Austin French

As the Internship Coordinator and a Part-Time Business Faculty Member at UMF, Austin is a workforce development leader and educator dedicated to connecting academic learning with real-world industry experience. Austin specializes in the outdoor recreation sector, serving as Project Director for UMF’s Western Maine Outdoor Recreation Hub of Excellence, where he works closely with industry partners to strengthen workforce development initiatives and drive economic growth in Maine’s outdoor industry. To complement the students’ internship experiences, his work integrates hands-on, project-based learning into business courses, creating real-world opportunities for students to engage with industry challenges. Beyond academia, Austin serves as the Seasonal Programs Supervisor and Training Coordinator at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort’s Snowsports School and is an Alpine Development Team Member with the Professional Ski Instructors of America – Eastern Region (PSIA-E).