UMF News & Stories

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

News & Press Releases

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 72…
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Andrew LaFlamme
UMF in the News: 2026 NAC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Postseason Awards Released
May 07, 2026
UMF Andrew LaFlamme named 2026 NAC Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year The 2026 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field postseason accolades have been announced. Awards include Track Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete of…
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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 with…
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UMF student interns Grace White and Sydney Booth with Farmington Police Chief Kenneth Charles
UMF graduating seniors intern with local law enforcement to understand police burnout
April 27, 2026
University coordinated internships provide real-world learning opportunities FARMINGTON, ME  (April 27, 2026)—University of Maine at Farmington graduating seniors Grace White, from Waldoboro, and Sydney Booth, from Waterbury, Conn., weren’t surprised to see each other at the Farmington Police Station. They both…
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Fiddlehead Festival logo
UMF celebrates local food with 13th annual Fiddlehead Festival, May 2
April 13, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (April 13, 2026)—Time to once again celebrate local food at the 13th annual Maine Fiddlehead Festival on the University of Maine at Farmington campus, Saturday, May  2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The festival highlights Maine’s dedication…
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Student sharing a poster session on Symposium Day
UMF celebrates 27th annual Arts Night and Symposium Showcase and welcomes the community, April 13-15
April 08, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (April 8, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington welcomes the community to a day-long celebration of  real-world student research, innovation and creative projects with its 27th annual Arts Night and Symposium showcase, April 13 – 15, 2026. All events…
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Dr. Dora Anne Mills
UMF announces Dr. Dora Anne Mills, a leader in the world of public health, as Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2026
April 06, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (April 6, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce that Dr. Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPH, a leader with rural roots and national reach in the world of public health and community well-being, will be the…
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Shana Youngdahl
UMF spotlights Shana Youngdahl, fiction writer and poet, as final spring Visiting Writer, April 16
April 02, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (April 2, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce Shana Youngdahl as the final reader of the 2026 spring semester schedule of its popular Visiting Writers series. Youngdahl will read from her work at 7:30 p.m.,…
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Bobbie Pirruccello_drawing
UMF presents student capstone exhibit “Beyond the Frame: Art & Design Senior Exhibition,” April 9-May 9
March 31, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (March 31, 2026)—Senior University of Maine at Farmington Art & Design students are presenting “Beyond the Frame: Art & Design Senior Exhibition.” The exhibit is featured in the Emery Community Arts Center Gallery from April 9-May 9, 2026. An…
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Thomas Gilman
UMF welcomes Thomas Gillman, New Zealand specialist in sustainable tourism and Libra Scholar, to campus in April for multiple public events
March 30, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (March 30, 2026)— The University of Maine at Farmington in partnership with the UMF Office of Global Education is excited to announce that Dr. Thomas Gillman, a New Zealand specialist in sustainable tourism, will be collaborating with the University…
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Stories

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 Leadership program…
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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 ecologist,…
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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 with…
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Inside headshot
Great Grad Stories: UMF Student Ryan Martin-Hachey – The “Tick Researcher”
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. He…
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Inside headshot
Great Grad Stories: UMF Student Megan Dionne – The “Disease Detective”
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 class…
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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 opportunities.”…
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Voices of UMF

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 Leadership program…
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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 a minor…
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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 at MSAD…
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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 pre-professional concentration.
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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