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.”
Emily Buddemeyer, age 21, who lives in Porter, Maine, had a rough pregnancy. Shortly before that, she had a miscarriage. She had a delivery that quickly turned into her almost losing her life. This was not once, but twice within the first few days after giving birth. She also had a hard time mentally and emotionally in the following few months after the birth of her son, Miles. Her story is on the extreme end of what a woman goes through bringing children into the world. But even women who have very minimal problems conceiving, carrying the pregnancy to term and having a healthy delivery can experience anxiety and depression during and after pregnancy.
From tragedy to triumph, the documentary “A Glimpse of Life: The Pulitzer Photos” features Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalists. They share the stories behind the iconic photos that won them the highest award in journalism.
To win a Pulitzer Prize for photography, the photo must be distinguished according to the Pulitzer Prize Board. According to Pulitzer Prize winner William Snyder, however, there’s more. “It’s not a photography contest. It’s about telling some of the biggest stories of the year.”
Eddie Adams, a Pulitzer Prize photojournalist, once observed, “The most powerful weapon that we have in the world is a still photograph.” A great photograph speaks volumes. It captures events, emotions, people and life. A great photojournalist will get in the midst of it, no matter the circumstances. They keep themselves acutely aware and attuned to their environment. Their cameras are constantly clicking. They know that their job – their duty and purpose – is to capture compelling moments in time that tell an incredible story for all to see. No matter how joyful, dangerous or horrific it may be.
I hope that you are all doing well. You may have noticed that I am a new editor for this issue of the University Times school newspaper. I will be one of three new editors as the semester continues its journey until May.
As the nineth week of the semester approaches us, students may be having more challenges. As a first-time editor, I have felt a little out of my element. The motivation that pushes us past these challenges, however, is not slowing down. Instead, our motivation is becoming more concentrated from all we have learned. And if that is not actually the case, we still have spring break to count on.
Stay strong, folks, and remember to make your own fun along the way!
How often do you think about decomposing plant matter? Mark King thinks about it a lot. King is an Organics Waste Specialist with the Division of Materials in the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Decomposing plant matter matters because it can cause much harm to the environment. It threatens the land, air and waterways in Maine and all over the country. King and many other Mainers are working to protect Maine from this threat.
With more snow coming in and it being cold and windy, everyone is ready for summer. We cannot rush the seasons along, but you can escape winter at the UMPI campus. The Zillman Family Greenhouse is a great way to escape winter and all the snow. When you walk into the greenhouse, it is warm and smells fresh. As you walk through, there are plants growing up the wall and across the table. Green fills the room, beautiful pink and purple flowers are everywhere. The Zillman Family Greenhouse is just the place to be for that comforting summer feeling. This amazing greenhouse can be used in so many ways for not only the UMPI campus, but also for the Presque Isle community.
With Christmas approaching, we are seeing a lot of it in the media. The part of media we think of the most is the movies. A good majority of Christmas movies are happy and heartwarming. Not everyone is into the cheerful, family-friendly movies for the holidays. Some people prefer to watch more Halloween-related movies. For those out there who prefer scary movies, there are options for you. The four great recommendations this season are “Krampus,” “Gremlins,, “A Christmas Horror Story”and “Dead End.”
Krampus (2015)- This Horror Comedy is about a dysfunctional family that comes together for Christmas. All gets terribly worse when one boy accidentally summons the Christmas demon known as Krampus. “Krampus”has a great blend of horror and comedy. There is the main bad guy, Krampus. He is the complete opposite of Santa Claus. Krampus torments a family with the help of evil toys.
Gremlins (1984)- A classic about a young man who gets a furry little creature for Christmas. But he must follow three simple rules: 1. Don’t get it wet. 2. Don’t feed it after midnight. 3. Keep it out of bright lights. “Gremlins”is another great horror comedy Christmas movie. This movie focuses on a bunch of tiny monsters. These monsters are more about making a mess than hurting anyone. The troubles in Kingston Falls all started when Billy accidentally broke the first two rules. Some notable names in this movie are Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and Howie Mandel as Gizmo. “Gremlins”is one horror movie you can sit down and watch with the kids.
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)- This anthology film consists of four interwoven stories. One story is about some high school students investigating a homicide. The second is about a couple who notices their son acting strangely. The strange behavior starts when the family cuts down a Christmas tree in the forest. The third story sees a family stalked by Krampus. The fourth story is about Santa fighting zombie elves. “A Christmas Horror Story” is enjoyable because it forces the viewer to pay attention. Christmas time is not the only connection the four stories have. Each story has its own little twist.
Dead End (2003)- On Christmas Eve, Frank Harrington and his family are going to visit his in-laws. On the way there, Frank decides to take a shortcut. This shortcut was a terrible idea on Frank’s part. The shortcut turns into a never-ending road. The Harrington family encounter a mysterious woman and a car with an unseen driver. This movie could be enjoyed by people who love suspense. Throughout the film you will wonder about the woman and driver. It is a mystery as to whether the Harrington family will get out of the forest. “Dead End”is a Rated R film.
There are more than these for Christmas horror films. These are just a small handful of what is out there.
One of the best ways to get college money is through scholarships. Why are scholarships so great? The first reason is because of how easy they are to get. UMPI offers about 50 to 55 scholarships. Any student can apply using the QR code seen on the fliers around campus. You can also apply on the UMPI website. There are also multiple other websites that can give you scholarships.
Some scholarships based on certain majors. You can get others based on your GPA. Not all scholarships are academic based. Ms. Laurie Boucher said, “ A young woman got a scholarship for having blonde hair and blue eyes.” She also mentioned that a student got a scholarship through a DMV. Students can get multiple scholarships as well.
Scholarships can help you out financially. They can be used to help lessen student debt. Jonathan Guimond, an UMPI student, gave some insight into scholarships. Guimond mentioned that scholarship money is your money. He said, “It’s your money to do what you want.” That means you can put this money toward school or other things you want. Guimond also said, “You can have it set up that the money goes into your bank account”.
When applying for scholarships, remember to answer all questions. This will better your chances of getting scholarships. When applying, put down any volunteer work you have done. Students living on campus can also use the campus address when applying. Scholarship applications are due February 1, 2023, at 4:30pm.
The list of other websites you can use to apply for scholarships are:
How can artificial intelligence such as Google Translate help the average U.S. citizen or migrant? Google Translate has helped people such as Etan and Ed Santiago, 21 and 25, of Monterrey, Mexico, who moved to the U.S. Etan works as a graphic design artist. Ed works at a call center for a Walmart pharmacy.
Etan Santiago uses Google Translate for his brother Ed while he makes a phone call.
It was May 2019. The airport in Monterrey was full of oppressive humidity that covered the mountainous terrain around northern Mexico. The atmosphere enhanced Etan’s anxiety. He was a young man initiating a move to the U.S. with his family. This include his brother Ed. The plane trip was underwhelming. Their arrival in Maine was a case of culture shock. They arrived in Bangor, which is much smaller than their hometown. Santiago was used to working with clients from abroad with Google Translate. He never used it face-to-face. He had to ask a woman for directions in the airport. He pulled out his phone to help him remember a word. This was Santiago’s first interaction in the U.S.
Google Translate first went live in 2006. The app has become the most used multilingual translation/interpretation AI worldwide. Communication can sometimes be difficult in a multicultural country such as the U.S. Interpreters are not always available outside of government establishments. Google Translate cannot replace human interpretation. It can provide a bridge to the gap among people who speak different languages. It is a fast and easy way to communicate.
“Before moving here, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to have daily interactions with people. I didn’t realize how often I asked for help in the street or the grocery store or just brought up conversations with people in Mexico. I can speak English to a certain point. But my accent is heavy and I get nervous,” Etan said.
Santiago has taken English classes since he was young. Speaking with native English speakers is overwhelming. His father does not speak English at all.
