Exterior image of Merrill Hall with spring flowers and trees

Encomium: A Celebration of the UMF Community

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Encomium: A Celebration of t...

Recognizing What and Who Make UMF Special

Encomium is UMF’s centralized space for recognizing and celebrating the achievements, contributions, and dedication of our students, staff, faculty, and campus partners. Through stories, highlights, and historical records, Encomium documents what we value and honors the people and programs that strengthen our academic and campus community

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New UMF Staff

Meet some of the newest members of our campus community and learn more about the people helping UMF move forward.

Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost

Director of Student Life

Andrew Willihan ’06

Andrew Willihan ’06

Director of Major Gifts

Jasmine Olivares

Jasmine Olivares

Coordinator of Housing and Student Activities

Thomas Brann ’25

Thomas Brann ’25

Area Director for Scott Complex

Deputy Title IX Coordinator

Brianna Hinkley ’21

Brianna Hinkley ’21

Administrative Specialist CL2

Victoria Davenport

Victoria Davenport

Admissions Specialist

Administrative Specialist

Celebrating UMF

Poster for Banned Books event featuring fall colors and Harry Potter books

UMF Honors class invites public to Banned Books READ OUT, Oct. 7

September 28, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 28, 2026)—Students in University of Maine at Farmington award-winning director Jayne Decker’s Honors class are inviting campus and community members to join them on the UMF Mantor Library Green, Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 12:15-1 p.m., for the…

Maple leaves in a forest, with green leaves turning red/orange for autumn color contrast. (Close-up of lobed leaves)

UMF in the News: Drew Barton, forest and fire ecologist and UMF professor of biology, shares some thoughts on early fall color as it begins to show across western Maine

September 25, 2026

As reported in the Sun Journal, fall colors are beginning to spread across western Maine, with red maples, yellowing hardwoods and other early-changing trees standing out against forests that remain largely green. Drew Barton, a forest and…

Woman in winter jacket looking out at Maine mountain pond

UMF awarded NSF grant to create Western Maine snowpack monitoring network in collaboration with Northeastern Snow STORE project

September 23, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 23, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington has recently been announced as a collaborator in “Snow STORE” (Science and Technology for Operations, Research, and Economic Development in Northern New England), a four-year National Science Foundation (NSF) research…

UMF banner outside of Merrill Hall on a beautiful fall day

UMF Visiting Writers Series presents authors Kathryn Davis and Ann Joslin Williams, Sept. 24

September 18, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 17, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to present authors Kathryn Davis and Ann Joslin Williiams as the first readers of the 2026 Visiting Writers series. Davis and Williams will read from their work at…

UMF announces top level leadership positions for 2026-27

September 16, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 16, 2026)—University of Maine at Farmington President Joseph McDonnell announced new UMF senior leadership for the 2026-27 academic year. Dr. Pamela MacRae has been appointed UMF Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, as of July…

Banner for 'Revolutionary Maine: America at 250' with a blue star emblem on the left and a vintage American flag on the right.

UMF announces open to the public events celebrating statewide Maine tour of rare copy of the Declaration of Independence, Oct. 1-3

September 09, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 9, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to invite members of the public to see an original 1776 Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence, learn about Maine’s role in the American Revolution and…

Smiling woman standing in front of UMF Education Center

UMF announces retirement of Katherine Yardley, longtime dedicated faculty member, dean and co-provost of the UMF College of Education, Health and Rehabilitation

September 02, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 2, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington has announced that Katherine Yardley, a longtime UMF College of Education, Health and Rehabilitation faculty member, dean and co-provost who has helped lead Farmington’s academic excellence in its teacher preparation…

Alumni Spotlights

Woman in a navy blazer and floral skirt standing in a parking lot on a sunny day, smiling at the camera with sunglasses and a burgundy handbag.

Challenges and Success: Jodi Philippon’s (‘89) UMF Story

September 25, 2026

“I was looking for a program in which I would end up helping others in a meaningful way.” When getting ready to apply to colleges, Jodi Philippon ‘89, a Lewiston local, was already familiar with the University of…

Bearded man in a navy shirt sits on a desk in a classroom, holding a large illustrated poster about teaching. A U.S. flag hangs by windows behind him.

Tyler Brown ’16: Bringing Curiosity Into the Classroom

September 21, 2026

“Bring your curiosity,” Tyler Brown ’16 tells his students at Mt. Blue High School. As a History teacher, he wants his students to do more than memorize dates and names. He puts them at the center of their own…

Smiling woman seated at a desk in an classroom, with a large green map of Maine on the wall and schedules on a corkboard behind her.

Alicia Bridges ‘25: A Place to Learn, A Place to Belong

September 16, 2026

Alicia Bridges ‘25 always knew she wanted to be a teacher. After earning her degree at UMF, in secondary education, she is now in her second year of teaching at Mt. Blue Middle School.

Family of four in traditional Bavarian dress (dirndls and lederhosen) posing in a sunlit field with a windmill in the background, holding a young girl.

Building Connections Around the World: Shane Tracy’s Adventures after UMF

September 15, 2026

For Shane Tracy, a 2012 UMF graduate, UMF immediately felt like family. Recruited to play basketball, Shane remembers his first visit to campus. “During my visit, everyone was so welcoming and kind, which made me feel like…

Newsletter Archives

Access past UMF monthly updates that build a stronger UMF community and foster belonging.

Newsletter Archive