Hello everyone and welcome to a brand-new academic year.
This year is truly a special year for UMPI. The number of out of state and out of country students is up this year. As of the day I am writing this article we have students coming to UMPI from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Vermont. Students from outside of the United States are coming to UMPI from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, India, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
This is the beginning of my 22nd year of working at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and I cannot remember a time when our students came from as many states and countries as they are this year. This is a great thing for the university and for our students. It is because of this diversity that all of the students at the university will grow stronger in their thoughts by coming into contact with people who have different backgrounds from their own.
As you walk around campus this year, please notice that many things have changed. Some individuals have left. President Schott and her family have moved to Oregon and left the campus in the very capable hands of our new Interim President Ray Rice. Rice had been our provost and vice president of academic and student affairs and has worked tirelessly with many others to help move UMPI down the road to becoming a proficiency-based education institution.
We have a new food service company on campus this semester. SODEXO Food Services is now running our dinning services on campus. Our new director of dinning services is Allison Basye. Please stop by and visit her in the cafeteria in the Campus Center. One of the biggest changes you will see is an expanded menu and a change in the times meals are served. The cafeteria is now open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It does not close down.
Late Night will be served in the cafeteria for the fall term because SODEXO is remodeling the Owl’s Nest. The old C3 in the classroom building will still be serving grab and go drinks and food, but watch for an extended menu.
One of the biggest fears of all college students is, How do I fit in a college? This is an issue for new students and returners who may have had some close friends not return. In order to do well at UMPI you will need to make a commitment to yourself to make the next year the best year of your life. Do what you can to meet people. Get involved in a club. Eat in the cafeteria. Hang out in the Whooo’s Hut. Get to know a faculty or staff member. Try something that you never thought you would do.
How will doing these things make this year more exciting? I know some of you are saying to yourself, “I just can’t walk up to someone and start a conversation.” So how do you overcome the fact that you do not like walking up to people? Take advantage of your surroundings. While sitting in a class, talk to the person sitting next to you. Make sure you get to know the people in the groups you will be working with. Just talk to someone. Do not let the person’s age or class rank bother you. Some of the best conversations I have had in my life were with people who were different from me.
Getting involved in college life is very important. One of the ways to do this is to get involved in a club. UMPI has over 30 clubs and organizations to join. Some of the clubs are major related, some are athletic in nature and others cover special topics. I always suggest that students consider getting involved in the Student Government Association (SGA). If you are interested in joining the SGA, come to one of their meetings. SGA meetings happen every Tuesday afternoon from 1-2 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Campus Center.
If you would like to join a club that is connected to your major, contact some of the professors in your major and ask them for information. Many times, commuter students do not think they have the time to join a club. My advice is to try it and see what the commitment will be like. If you do not have the time, you can always withdraw from the club later. Give it a shot first, however.
Eating in the cafeteria will give you many opportunities to meet people. Residence hall students will find eating buddies through the associations they make during the first few days of the semester. Commuter students will find eating buddies in their classes or with friends they recognize on campus. The best part of eating in the café is the food. If you are a commuter student, you can buy a meal plan. These plans are attached to your ID card and can be used for any meal from September through May.
UMPI has a lounge in Folsom/Pullen. The lounge is called the Whooo’s Hut. It is a great place to hang out in between classes. Take advantage of this space. It is comfortable and a great place to sit back and relax.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is get to know a staff or faculty member. The employees at UMPI set us apart from many schools. Many of the people working here will ask you to address them by their first name. Some of the faculty have projects that students can assist them with. These projects are usually in your major and make great resume builders. All members of the faculty and staff want to see you succeed here. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask anyone. If people don’t know the answer, they’ll be able to get you to someone who does.
As the dean of students, my office is located in 236 Preble Hall. Please feel free to stop by. I eat most of my meals in the cafeteria during the weekdays. If you see me in the cafeteria, please feel free to stop by and say hello.
