UMF News & Stories

Discover the people, programs, and experiences that make UMF unique.

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Monarch butterfly with orange and black wings resting on a pink coneflower in a garden bed.
UMF Campus and Community Garden certified “Pollinator Friendly” by UMaine Cooperative Extension
August 12, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (August 12, 2026)—Pollinators—bees, birds, insects and more—are the powerhouse of the ecosystem, and the University of Maine at Farmington Campus and Community Garden was just certified as a Pollinator-Friendly Garden by the University of Maine Cooperative…
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Smiling student with sunglasses and necklace against a natural background
UMF student receives American Anthropological Association Mentorship Award
August 04, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (August 4, 2026)— Trinity Slate, a University of Maine at Farmington anthropology and political science major from North Anson has been awarded the Ina Rosenthal-Urey mentorship award by the American Anthropological Association (AAA). This prestigious award pairs…
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UMF in the News: Two UMF alumnae named as Maine County Teachers of the Year announced as semifinalists for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year by Maine DOE
July 27, 2026
The Maine Dept. of Education has just announced that eight of the 16 Maine County Teachers of the Year have been named as semifinalists for the 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year. Two of those semifinalists are UMF…
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Historic Declaration of Independence Statewide Tour coming to UMF Emery Community Arts Center in October
June 30, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (July 1, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to be the Franklin County host of the Maine Historical Society and partners’ statewide tour of the rare copy of the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence.
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Lobster boat on the Maine coast
From lobster fishing to gambling behaviors, UMF Data Analytics students transform complex data into real-world decisions
June 29, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (June 29, 2026)—What do lobster fishing and gambling behaviors have in common? They can both be transformed with the use of data analytics, an essential tool for turning complex data into real-time actionable insights and better informed decisions.
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University of Maine at Farmington logo
UMF proudly announces the Spring 2026 Dean’s List
June 23, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (June 23, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington proudly announces the UMF students named to the Spring 2026 Dean’s List. This UMF academic distinction now includes recognition for both full-time student’s single semester academic achievement and part-time student’s…
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Skye Cotnoir
UMF in the News: Eight Woman, including UMF’s Sky Cotnoir, Nominated for 2026 NAC Woman of the Year Honors
June 18, 2026
As reported by the NAC, a total of eight recent graduates from North Atlantic Conference institutions have been nominated for the conference’s 2025-26 Woman of the Year award. Included among these distinguished student athletes is University of…
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University of Maine at Farmington logo
UMF in the News: Farmington recognizes UMF employees and local police who saved man’s life
June 15, 2026
University of Maine at Farmington Facilities Management employees Timothy Young and Brian Mason, Sweatt-Winter Center teacher Mackenzie Campbell (’17), Farmington police Officer Ariana Bacon, Farmington police Sgt. Jonathan Parker and UMF police Sgt. Marc Bowering were all recently recognized…
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UMF in the News: Stories from Maine Mountain Ponds
June 12, 2026
How are University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) students helping scientists better understand climate change in Maine? In a recent episode of the podcast High Water: Stories from Maine’s Mountain Ponds, UMF professors Julia Daly and Rachel Hovel discuss…
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UMF Class of 2026
UMF holds festive Commencement ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2026
May 09, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (May 9, 2026)—The lilt of bagpipes filled the air at the University of Maine at Farmington today, Saturday, May 9, as it celebrated the Class of 2026. More than 280 of the 324 graduates, including 252 bachelor’s and…
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Featured Stories

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Smiling student standing on the UMF campus green on a sunny day
Zachary Holt, student author, is inspired by the written word and inspires others
July 28, 2026
Zachary Holt, a University of Maine at Farmington senior majoring in Creative Writing and English, didn’t plan on attending college. But all that changed when he came to visit UMF with a friend on accepted student day, and he…
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Rachel Norgang implements a place-based education approach as she shows students how to use a macroinvertebrate identification key during a ponding unit earlier this spring.
UMF alumnae honored as 2026 Maine County Teachers of the Year
June 04, 2026
Maine teachers have a deep community connection and that goes especially for the recently named 2026 Maine County Teachers of the Year. This year’s recipients, one from every Maine county, include two outstanding University of Maine at Farmington alumnae—Rachel…
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How UMF Student Alice Skiff Is Creating Caring Classrooms
May 08, 2026
Alice Skiff, from Newcastle, Maine, is graduating with a UMF Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, and she remembers the first time she heard about inclusion—the practice of educating all students together in general education classrooms, regardless…
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Brennick banding a bird.
UMF graduating senior and Jay native sees career in Bioscience take flight
May 04, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (May 4, 2026)—Spencer Brennick, Jay native, was looking for a reason to get excited about his future. It was his second try at college when he received an email from UMF Biology Professor Sarah Sloane, an avian behavioral…
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Kristyn Plamondon, UMF graduate student speaker
2026 UMF Graduate Commencement Speaker: Kristyn Plamondon
May 04, 2026
Kristyn Plamondon will be UMF’s first-ever graduate student speech at this year’s University of Maine at Farmington Commencement exercises on May 9. Plamondon is graduating in the UMF Counseling Psychology…
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Adam Tosch, UMF undergraduate student speaker
2026 UMF Undergraduate Commencement Speaker: Adam Tosch
April 24, 2026
UMF graduating senior, Adam Tosch, will give UMF’s undergraduate Commencement student address to the Class of 2026 on May 9. Tosch started his academic career at UMF in 2007 and recently returned to complete his bachelor’s degree in…
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UMF Student Ryan Martin-Hachey Turns Curiosity into Tick Research
March 29, 2026
Ryan Martin-Hachey, UMF graduating senior from Fairfield, had charted his future in psychology when he came to Farmington, but all that changed at the end of his sophomore year when his biology professor told him about a unique opportunity.
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The Making of a Disease Detective: UMF Student Megan Dionne
March 28, 2026
Megan Dionne, a Farmington native, was drawn to the University of Maine at Farmington because she wanted to make a meaningful impact on others’ lives. She was unsure of what she wanted to major in until her first semester…
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Becky Hallowell
Becky Hallowell, UMF alumna and 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, wraps up a remarkable year
March 16, 2026
Becky Hallowell, a University of Maine at Farmington alumna and fourth grade teacher at Wiscasset Elementary School is wrapping up a remarkable year as the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year—a year she says felt like a “whirlwind of…
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Alumni Spotlights

Smiling woman wearing a pink cardigan and a colorful scarf, outdoors near a stone wall.
Voices of UMF: Marianne Hartford
August 19, 2026
Marianne Hartford earned her bachelor degree from UMF in 1997 before continuing her education at Syracuse University. Today, she works as a Speech Pathologist as the founder and director of her own private practice, “Great…
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Person wearing a life jacket paddles a colorful kayak on a calm river, with dense green banks and overcast sky behind.
Voices of UMF: Eve Poteet
June 26, 2026
“College was the perfect basecamp for me to grow as a person.” For 2026 graduate Eve Poteet, UMF was more than the place to get a degree. It was where she found a community, discovered her confidence, and…
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Profile image of Brandi Rideout
Voices of UMF: Brandi Rideout
June 17, 2026
“[UMF is] a place where students are seen, supported, and challenged to become their best selves.” UMF alumna and recent UMF Outstanding Alumni Award winner Brandi Rideout ’06, Community Health Education, is the Executive Director of Alumni Engagement…
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Voices of UMF: Saskia Reinholt
June 16, 2026
“UMF allowed me to explore my various passions.” Saskia Reinholt has built a career at the intersection of art, education, and community engagement. A UMF Studio Art graduate, she is the founder and volunteer executive director of the…
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Voices of UMF: Erika Bickford
June 01, 2026
“The University of Maine at Farmington has empowered me to deepen my knowledge, strengthen my leadership skills, and further my commitment to ensuring all students feel a sense of belonging and access to meaningful educational opportunities.” Erika Bickford, a…
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Voices of UMF: Hannah Comfort
May 06, 2026
“My time at UMF has been a transformative journey that rooted my professional and personal practices in growth, presence, and possibility.” Hannah Comfort is a 2026 graduate of UMF’s Master’s in Educational…
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Student shaking hand of UMF president holding degree on commencement stage smiling
Voices of UMF: Sarah Reynolds
April 11, 2026
“UMF is a place where you are never just a number; everyone from every department is genuinely rooting for you and wants to see you succeed.” Sarah Reynolds is a 2026 graduate of UMF’s…
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Voices of UMF: Ayla Bodach-Turner
April 10, 2026
“Between academic learning and outdoor sport adventures I felt at home.” Meet Ayla Bodach-Turner, a 2026 graduating senior from Montpelier, Vermont, earning a B.S. in Early Childhood Education (Dual Certification, birth–3rd grade) with…
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Voices of UMF: Sydney Beecher
April 09, 2026
“Big memories at a small school.” Sydney Beecher, a 2026 graduate of UMF’s Master of Science in Educational Leadership with a self-designed concentration in STEAM, is currently a 3rd Grade Teacher…
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Voices of UMF: Joanna Korasadowicz
April 08, 2026
“UMF is a breath of fresh air that helped me discover my passions, favorite people, and a better version of myself.” Joanna Korasadowicz is a 2026 graduate of UMF’s Bachelor’s of Art Biology program with a…
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University employee smiling outside
Voices of UMF: Tori Lands
January 22, 2026
Growing as a Global Educator Tori Land has dedicated her career to helping students build language skills and global connections. A UMF graduate in Secondary Education–Social Studies, she recently reflected on her journey and how UMF prepared her…
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Media Relations

If you’re a member of the press in search of an expert to interview for a story or a UMF community member with news & story ideas, contact us:

April Mulherin
Associate Director of Media Relations
Office 207-778-7081
TTY (via Maine Relay Service) dial 711
april.mulherin@maine.edu