UMF News & Stories

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

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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…
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Tall puppet with performers
The UMF Emery Community Arts Center welcomes Bread & Puppet Theater, Sept. 10
September 03, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (September 3, 2026)—The UMF Emery Community Arts Center welcomes Bread & Puppet Theater, a political puppet theater, and its presentation of “The Upside Down World Circus,” to Nordica Auditorium in Merrill Hall, on Sept. 10, 2026, at 7…
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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…
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Two smiling young women pose with a Farmington beaver mascot holding large gold balloon numbers saying 2030 outdoors in front of a brick building.
UMF welcomes members of incoming Class of 2030 on move-in day
September 02, 2026
FARMINGTON, ME  (September 1, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington incoming class of 2030 is more than 390 strong, with first-year and transfer students representing all 16 Maine counties and 148 high schools throughout 15 states, including all the New…
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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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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,…
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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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Student Stories

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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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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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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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Inside headshot
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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Inside headshot
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 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…
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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?…
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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…
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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,…
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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
July 14, 2026
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…
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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.
More than a Degree: Eve Poteet’s UMF Experience
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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Smiling woman holding a glass award in a room with framed vintage photos and a maroon banner behind her
Brandi Rideout: 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient
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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Saskia Reinholt: Stitching the Community Together
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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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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Educator and Advocate: Erika Bickford’s Dedication to Inclusive Education
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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Joyful and Curious Classrooms: Hannah Comfort’s Excitement for Teaching
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
Sarah Reynolds: A Story of UMF Support and Student Success
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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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