When we think of the term “superwoman,” we often conjure thoughts of a masked crusader fighting crime or of someone with incredible strength or superintelligence. Of course, these people are few and far between and if they do exist, we probably don’t know them personally. That being said, it may come as a surprise that there is a “superwoman” on the UMPI campus and her name is Pamela Easler. Pam, as she is often referred to, does not possess typical super powers. What she does possess is the ability to take on any challenge that comes into her life and overcome it. “Many of the UMPI community may be aware of how hard a worker Pam is. But I think many of them have no idea the number of remarkable things she has accomplished in her life,” Dr. Jacqui Lowman, who teaches Professional Communication and Journalism at UMPI, said. “She really is an amazing person.”
Pam was born in Tolland, Conn. Some of her hobbies growing up were reading, sewing and art. After graduating from high school, she eventually married and had her first child, Rachel. When Rachel was 2, Pam and her husband decided to move to Presque Isle to better raise their family. “The area where we were living in Connecticut wasn’t safe and conducive to raising a child. We had familial ties to Aroostook County and I really enjoyed the ruralness of the area. It was a good change of pace from how hectic Connecticut was,” Pam said.
In 1994, Pam gave birth to her second daughter, Nicole. Nicole was born legally blind and with a form of high-functioning autism. Pam knew that educational resources for Nicole would be difficult to acquire, but she was determined that her daughter would receive the same education as any other child. “I was told by many professionals that Nicole would never learn to read or write. They expected me to just accept this and move on. But I told them that there was no way I was going to allow my daughter to go through life not being able to read or write,” Pam said.
With her own money, Pam purchased touchy-feely books for Nicole. These books contain textures, such as pieces of fur and sandpaper, that help children identify and define objects. Pam didn’t stop there. She created Braille versions of textbooks for Nicole. “I purchased a Perkins Braille machine and the sheets to Braille things on. It was a difficult process because I had to learn how to use the materials and there were long hours spent creating these Braille books. Not only was I teaching Nicole how to read Braille, but I was learning myself,” Pam said.
The challenges didn’t end there. To ensure that Nicole receive the education she needed, Pam stayed home with Nicole for seven years. “Since Aroostook County is a rural area, I believe we get short-ended on the educational resources for children with disabilities. For the longest time, there wasn’t a full-time specialized teacher to assist Nicole in her learning. I had to advocate constantly to local senators and officials to get the resources Nicole needed,” Pam said.
Eventually, the school system paid for a teacher to go out of state for a year to earn a specialized certification so that Nicole would be able to have a one-on-one teacher to assist her in her education.
After years of advocating and countless hours of physical, occupational and behavioral therapy, Pam and Nicole’s hard work paid off. Nicole earned her diploma in 2013. “Nicole has come such a long way and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s a proficient Braille reader and lives on her own. Obviously she still faces challenges, but she knows how to deal with them because she is very smart and is always wanting to learn. She has been doing very well for herself,” Pam said.
Not only has Pam helped others reach their full potential, she has continually sought to expand her own. When Nicole was attending school, Pam worked for three years as a store manager at a shop where Merchants on the Corner is now located. It was here that she formed a close friendship with the owner, Angie Graves. Angie would eventually die from cancer, but she left a huge impact on Pam. “Angie was definitely the biggest influence on me going back to school and earning my degree. I would always say I was too old to go back, but Angie would always tell me it was never too late,” Pam said.
After resigning as store manager, Pam worked at Connect North during night shifts before the company abruptly closed. “I went into work one day and the place was shut down. It was then that I decided now was the time to go back and earn my degree,” Pam said.
Pam began working through adult education at SAD #1, using a program called PLATO. That was in preparation for taking an Accuplacer test for admission into Northern Maine Community College. “It was hard taking classes full-time, taking care of a family and helping teach Nicole, but I managed to earn my degree in Medical Office Administration with just shy pf a 4.0 grade point average,” Pam said.
For many others, the number of obligations Pam had would be enough for them to give up. Those who are close with Pam know that this is just part of who she is. “When I was hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail in 2017, Pam would deliver supplies for me to the post office. Even with all the things she had going on, she didn’t hesitate to help in any way she could. That’s just the type of person she is. If she says she’s going to do something, she’s going to do it and do it well,” Dr. Lowman said.
After earning her degree at NMCC, Pam worked night shifts at TAMC for a year until a position opened at UMPI. “I felt that I was qualified for the position because of my background and previous experience in the administrative field,” Pam said.
While working at UMPI, Pam became the first person to earn her bachelor’s degree in UMPI’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) program. The program was called “Your Pace” and allowed adults to earn their degree on their own time through competency-based tests. “I needed 30 more credits to earn my bachelor’s degree and I completed them in three semesters. I give a lot of credit to my former professors Ann Osgood and Paula York, because they shaped and instilled in me the business-appropriate skills that I have used to this day,” Pam said.
Pam is currently working as an administrative specialist and loves the work she does. When she isn’t working, she is involved as a board member for the nonprofit organization BEYOND LIMITS: Awaken Your Potential, an organizer for University Day and spending time with her family.
Pam is continually busy, but to her, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’ve always treated every situation I’ve been in as a ‘sink or swim’ scenario. Either you give up or you pull through. Having an amazing family and a job that fulfills me and lets me utilize my skills makes everything I do so rewarding. I really am grateful for the life I have,” Pam said.
