Most days and nights, UMPI has some kind of activity or event going on. This could be something like a sports game or a snow globe event or stand-up comedy. UMPI has a variety of things happening on campus almost daily.
Speaking of variety, UMPI held a Variety Show on Thursday, March 30. The Variety Show was held in the Gauvin Family Center for Cultural Arts (Wieden). As the name implies, there were a variety of performances. There were some people who danced. Others played instruments and sang. One student, Ricky Goupille, even got up on stage and listed off information about playoff games for former NFL quarterback Tom Brady. There was a very warm and supportive atmosphere. Ricky summed up the community feeling, saying, “It was interesting taking the stage knowing that I was sort of performing for them. Surprisingly, I wasn’t very nervous and really enjoyed it.”
President Rice, who was in attendance, had some positive things to say about the show. “It was great to have a talent show and to have a pie thrown in your face for a good cause.”
A couple of people hosted the Variety Show. One of those people was Emerson R.A. Sam Morton. She was a perfect fit. “I had done previous events in high school and at UMPI, like the Lip Sync Battle,” Sam said.
The UMPI Variety Show also had the Pie for a Cause fundraiser going on. Alec Brooks hosted this entertaining event. Pie for a Cause was to raise money for a memorial bench. The bench will be in memory of Aaron Marston and Patrick Baker. Pie for a Cause raised over $600 for the bench. President Rice had agreed to match what was made. The Pie for a Cause was successful. Between the students and President Rice’s match, almost $1,300 was made for the bench
The bench will be in memory of two individuals who had a huge impact on the UMPI community. Aaron Marston was more than just an educator and coach. Sam Morton said, “He was more like a mentor to me.” Patrick Baker’s name will be attached to the bench as well. Patrick Baker was an athletic trainer who graduated from UMPI’s athletic training program. President Rice spoke about Baker a little bit. He said, “He was the most joyous person I’ve ever known.”
Throughout each semester, remember that there are a lot of options for things to do. There is always a variety of things to participate in. What happens here at UMPI could be a performance or an arts and craft event. Sometimes it could even be a semiformal or a pool tournament. A majority of the time there is something to do on campus.
