Evan Zarkadas – University Times

A Documentary on the History of UMPI

Two students, Tiffany Smith and Evan Zarkadas, decided to find out about their school. They just wanted to find out the history of their university, why buildings and certain things got their names and learn about why things are the way they are. They did a search on Google and YouTube and surprisingly they did not find anything about the history of UMPI. That was the initial spark that started a project that will be appreciated and viewed in the future, but also bring a presence on the history of UMPI to social media. Continue reading “A Documentary on the History of UMPI”

Breaking News: Weather Update

What is happening in the County this year? Record breaking snow depths, powerful winds that cause whiteouts and huge ice walls along the roads is what describes our current situation here in northern Maine.

Well, according to the recent news and studies, the weather doesn’t seem to get better. The National Association of Snowing is pushing for a declaration of a national emergency, since the snowfall is estimated to continue even in the summer months, with world record-breaking amounts of snow. There is also a possibility that snow will continue all the way to December of 2019. And scientists are assured that we will have a continuous winter until the winter of 2020. Continue reading “Breaking News: Weather Update”

When Racing Dogs Bring a Community Together

Picture of the CAN-AM Sled Dog Races. Picture taken by Tiffany Smith.

March is the third month of the year. It has 31 days, and is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. But for Aroostook County, it is the month of the Can-Am Crown, the sled dog races in Fort Kent. Every year in the first week of March, all of Aroostook County gathers in Fort Kent for a weekend of excitement, friendships and dog races.

During this year’s race, there was a variety of racers from various U.S. States and Canadian provinces. Maine was represented by 16 racers divided between the three race categories of 30, 100 and 250 miles. Continue reading “When Racing Dogs Bring a Community Together”

Always Follow Your Heart

Mitch Wheeler during his law enforcement career

And remember, “Being happy is the most important thing in life” said Mitch Wheeler during his distinguished lecture talk as an UMPI Alumni, opening in the best way possible the lecture series for 2019. Continue reading “Always Follow Your Heart”

The Declaration of Strategic Priorities to Address Critical State Needs

Logo with all the UMaine System Campuses

A few weeks ago the University of Maine System Board of Trustees passed a declaration document whose purpose is to address the future strategic priorities that the UMS will have to follow in order to address some specific, critical state needs. But what does that mean? Continue reading “The Declaration of Strategic Priorities to Address Critical State Needs”

Did Somebody Mention Comedy?

Hailey Boyle in the Middle with Violet Washburn, Bethnay MacPherson and Roni Shaw from the SAO office.

What is your definition of comedy? If you find this question difficult to answer, then you should have been at the Hailey Boyle show this past Nov. 15. Hailey made her second appearance at UMPI, and just as with her first visit, through her spicy humor and temperament, she was able once more to make UMPI laugh. Hailey’s comedy is very particular and through her jokes about the sexes, her personal life and other topics about everyday life problems, she was able to captivate the audience’s love and attention. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, she has a great comedy record, with her most recent distinction being named one of New York’s top 10 funniest comics at The New York Comedy Festival. Continue reading “Did Somebody Mention Comedy?”

Understanding the Native American Culture Through the Eyes of Archaeology

Matthew Payan, and Adam Weyeneth standing in front of a Wabanaki Canoe at the Abbe museum.

UMPI has always been a hub of great classes and professors full of passion and love for what they do. Curiosity and academic endeavors is what UMPI classes are all about, and because of that students get to experience situations and opportunities that they would never had the ability to do anywhere else. Professor Dave Putnam and his archaeology class on Dec. 1, 2018, got the chance to visit the Abbe Museum at Bar Harbor. The purpose of the trip was to examine archaic and prehistoric artifacts from Maine and also to learn more about the Native American culture and the new direction toward which the Abbe Museum is moving: the Decolonization process. Continue reading “Understanding the Native American Culture Through the Eyes of Archaeology”

Kalikantzari: Greek Christmas Elves

A depiction of what a Kalikantzaros looks like.

They are tiny, ugly and skinny little creatures that appear during the Christmas days. Their only purpose is for 12 days to make the lives of humans miserable. Their name comes from the Greek word “καλός” which means good, and “κάνθαρος” which means beetle. Continue reading “Kalikantzari: Greek Christmas Elves”

Roosevelt Day at the Maysville Museum

What better way to celebrate the birthday of a past U.S. president than to keep his legacy and story alive every year? On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Maysville Museum, located on 165 Caribou Road, here in Presque Isle, celebrated the birthday of the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt. “Teddy” Roosevelt, as he was most widely known, was a man of utmost interest and national respect for his contributions to our nation’s development. Continue reading “Roosevelt Day at the Maysville Museum”

A Shakespeare Play in a Northern Maine Community

It was Thursday, Oct. 18, when the community of Lille, within the town of Grand Isle, Maine, decided to keep the flame of the literature and theater world alive. The Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel in Lille hosted the Theater at Monmouth, which performed the famous Shakespeare play “King Lear.” Continue reading “A Shakespeare Play in a Northern Maine Community”