chemical engineer. 

In Griffith’s experience, a job in finance can be difficult for anyone outside of the field to understand. Her idea of modeling isn’t the mainstream tag found on the pages of magazines, and finance isn’t just crunching numbers in a cubicle, it’s her key to solving great economic disparities. It’s the doorway into a career where she can combine her passion for the numbers and data with her values in life.

“In research, a common thing that we say is to let the data tell your story,” Griffith said. “So you come at the research with a question, and then data will let you know where to go with that question, and it makes it so your outside biases aren’t as impactful on the research.”

Her core values revolve around three pillars: community, action and mindfulness. Since her sophomore year, she has served as the fundraising chair for Maine Day Meal Packout, which included writing grants, organizing small fundraisers and making requests for private donations. This year, she is also the student coordinator and has led a team of 12 other students to plan the packout.

One day a year, the inside of Memorial Gym on 91±ŹÁÏ’s campus transforms into a factory line where student and community volunteers pack meals to donate to food pantries across the state. For the past two years, Griffith said they have averaged about 50,000 meals. This year, they’re expecting 80,000. 

Fundraising has been more of a challenge this year, as funding has become more competitive, but Griffith and the other student organizers have used the opportunity to create new approaches. For their annual bake sale, they loaded baked goods into a shopping cart and became traveling salesmen for the day. They also partnered with Athletics to raffle off tickets for hockey games.

“Knowing the work that other students do at 91±ŹÁÏ, I’m always so incredibly impressed by the impact that they make,” Griffith said. “It’s very much an honor to see that other people thought I was making an impact in the same way on campus and in the campus community.” 

In addition to her work with Maine Day Meal Packout, Griffith volunteers for organizations that empower and advance opportunities for women. She chairs the Alum Council for the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute and is a member of the advisory committee for the Maine Community Foundation’s Maine Women’s Fund.

As a woman in STEM, Griffith has come face to face with gender realities and uses her own personal experiences to empower others. 

She hopes one day to return to school for a Master of Business Administration, moving one step closer toward a career in pursuit of community, action and mindfulness through the lens of finance. 

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

A member of the Women’s Swimming and Diving Team who competed in the butterfly and individual medley, Irani founded the 91±ŹÁÏ chapter of The Hidden Opponent, a national nonprofit dedicated to athlete mental health advocacy. Seeking to make a tangible difference for student-athletes, she sought additional mental health services from the university. 

Driven by a passion to help her peers, she found the confidence she admittedly lacked at the start of her collegiate career to not only earn the support from 91±ŹÁÏ Athletics that would eventually lead to the university hiring an in-office therapist specifically for student-athletes. 

“I faked it ‘til I made it,” Irani said. “The Hidden Opponent was the first instance where I just showed up with a lot of confidence as I asked administration and 91±ŹÁÏ Athletics for what I needed, and they just gave it to me.”

Success in improving student athlete mental health is one of several personal, athletic and academic accolades that earned Irani, a biomedical engineering major, the title of co-salutatorian for 91±ŹÁÏ’s Class of 2026. Her recognition as co-salutatorian reflects not just her academic achievement, but the personal growth she has cultivated throughout her time at 91±ŹÁÏ.

Between early morning swim practice and rigorous engineering coursework, Irani built a college career defined by discipline, determination and a deep network of support. Alongside excelling in engineering and competing as a Division I level swimmer, Irani navigated new challenges and built the confidence to take ownership of her college experience. 

“I went in thinking that my major would define me,” she said. “I switched majors four times before I even got to school. I thought this was going to be a make-or-break moment for my career.”

Several research and leadership opportunities that shaped Irani’s collegiate experience were ones she sought herself. For example, when she contacted chemical engineering professor David Neivandt for lab experience, he invited her to join the Neivandt Lab, where she helped develop sustainable lobster-shell biomaterials. 

The material, stronger than both concrete and wood, dissolves in water within two weeks and fully biodegrades in soil in about a month. The work not only allowed her to develop her skills and enhance her resume, but also participate in a project that has a tangible societal impact.

“My goal has always been to contribute meaningfully,” Irani said. “I think my mindset changed when I started thinking that way — thinking, how can this be meaningful? How can I show up?”

Irani relied on a structured routine to balance her commitments. Early morning, disciplined schedules, and careful time management enabled her to excel in athletics, coursework, research and leadership roles without compromising her health or well-being.

Irani credits her growth to the support of mentors, advisors and peers. David J. Neivandt guided her research endeavors, while her athletic and academic advisor Julie Cheville helped her to navigate the complex demands of Division I athletics and engineering coursework. Her teammates and roommate, Ashley LeClaire, provided daily motivation and camaraderie, and her girlfriend, Sarah, offered emotional support throughout the rigorous college experience.

“I’ve had one roommate for the last three years, Ashley, and she’s been insanely supportive, helping me find balance during long days and making sure I take time to step away and relax,” Irani said. “And my girlfriend, Sarah, has been a big part of my success here over the last two years — encouraging me, questioning me when I doubt myself, and helping me feel confident in pursuing research, conferences, and other opportunities.”

Her family also played a formative role. Her aunt, Jean MacRae, a civil & environmental engineering professor here at 91±ŹÁÏ, and her uncle, Farahad Dastoor, a biology lecturer and undergraduate coordinator at 91±ŹÁÏ, encouraged her curiosity from the start. Their guidance helped Irani see the opportunities at 91±ŹÁÏ and made the university feel like a place she could call home very early on.

Looking forward, Irani plans to continue her research through a 4+1 master’s program in biomedical engineering at 91±ŹÁÏ, working to develop sustainable and effective medical devices that combine innovation with societal impact. She hopes prospective students and families understand the supportive culture at 91±ŹÁÏ and the opportunities available for those willing to take initiative and explore beyond their comfort zones.

From Texas to Maine, Irani’s journey illustrates how discipline, community and proactive engagement can shape a transformative college experience. Her selection as co-salutortian honors not only her academic success, but also the leadership, curiosity and resilience that have defined her four years at 91±ŹÁÏ.

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer

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

But while his undergraduate journey will reach a successful culmination in May,  he isn’t leaving the Pine Tree State right away.

A dual-degree student, pursuing studies in both physics and mathematics, Obertas’ decision to come to Orono came with significant (and life-altering) benefits beyond academics.

“91±ŹÁÏ provided me with an opportunity to escape a war-torn country,” Obertas said. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t (pass up). I am grateful for it. 91±ŹÁÏ gave me hope for a better future.”

Obertas noted his gratitude to the Office of International Programs, whose staff went above and beyond to help him adjust during the difficult first few months after his arrival from Ukraine. That gratitude was clearest when he was asked to describe 91±ŹÁÏ in one word, as the answer was meaningful on many levels.

“Hope,” he said simply. “I am from western Ukraine so it’s not that bad compared to what some people have to endure, [but] before I came here, I was stuck in the middle of the Ukraine war with little good to look for in the future.”

As Obertas learned more about his new surroundings, he made many discoveries about the place and the people who live here.

“Perhaps it’s a clichĂ©, but Maine is famous for its beautiful nature,” he said. “I have spent a lot of time hiking and skiing around. It is a great way to clear your head.”

He also learned that the kindness he received from the 91±ŹÁÏ community doesn’t just exist on campus.  

“I found that Mainers are very charitable and supportive of the small local communities,” he said. “People go out of their way to help the little guy. An example would be the outreach program I took part in, traveling physics demonstrations organized by David Sturm intended to spark curiosity in children who would otherwise not have access to a good science education in their school curriculum.”

Obertas hit the ground running when he began his studies at 91±ŹÁÏ, taking advantage of the many research pursuits available to undergraduates.    

“I spent the first two years working in the thin film lab under Nicolas S. Bingham at FIRST studying artificial spin ice lattices,” he said. “I have also had an internship under Jack Buttcane in the math department optimizing Wigner D-polynomials. Both were wonderful experiences and taught me a lot, however I am not planning to pursue a career in research.”

Speaking on the faculty, Obertas made very clear how supportive his professors were and how special the relationships between faculty and students can be.

“I want to note that 91±ŹÁÏ physics department has a unique culture of professor-student interactions who go above and beyond in supporting students,” he said. “Specifically, but not exclusively: Nicolas Bingham, Samuel Hess (who has the biggest heart in the world), Frank Dudish, David Sturm, who organizes physics demos to get children interested in science, and department chair John Thompson.”

As for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Obertas had plenty to say about its faculty as well.

“In the math department, Gilbert Moss was wonderful at helping organize the math club and was very supportive when I had troubles with anything, as well as Jacob Stripel (now working at the University at Buffalo), one of the most intelligent and thoughtful people I met here.” 

After graduation, Obertas intends to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics through the accelerated 4+1 program. After that, the sky is the limit. He plans to take actuarial exams and apply for jobs in that area, but he’s fairly certain that won’t be his final stop. In the end, just like so many of his peers who will be sharing the commencement stage with him, he’s excited to see what’s next.

“I am looking forward to where the road will take me,” Obertas said. 

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

At the 91±ŹÁÏ, that trend is evident across disciplines tied to growing sectors of the U.S. economy, including engineering, health care and biomedical sciences, business, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and food systems, communication sciences and disorders, and biotechnology.

University data highlight several indicators of that demand:

• Mechanical engineering enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade, with a 95% student satisfaction rate.
• The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program reports that 95% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school, with 82% working in natural resource fields.
• The Maine Business School, which will enroll 330 first-year students, filled nearly half of those seats before April and reports a 94% positive outcome rate.
• In animal and veterinary sciences, about 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school.
• Health-related fields tied to several majors are projected to see continued job growth over the next decade.

Mechanical engineering

91±ŹÁÏ’s mechanical engineering program, now the university’s largest major, has expanded in response to national demand for engineers in industries including manufacturing, technology and transportation.

Enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade. Graduates are recruited by employers such as Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Texas Instruments, GE and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The curriculum progresses from foundational coursework in math and physics to advanced engineering applications, with an emphasis on analysis, design and problem-solving. Experiential learning is integrated throughout, with students participating in internships, co-ops and a yearlong senior capstone design sequence focused on design, prototyping and testing.

Students may pursue concentrations such as aerospace engineering, along with minors or certificates in robotics, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. The program reports a 95% positive student sentiment rate.

Wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology

The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program has more than doubled in enrollment over the past two decades, reflecting sustained interest in conservation and natural resource careers.

The curriculum emphasizes field-based learning. More than half of courses include outdoor labs, and students complete a required immersive field experience in Downeast Maine that is frequently cited as a defining part of their education. More than 80% of undergraduates report that fieldwork influenced their decision to enroll.

Students gain experience through field surveys, internships and research. About 70% complete field experiences, and more than half participate in faculty-led research. Faculty and students have also produced more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and secured nearly $16 million in research funding during the past five years.

Among graduates, 95% are employed or enrolled in graduate school, and 82% work in natural resource fields.

Speech, pre-medical and biomedical sciences

91±ŹÁÏ is reporting increased interest in programs that prepare students for careers in health care, research and biotechnology, reflecting broader national workforce trends.

Fields such as speech-language pathology and audiology are projected to experience above-average job growth over the next decade, according to federal labor data. Demand is influenced by factors including an aging population and expanded access to care.

Programs in communication sciences and disorders, biology, biochemistry and microbiology provide preparation for graduate study and professional careers, including speech-language pathology as well as medical, dental and veterinary school.

Students frequently participate in faculty-led research, gaining experience that supports applications to graduate programs or entry into the workforce. Faculty say the programs emphasize both academic preparation and applied learning.

Business

The Maine Business School is nearing capacity for its incoming class, reflecting strong student demand for business education.

The program will enroll 330 first-year students, and nearly half of those seats were filled before April. Administrators say the pace of enrollment indicates sustained interest throughout the admissions cycle.

Students are drawn to the flexibility of the degree, particularly the general business major, which allows exploration across disciplines before selecting a concentration. Finance and marketing remain among the most popular areas of study.

The school reported a 94% positive outcome rate for the Class of 2024, defined as graduates employed, enrolled in graduate school or participating in service programs within six months. Officials say the program is designed to prepare students for a range of careers across industries.

Animal and veterinary sciences

Enrollment in 91±ŹÁÏ’s animal and veterinary sciences program has increased since before the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting demand for careers in animal health, veterinary medicine and agriculture.

The program prepares students for careers in veterinary medicine, research and agriculture-related fields. About 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school, while others enter the workforce directly.

Students gain hands-on experience at the university’s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center, where they work with animals in applied settings and develop practical skills.

All students also participate in research with faculty on topics including animal health, environmental systems and disease. Faculty say the program is structured to support both exploration and career preparation as workforce demand continues to grow.

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

Long days on the water taught her how to read conditions, anticipate problems and adjust quickly when things didn’t go as planned. Often, no one else was around to help.

Those instincts carried over into her reporting.

“A lot of waiting,” Kennedy said. “I have to anticipate because things won’t always go as planned. I have to be prepared to take that challenge on and do a lot of fast-paced, quick thinking under pressure.”

At 91±ŹÁÏ, a learner-centered university focused on real-world experience, Kennedy has translated that lobsterman grit into a professional edge. 

She recently landed a while completing her undergraduate degree as a political science major with minors in legal studies, international affairs and journalism.

“91±ŹÁÏ has been very good for me,” said Kennedy, who transferred to 91±ŹÁÏ from Endicott College in Massachusetts. “I came to 91±ŹÁÏ because I missed my home and there’s a lot of real and down-to-earth people who share my experience of having to work on top of school.”

Born and raised in Steuben, Kennedy has worked on her family’s commercial lobster boat alongside her brother since elementary school. Today, she balances that maritime heritage with the demands of reporting, often shifting between early mornings on the water and tight newsroom deadlines.

While she now works in a newsroom, her deep-rooted Downeast Maine perspective remains central to her storytelling. She still returns to the family boat whenever she can.

“In the summer, I try to come down once a week to go out on the boat with my brother and one of his best buddies who is also his new sternman,” Kennedy said. “Even though he is taking over my job on the deck and assisting with the process of catching lobsters, I still love to help. Because I get homesick, I could never stop being a fisherman.”

The same independence she developed on the water continues to guide her work in the field, where she often operates as a one-person reporting crew.

“The biggest challenge I’ve had in the newsroom is battling the equipment because I’m new to the camera and the editing software,” Kennedy said. “One time I turned my camera to do an interview, and my audio levels weren’t working, so I had to mess around with the camera and figure it out myself. I was trying to fix this crisis while also trying to interview someone.”

Her days reflect the pace and unpredictability of modern journalism.

“I get my story in the morning and sometimes they fall through and I’ve got to pivot at the last minute, but usually they’ll be fine and I’ve got to figure out setting up interviews,” Kennedy said. “I then have to go out and do those interviews, gather B-roll, come back and write it, do my voiceover and edit it all together by 5:45 p.m.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern.

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

“I was very all over the place and scattered,” said Ernst, who’s 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. 

“Just having that extra support helped set me up for success in the future,” she said. “It 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’t need the IEP anymore. Looking back on it now I can see the progress that I made in such a short amount of time.”

In December, Ernst graduated from the 91±ŹÁÏ with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a concentration in special education.  

After receiving her degree, the College of Education and Human Development recommended to the Maine 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 91±ŹÁÏ was to complete a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in special education. 

“I’m so glad 91±ŹÁÏ is opening up more opportunities for its students to work in special education,” Ernst said. “It’s a very special job, and working with these students is just awesome.” 

Providing more first-hand experiences for students

The College of Education and Human Development in partnership with three local school districts — Regional School Unit (RSU) 34 (Old Town, Alton and Bradley), RSU 26 (Orono) and the Hermon School Department — 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.

“In the general ed classroom, you’re lesson planning for a group of 20 students who are all mostly going to be doing the same thing,” said Ernst. “In 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.” 

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

“Having first-hand experiences in a variety of educational settings is a vital part of our teacher education programs, and it’s essential we offer placements that are relevant to and align with students’ career goals,” said Julie Ireland, field experience coordinator with the 91±ŹÁÏ 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 91±ŹÁÏ student teachers.

Boosting the K-12 workforce

The college’s 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 “Explicit Instruction,” developed by associate professor Sara Flanagan; “Mathematics Language and Communication,” developed by assistant professor Joo Young Lee; “Creating Digital Accessible Educational Materials,” developed by lecturer of special education Krystle Merry; and “Supporting Multilingual Learners,” developed by assistant professor Melissa Cuba.

“We 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,” said 91±ŹÁÏ 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 91±ŹÁÏ System, including 91±ŹÁÏ’s regional campus, the 91±ŹÁÏ at Machias; the 91±ŹÁÏ at Presque Isle and the 91±ŹÁÏ 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’s degree rather than continuing into a master’s 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’s in special education, which is one of the largest master’s degree programs at 91±ŹÁÏ. 

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

Maine, 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 91±ŹÁÏ 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 Maine 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’s met through 91±ŹÁÏ and her field placements influenced her decision to plant roots in the state.

“I found my community in Maine and I really want to stay here,” she said.

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

“You hear a lot of, ‘Well, the kids you’re working with aren’t easy,’” she said. “But if you think about it, there’s always some aspect of learning that’s hard or difficult, even for kids without an IEP. And even in a general education classroom, you’re going to have special education students, because of how integrated they are. So knowing how to work with them is really important. I’d just say if you’re thinking about it, you should try it.”

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

That changed when she enrolled in a at the , where students learn to translate academic ideas into writing for a general audience. Unlike traditional courses, the seminars emphasize public-facing work, with many students submitting their writing to news outlets.

Gatewood’s op-ed, was published in the Bangor Daily News. 

“I had never had someone fight for my writing before,” said Gatewood, an ecology and environmental sciences major from Boxford, Massachusetts.

Before the course, she said, she doubted where her writing could take her.

“I didn’t think my writing would get me anywhere,” Gatewood said. “The Calderwood class taught me different styles of writing that are more applicable to life after college.”

The 91±ŹÁÏ Honors College offers small, discussion-based courses and close faculty mentorship, emphasizing research, creative work and communication beyond the classroom. Programs like the Calderwood Seminars reflect that mission by helping students apply academic knowledge to public audiences.

First offered at 91±ŹÁÏ during the 2024-25 academic year, the Calderwood Seminars are now held each semester and continue to expand, with the Psychology department set to offer one next year. They are designed to help students move beyond academic writing and engage broader audiences with clear, accessible language.

“It’s empowering for student voices,” said Ellen Weinauer, dean of the 91±ŹÁÏ Honors College. “It encourages students to recognize that their voices have an impact in the world.”

The seminars originated at Wellesley College in 1984 with a course taught by David Lindauer, professor emeritus of economics. Originally called Economic Journalism, Lindauer’s  course replaced traditional exams with short writing assignments and required students to explain complex ideas to readers unfamiliar with the subject. 

That emphasis on clarity remains central at 91±ŹÁÏ.

“Calderwood students have gained a tremendous amount of confidence,” said Robert Glover, associate professor of Honors and political science.   Instead of “putting their writing in a box as a way to satisfy the course requirements,” Glover explained, the Calderwood class “gives them more room to create a frame for their own story.”

Enrollment is capped at 12 students, allowing for individualized instruction and stronger peer connections. 

“I was very surprised by the Calderwood Seminars,” Gatewood said. “Being able to talk in a small class was lovely. We had great conversations and got to know each other as writers.”

The courses, taught by Honors College faculty, often feature guest speakers such as  state legislators and journalists. Class sessions include peer review and short exercises in which students distill key ideas into one to two minutes. Rather than relying on lectures, the course emphasizes applied learning.

“My role was to facilitate and keep time,” Glover said. “Once students understand what’s expected of them, I’m there to hold them accountable to deadlines and promote efficiency and professionalism.”

For many students, writing for a general audience is unfamiliar territory.

“At the undergraduate level, we rarely think about writing for broad audiences,” Weinauer said. “Writing a piece that isn’t jargon-bound and that is meant to convey complex ideas in a digestible fashion takes a lot of work.”

That skill is especially important at a land-grant institution like 91±ŹÁÏ, she added, where there is a mission to share knowledge for the public good.

Assignments typically range from 500 to 1,000 words, an ideal length for publication. Students build confidence by mastering a topic and distilling it to its essentials.

“There’s a difference between knowing what you’re doing versus knowing why you’re doing it,” said Lindauer. “To be able to clearly formulate your ideas in a way others can understand means you really know what you’re talking about.”

Stripping away jargon can be one of the biggest challenges.

“It was difficult to talk casually,” Gatewood said. “You have to explain things in a way that doesn’t come across as insulting or overexplaining. It was a good challenge. I think taking the jargon out was difficult for all of us.”

Ultimately, the seminars aim to show students the power of their voices beyond the classroom.

“We’re giving students the power to make an impact. It is incredibly valuable because it lowers the barriers between the classroom and the world around us,” Weinauer said. “We want students to leave the Honors College with mastery in a specific field and disciplinary expertise. It’s powerful to take this knowledge and put it to work. It’s important to 91±ŹÁÏ, to our land grant mission, and to the Honors College.”

Story by Mello Vancil, news intern.

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