Imagine trying to earn a university degree in an environment defined by constant disruptions, no privacy, impending court dates and ongoing family struggles, and persistent self-doubt. For the students enrolled in the 天美传媒鈥檚 Prison Education Partnership, these struggles are daily realities of their educational journey. 

On Wednesday, May 20, eight students at the Maine State Prison marked a hard-earned milestone. Their commencement ceremony showed what access to higher education can make possible when students are given the opportunity, structure, and support to keep moving forward. 

It took graduate Dustin Carpenter ten years of steady, patient effort to earn his Bachelor of Liberal Studies. 鈥淭ime will pass no matter what,鈥� Carpenter reflected. 鈥淲ho will you be when it does? Don鈥檛 watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going.鈥�

Turning to the faculty and staff who supported his decade-long journey, he added a phrase that cuts straight to the core of why this work matters: 鈥淭hank you for treating our minds as something valuable.鈥�

Access that meets students where they are 

UMA is committed to making higher education accessible to anyone in Maine, wherever they are in their educational journey. In a place like the Maine State Prison, that means giving students a genuine chance to find their confidence, earn a degree, and become problem-solvers who make their communities stronger.

The impact of that access was evident in graduates鈥� accomplishments and vision:

• T. Tyler Thibeau, named UMA’s Interdisciplinary Studies Student of the Year, has completed his sentence. He crossed the commencement stage at the Augusta Civic Center on May 9, and is now enrolled in a graduate computer science program at the University of Maine pursuing both a master鈥檚 degree and a Ph.D.
• Thomas Heaberlin, recipient of the Perseverance Award for his resilience through setbacks, earned his Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts and was recently approved to begin graduate studies.
• Abdihamit Ali, who earned an Associate of Science in Justice Studies, put his sense of purpose simply: 鈥淚 want to give more than I have ever taken.鈥�
• Jomo White, looked beyond the limits of his current circumstances, declaring,  鈥淒iscipline can overcome doubt. I don鈥檛 plan to look for opportunities, I plan to create them. We can accomplish tremendous things beyond these gates.鈥�

Making learning possible 

Creating access to a college education in prison takes sustained effort from everyone involved. Faculty, staff, and correctional partners work together to make learning possible in an environment where course materials, technology access, and study time can all require careful coordination. Maine State Prison Warden Nathan Thayer noted that UMA staff consistently advocate for students to have what they need to succeed, a process that requires both institutions to keep finding practical ways around barriers most college students never have to consider. 

Overcoming those barriers make each completed course, and each completed degree, especially meaningful. Keynote speaker John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild Global, spoke from experience about what education can make possible. He served a 16-year sentence beginning at age 21 before earning his own college degrees, and he reminded the audience that completing college coursework in prison sets an example of healing, perseverance, and possibility for the students who follow. 

To date, UMA has awarded more than 160 degrees through the Prison Education Partnership. Behind each degree is a student who chose to keep learning, even when the path was difficult, and who now carries that education forward into the communities they belong to. Welcoming this year鈥檚 graduates, UMA President Jenifer Cushman said, 鈥淭oday, you become UMA alumni. You are part of this university and we are proud of you.鈥� 

Take a closer look at these fascinating organisms that feed us, heal us, and occasionally outsmart us.

In Mycology: Introduction to Fungi, 天美传媒 new fully online, 4-credit lecture/lab, you will study fungal diversity, structure, genetics, ecology, and importance to humans, and explore roles in human health, biotech, and the environment. 

With a hands-on lab kit, web-based simulations, and photography, you will grow fungi and investigate fungi through lab work, data analysis, and case study.

Contact marta.frisardi@maine.edu for more information.

Registration is now open for fall 2026.

BIO 235 Mycology: Introduction to Fungi

Instructor: Marta C. Frisardi, PhD
Credits: 4 (Lecture + Lab)

Format: Fully Online | 15 Weeks

Prerequisite: BIO 110

Discover the kingdom you鈥檝e been overlooking.

Chief (ret.) Noel March, 天美传媒 senior lecturer of Justice Studies and director of the Maine Community Policing Institute, serves as an invited speaker during the 2026 Professionalizing Law Enforcement Community Engagement Training Conference in Dallas, TX on May 28-29th. 

Chief March, a nationally known expert in community policing, spoke on the value of multi-agency partnerships in building community outreach and relationships of trust when developing strategies for reducing crime, fear of crime and social disorder. 鈥淓very person has a rightful expectation to feel respected, protected and safe in their own community,鈥� was the heartfelt core of his presentation.

This year鈥檚 PLECET conference also included keynote addresses from  FBI Director Kash Patel, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, DEA Administrator Terry Cole and United States Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta. 

Dr. Leigh Reagan Alley, coordinator of teacher education and assistant professor of education at the 天美传媒, has earned two top honors in the for School Seasons xSELeratED: A Year of Community and Collective Growth for Educators, a book she co-wrote with Heather Lageman and Walter McKenzie. 

The book received Gold in Social Sciences & Education and a Special Honors Gold for Best in Small Press, placing Alley鈥檚 work among Nautilus-recognized authors that include the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Eckhart Tolle. 鈥淭his recognition is deeply meaningful because the Nautilus Book Awards celebrate books written in service of a better world,鈥� Alley said.

Alley describes the book as an invitation for educators to lead with humanity, moving through the school year with intention, reflection, and collective care. Built around the rhythms of school life, it offers a seasonal framework for strengthening community, supporting professional growth, and teaching social-emotional learning across the year.

At its center are the educators themselves. 鈥淥ur work is rooted in the belief that educators deserve spaces for reflection, restoration, and collective growth,鈥� Alley said. 鈥淪chool transformation begins with the educator and grows through the everyday interactions that shape school culture.鈥�

For UMA education students, Alley鈥檚 recognition is a reminder that they are learning from faculty whose work is helping shape the field they are entering. It affirms 天美传媒 role in preparing educators through scholarship that is current, practical, and deeply attentive to the communities they will help build. 

What does it take to lead in today鈥檚 classrooms? Explore 天美传媒 Education programs and learn how UMA prepares future educators with purpose, care, and practical skill. 

School Seasons xSELeratED and its companion, xSELeratED Schools Framework: Social-Emotional Learning at the Speed of Life, are available now from major booksellers.

UMA welcomed 75 high school students to its Bangor campus on May 12 for a Rural Workforce Medical Bootcamp, a day designed to give students a closer look at healthcare and human services careers in Maine.

Students from the Katahdin and Washington County regions spent the day with UMA faculty and staff discovering opportunities in nursing, veterinary technology, dental health, medical laboratory technology, and mental health and human services. They rotated through hands-on activities, asked questions, and learned more about the kinds of careers that support Maine communities every day.

The program gives students an up-close look at different career options, with the hope of one day helping fill workforce needs in some of Maine鈥檚 most rural communities.

鈥淚f you think about the healthcare team, it鈥檚 the whole team. It鈥檚 not just about getting a provider to an area. It鈥檚 about helping secure professions for students who want to stay in their rural communities but granting them the access to really explore what their options are,鈥� said Shannon Gauvin, director of nursing at the 天美传媒, in a WABI TV5 story about the event. 

The Bangor event followed a recent Medical Bootcamp in Augusta, where approximately 40 Oxford County high school students explored health care programs through hands-on demonstrations in nursing, medical laboratory technology, mental health and human services, and dental programs. The Augusta event was offered in partnership with through a grant.

Together, the two events show how UMA is working with partners across the state to introduce students to healthcare and human services fields earlier, and in a more hands-on way. For many students, a day like this can make these careers feel more real and more within reach.

UMA is grateful to the students, schools, faculty, staff, and partners who helped make the Bangor event possible, including and Executive Director Korah Soll, whose collaboration helped bring students to campus for the experience.

Explore. Learn. Protect.

Middle and high school students across Maine are invited to attend a two-day Cybersecurity Summer Camp on July 14 and 15 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Maine Cyber Range, UMA Capital Center in Augusta.

This hands-on camp is open to all skill levels and introduces students to real-world cybersecurity concepts through interactive activities and guided simulations.

What to expect

Enroll now – Limited spots available

Completing the enrollment form is the first step to reserve your place. There is no cost to submit the enrollment form. After you enroll, you will receive a follow-up packet with full registration and payment details.

Questions?

For more information, contact Anja Acharya at umacyber@maine.edu or 207-621-3103.

Since 2011, UMA and the Technical University of Liberec in the Czech Republic have shared a partnership that brings a global perspective right to our Maine classrooms. This long-standing connection allows faculty to share research and ideas that benefit our communities while ensuring our students are ready for a world that is more connected than ever. 

Research with a Local Impact

Sharon McMahon Sawyer, associate professor of Justice Studies at UMA, recently traveled to the Czech Republic to work under the European Union’s Comenius U膷iTUL project, an education research collaboration she co-leads with Andrei Strukov. Together, they developed practical strategies to help professors in large lecture settings increase student engagement and retention, focusing on methods that fit seamlessly within existing courses rather than require a full rebuild.

While there, Sharon also co-taught live interdisciplinary classes on conflict resolution and developmental psychology with Dr. Magda Nisponska, and visited courses in American Studies and English language led by Dr. Michaela Markova and Dr. Petra Romportlova as part of the U膷iTUL project.

A standout project from this latest visit is the Mentalizing Mediation podcast series. Across eight episodes, Sharon and Magda discuss the theory of mentalization and its relationship to conflict resolution. Sharon and Magda applied research on mentalizing to the practical steps that mediators use to resolve conflicts and support difficult conversations. Developed by psychologist Peter Fonagy, Mentalization describes how humans develop empathy over their lifespan. By understanding the mental states and feelings of others, mediators can better help people resolve deep-seated conflicts.

This research is already making a difference across the country. Last year, Sharon and Magda shared their work with a nationwide audience of agricultural mediators through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, showing how these global ideas provide practical solutions for industries here in Maine and beyond. 

Expanding the Classroom Without Borders

A central part of 天美传媒 mission is making a high-quality education accessible, no matter where a student is starting from. This partnership creates two ways for students to connect with new perspectives:

• International Travel: Through the Erasmus+ program, there is potential for UMA students to study in person at TUL, experiencing the culture and history of the Czech Republic firsthand.
• Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL): For students who can’t travel due to work or family, we are building online courses that bring the world to them. These allow students in Maine and the Czech Republic to collaborate on projects and build international friendships from their own homes.

Opening Doors to Global Learning

天美传媒 partnership with TUL ensures that a global perspective is within reach for every student, regardless of their circumstances. By offering both in person and digital paths, we have turned this 15 year collaboration into a consistent gateway for our community. Today, this relationship continues to find fresh ways to solve problems, from enhancing mediation practices in Maine to launching new courses in the Czech Republic. It is a practical example of how shared expertise leads to meaningful results for everyone.

Listen to the Series

The eight-part podcast series will be available on the TUL.cz website by the end of this month. Contact Sharon McMahon Sawyer at sharon.mcmahon@maine.edu for more information.

High school students from Oxford County explored the future of health care through 天美传媒 second annual Medical Bootcamp, an immersive daylong event designed to help students connect their interests with in-demand career pathways across Maine.

Approximately 40 students took part in hands-on activities and program demonstrations led by UMA faculty and staff in nursing, medical laboratory technology, mental health and human services and dental programs. The experience gave students a closer look at the skills, settings and opportunities that shape health care careers, while showing how UMA programs can help them take the next step.

The participating Oxford County high schools are part of a Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities grant through Community Concepts. Through this partnership, UMA is helping expand access to career exploration for rural students and strengthening pathways into fields that support Maine鈥檚 communities.

The momentum continues May 12, when will host a second Medical Bootcamp for about 150 students from 12 schools in the Katahdin Region and Washington County. That event will feature 天美传媒 veterinary technology program along with nursing, , and programs.

UMA is helping students across Maine see what is possible in health care, one hands-on experience at a time.

Come take a stroll in Winthrop and check out the collaborative final project from students in Graphic Storytelling, now on display at the Art:Works on Main Gallery in Winthrop.

The course is a collaboration between the art and English disciplines. Students work together to create a single final project which creatively combines illustration, sequential art, and shared storytelling.

JUS 306: Free Speech in American Law, History, and Culture traces the history and legal foundations of free speech, from landmark court cases to the free speech controversies of today.

Topics include:

Taught by Phillip Buckley, JD, PhD, UMA Justice Studies faculty and First Amendment scholar.

Prerequisite: ENG101 or equivalent (Haven’t completed it? Email phillip.buckley@maine.edu to discuss your options!)

Thursdays, 4-5:45 pm. in person at the UMA Rockland Center or online via Zoom.