UMF News & Stories

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

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UMF student selected as Peace Corps Campus Ambassador by national program

October 19, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (October 19, 2026)—Maygin Leighton, a University of Maine at Farmington junior from Baileyville, has been selected by the national Peace Corps program to serve as UMF’s Peace Corps Campus Ambassador. Leighton is a biology major with minors in…

Maroon University of Maine Farmington banner on a lamppost with orange autumn leaves in the background.

UMF in the News: Farmington-area school district technology specialist, and UMF alumna, earns state award

October 15, 2026

According to a recent article in the Franklin Journal Nicole Lesperance, technology integration specialist and training coordinator for Regional School Unit 9, has received the 2026 ACHIEVE Award from the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine, recognizing…

Maine’s public universities offer $250 scholarships to 24,500 Alfond Grant recipients

October 14, 2026

Original press release issued by the University of Maine System on October 7, 2026 The University of Maine System is the most affordable in New England, and hopes the new scholarship will raise aspirations and help keep…

Sign reading University of Maine Farmington at campus entrance with a brick building and trees in the background.

UMF presents 20th annual Constitution Day U.S. Supreme Court Case Review, Oct. 14

October 07, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (October 7, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to commemorate Constitution Day 2026 with its 20th annual U.S. Supreme Court Preview and Review. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, at 12:30…

UMF in the News: Fall color settles over Prescott Field

October 07, 2026

Peak foliage is surrounding UMF’s Prescott Field according to a recent article in the Sun Journal. Autumn colors frame Prescott Field in Farmington on Oct. 2, with fallen leaves covering the trail and trees along the edge of…

Male professor and female student preparing samples in biology lab

UMF and Northeastern University create pathway to a Master’s degree in Biotechnology at the Roux Institute to help students advance their careers

October 06, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (October 6, 2026)— The University of Maine at Farmington and Northeastern University have created an accelerated pathway for full-time UMF undergraduate students majoring in biology to earn their master’s in biotechnology. Beginning in Fall 2026,…

Poster for a film titled Canoe Dig It? showing a colorful collage of people in canoes and on shore, with the tagline 'Freestyle Canoeing Like You've Never Seen Before'

UMF Visiting Writers features screening of mockumentary “Canoe Dig It?” with award winning filmmaker Samuel Dunning, Oct. 15

September 30, 2026

FARMINGTON, ME (September 30, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to present screenwriter and filmmaker Samuel Dunning as the second reader of the 2026 Fall semester of its Visiting Writers series. An award winning filmmaker and actor,…

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…

Student Stories

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Maygin Lee Leighton – Expanding Horizons: Maygin’s Journey to International Service

October 16, 2026

Maygin Lee Leighton of Baileyville, Maine has never left New England, but that’s not stopping her from planning to join the Peace Corps after college. Currently, Maygin studies Biology and has minors in Climate Change Solutions and International…

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…

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

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…

How UMF Student Alice Skiff Is Creating Caring Classrooms

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…

Brennick banding a bird.

UMF graduating senior and Jay native sees career in Bioscience take flight

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…

Kristyn Plamondon, UMF graduate student speaker

2026 UMF Graduate Commencement Speaker: Kristyn Plamondon

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…

Adam Tosch, UMF undergraduate student speaker

2026 UMF Undergraduate Commencement Speaker: Adam Tosch

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…

UMF Student Ryan Martin-Hachey Turns Curiosity into Tick Research

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.

The Making of a Disease Detective: UMF Student Megan Dionne

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…

Becky Hallowell

Becky Hallowell, UMF alumna and 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, wraps up a remarkable year

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…

Alumni Spotlights

Brunette woman with long bob standing behind table with purple table cloth and Family Violence Project table display

Rooted in Compassion: How UMF Shaped Tabitha Ryan’s Work as an Educator and Advocate

October 13, 2026

Tabitha Ryan (2005) majored in Early Childhood Education and Psychology at the University of Maine at Farmington following her passion for helping children and their families. During her studies, Tabitha gravitated towards Melissa Clawson’s philosophy of education…

Smiling woman in a striped shirt holding a back-to-school poster in a cozy room with bookshelves and hanging fairy lights behind her.

Dani Faltraco ‘24: Teaching Through Connection

September 30, 2026

For UMF graduate Dani Faltraco ’24, who earned her degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in English, one of the most meaningful parts of teaching begins long before a student ever gives an…

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…

Smiling girl in a classroom holding a back-to-school poster with her name on it (Ms. Smith).

Fallon Smith ’26: Ready for the Classroom

September 04, 2026

Fallon Smith ‘26 is ready to get to work. She started her first week of school as a Math and STEM teacher at T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School, where she is looking forward to putting her classroom experience and…

Hockey player in white jersey #21 smiles during an interview with a reporter holding a mic.

Interview with Hot Radio Maine Host Hayley Smith-Rose ’14

August 27, 2026

In this alumni spotlight, Hayley Smith-Rose ’14 reflects on her time at UMF, the experiences that shaped her, and the unexpected opportunities that have helped guide her career in radio, entertainment and beyond. What drew you to UMF?…

Smiling woman wearing a pink cardigan and a colorful scarf, outdoors near a stone wall.

A Foundation for Great Things: Marianne Hartford ’97

August 11, 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…

Young man in a plaid shirt and blue apron smiles at the camera in a cluttered workshop with plastic bins and a hanging mannequin head nearby.

UMF in the News: The man who brings dummies to life

August 07, 2026

Austin Phillips, University of Maine at Farmington 2017 graduate and skilled craftsman, preserves a disappearing art as one of the last full-time ventriloquist puppet makers, according to a recent New York Times article. Originally from Cape Neddick,…

Man with glasses lifts a blue-green kayak onto a car roof rack outdoors.

UMF in the News: ORBA Graduate Tanner Webb Featured on Maine Life

For UMF alumnus Tanner Webb, a lifelong love of Maine’s outdoors became the foundation for a successful career. A graduate of UMF’s Outdoor Recreation Business Administration (ORBA) program, Tanner turned his passion for…

Person wearing a life jacket paddles a colorful kayak on a calm river, with dense green banks and overcast sky behind.

More than a Degree: Eve Poteet’s UMF Experience

“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…

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