UMFK News Releases

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Athletic Department will host two action-packed Bengal Overnight Soccer Camps this summer. The first camp will run from Sunday, June 22, through Thursday, June 26, and the second from Sunday, July 27, through Thursday, July 31. Registration is open to all students entering grades six through twelve.

The cost is $595 per camper. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of registration for either the June or July session. Campers will stay in the UMFK residence halls and spend their days training on the UMFK Michael Simon Soccer Field.

The goal of the soccer camp is to develop and improve each player’s skills in a fun and supportive learning environment. Sessions will accommodate all skill levels, offering a full week of focused and enjoyable training.

UMFK coaching staff and players will teach individual techniques, ball mastery, 1v1 attacking and defending, and team concepts. Training will include rondos, small-sided games, and full scrimmages to build vision, quick decision-making, and positional understanding.

Additional activities will include yoga for recovery, strength and flexibility training, nutrition and hydration education, game film analysis, and a session on how to create a college recruitment video for participants aged 14 and older.

The summer camps continue to be popular with both local residents and visitors who spend their summers in the St. John Valley.

To reserve a spot, register online at the UMFK Athletics website.

For more information, contact Dru Bogden at (207) 834-7805 or steven.bogden@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Athletic Department will host four action-packed Bengal Volleyball Camps this summer. The camps will be held on Saturdays, May 17th, May 31st, July 26th, and August 2nd from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the Sports Center.

The cost is $25 per child per camp, or you can attend all four camps at the cost of $75.

The goal of the camps is to develop and improve players’ volleyball skills through an environment that is fun and conducive to learning. We will accommodate all skill levels through a day of intense and enjoyable training. We will focus on small-sided games to allow players to apply lessons learned during in-game situation scenarios and to develop a better awareness of the game.

Camps will feature instruction from UMFK players and coaches.

To reserve a spot at the Bengal volleyball camp, you may register online at the UMFK Volleyball Camp webpage.

For more information or to register, please contact UMFK volleyball coach Cadin Taggart at cadin.taggart@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is pleased to announce that 2024 Maine Poet Laureate Fellow Julia Bouwsma will serve as the keynote speaker at the UMFK 143rd Commencement Ceremony held on May 10, 2025.  The University will also honor former UMFK Registrar Donald “Don” Raymond with the Distinguished Service Award.

Julia Bouwsma lives off the grid in the mountains of western Maine, where she works as a poet, homesteader, editor, teacher, and small-town librarian.

She is Maine’s sixth Poet Laureate, currently serving a term from 2021 to 2026, and is the author of three poetry collections: the forthcoming Death Fluorescence (Sundress Publications, June 2025), Midden (Fordham University Press, 2018), and Work by Bloodlight (Cider Press Review, 2017). Ghost Apples, a short chamber opera for which she wrote the libretto, will be performed by the Halcyon Quartet at various locations in Maine in fall 2025.

Bouwsma is the recipient of a 2024 Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets and two Maine Literary Awards. She has taught in the Creative Writing department at the University of Maine at Farmington; serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance; and works as Library Director for Webster Library in Kingfield, Maine.

Donald “Don” Raymond is a native of the St. John Valley. Don is the son of a third-generation Bangor and Aroostook Railroad worker, while his mother served as secretary to the SAD #33 school superintendent. He attended Dewey Elementary School in Frenchville, Maine, and graduated from Madawaska High School. After three years of military service in the U.S. Army, Don pursued higher education at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, majoring in Education and French.

During his time at the University, he worked as a work-study student in the Registrar’s Office, where he played a key role in computerizing student records. Upon his graduation in 1975, the current Registrar left for California, and Don was hired as a temporary replacement. Within months, he was offered the position permanently and remained in the role for 36 years until his retirement in 2011.

Don is actively involved in civic and community organizations. He currently serves as Chair of the Town of New Canada Board of Appeals and is a member of multiple organizations, including the Fort Kent, Frenchville, and St. Agatha Historical Societies; the St. John Vianney Parish Cemetery Committee; the Martin-Klein American Legion Post 133; and the Edgar J. Paradis Cancer Fund Board of Directors. Additionally, he sits on the boards of the Aroostook Agency on Aging, the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, WFKT-TV (local public access television), the Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby, and the St. John Valley Senior College. He also serves as Secretary of the Fort Kent Senior Citizen Club. In 2014, Don contributed to various committees for the World Acadian Congress, including Bus Tour, International Tourism, Civic Pride, and Executive.

Since 2015, Don has been a dedicated volunteer at Fort Kent’s public access television station (WFKT-TV), helping promote the St. John Valley. As a videographer and video editor, he has produced more than 500 videos.

Don enjoys the outdoors, and he can often be found fishing, hunting, birdwatching, and gardening. He is also a passionate volunteer at numerous cooking events, taking great pride in giving back to the people of the St. John Valley.

Don resides in New Canada, Maine, with his wife, Anna.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is proud to announce a historic milestone: the graduation of its inaugural Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) class at the university’s 143rd Commencement Exercises this May. This achievement marks the successful culmination of UMFK’s first standalone graduate-level nursing program, launched to address the growing need for advanced practice nurses in Maine and beyond.

The MSN program, introduced in 2022, offers two specialized tracks—Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Designed with flexibility in mind, the program is delivered entirely online through a 7-week course structure, allowing working nurses to balance their complex responsibilities while advancing their education.

“This is a truly momentous occasion to celebrate,” said UMFK President Dr. Deb Hedeen. “The graduation of our first MSN class reflects not only the hard work and dedication of our students and the vision of our faculty, but also our university’s commitment to advancing healthcare in Maine and beyond.”

The first MSN cohort comprises of dedicated professionals who have completed rigorous coursework and clinical training, equipping them to provide high-quality, specialized care in various healthcare settings. Their graduation not only signifies personal achievement but also represents a significant contribution to the healthcare workforce, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

“This first graduating class from UMFK’s Master of Science in Nursing program represents the heart of what we strive for in nursing education—integrity, excellence, and compassion,” said UMFK Dean of Nursing and Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Dr. Erin C. Soucy, RN. “These graduates entered our program during a time of great change in healthcare, and they’ve emerged as leaders ready to transform the profession. Their success is a testament not only to their commitment but also to the faculty who guided them and the vision that brought this program to life. We could not be more proud.”

UMFK’s Commencement ceremony will take place on May 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the UMFK Sports Center. This event will honor the graduates’ hard work and dedication, celebrating their readiness to take on advanced roles in the nursing profession.

For more information about UMFK’s Nursing programs, visit the UMFK Nursing Program webpage.

Committed to offering programs that align with students’ goals and career aspirations, the University of Maine at Fort Kent has recently renamed its Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science program to the Bachelor of Science in Psychology. The program offers the same exemplary education that UMFK is known for. Students interested in studying human behavior, mental health, and social dynamics often search for “psychology degrees” when exploring colleges, and the name change will allow UMFK’s program to be more discoverable in online web searches.

Although Behavioral Science graduates discover that their degree leads to many pathways to the professions they desire, many college-seeking students shared that the degree name “Behavioral Science” didn’t clearly reflect what they were looking for in a college credential. To support this discovery, the mentalfloss.com article, The 50 Most Popular College Majors, According to Web Searches by CaLea Johnson, revealed which college degrees were most searched for in 2024. Psychology topped the list at number one. This “data set [was compiled] using Google’s Keyword Planner, a free resource that shows how many searches keywords get per month” (Johnson, 2024).

By renaming the program to Psychology, UMFK ensures that students immediately recognize the program as a strong foundation for the careers they want to pursue. The curriculum remains grounded in hands-on experiences, offering students opportunities for job shadowing, service-learning projects, and internships. Coupled with learning from faculty who are practitioners in the field, these experiences help students build real-world skills for meaningful careers or advanced studies in psychology-related fields.

“The program name has been revised to Psychology to more accurately align with our academic focus,” said Dr. Shawn Graham, UMFK Associate Professor of Counseling, Behavioral Science Unit Chair, and Faculty Assembly Chair. “This adjustment underscores our commitment to delivering a rigorous curriculum grounded in evidence-based theory, fostering critical thinking, and promoting the practical application of skills to prepare students for professional careers and advanced study in graduate programs.”

In addition to the name change, UMFK has also expanded its Psychology portfolio to now offer a fully online Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. This was driven by the increasing number of students who are looking for flexibility to accommodate their busy lives, often balancing work, family, or other responsibilities. The online option ensures that students can access the same high-quality education as those on campus, with courses designed to be engaging and applicable to real-world careers.

With both on-campus and online options, students can now choose the path that works best for them, making it easier to earn a Psychology degree no matter where they are. In addition to preparing students for advanced studies in Clinical Counseling and Psychology, graduates are prepared for jobs such as substance abuse counselors, adult and child case managers, and social work.

By listening to students and evolving to meet their needs, UMFK continues to offer programs that help students succeed—both in the classroom and beyond. To learn more about UMFK’s Psychology program, visit the UMFK Psychology program webpage.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a rural, public university committed to providing students with exceptional educational experiences. It is free to apply. For entry into the fall 2025 term, the UMFK Admissions Office recommends applications be submitted by August 15th.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Blake Library Gallery is featuring “Couleur de la Vallée,” an exhibit of artwork by local artist Gert Thibodeau, through the month of May.

Couleur de la Vallée showcases paintings where the artist explores a new style of figurative art. Thibodeau said this new way of painting opens a world of greater expression, allowing more freedom and satisfaction for her soul.

Gert Thibodeau’s creative process uses more vivid, brilliant colors that excite the viewer’s mood. Her paintings portray a three-dimensional interpretation that depends on the presence of light to define form and create shadows – elements that significantly affect composition.

Thibodeau said, “Art would not exist without light. The key is strong, bright, and colorful light.”

A “Meet the Artist” event will be held on Tuesday, April 29 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Blake Library Gallery.  The event is free and open to the public.

Gert Thibodeau is a French-Canadian artist born in Clair, New Brunswick. She was an art instructor for more than forty years teaching children and adults through numerous schools and private classes.

She attends many yearly exhibits, including the Rendez-vous des artistes in St. Leonard, New Brunswick. This exhibit is the largest gathering of juried painters and sculptors of Eastern Canada. She has received numerous educator and artist awards and has sold work that has travelled across borders. Thibodeau is a member of the Saint John Valley Artists.

Having a great admiration for nature, Thibodeau said, “Painting the Saint John Valley landscape fulfills my ability to create new works, capturing the Valley’s exquisite beauty full of color and light.” She believes that art is the highest expression of beauty that God created and she is humbled by her gift to share the beauty of art with the world.

For more information on the exhibit or library hours, please contact Gallery Curator Sofia Birden at 834-7527.

The Acadian Archives, located on the University of Maine at Fort Kent campus, and Rivertown Community Arts Center are pleased to announce collaborative efforts to host events by poet Jeri Theriault.

On Friday, May 2nd, at 7 p.m., Rivertown will host readings by Jeri Theriault from her poetry book, Self-Portrait as Homestead, and to include other works. The event will feature musical accompaniment by her husband, Phil Carlsen, on cello. Self-Portrait as Homestead presents various speakers as the accumulated voice of one character who is girl-woman-mother-grandmother. These poems are inspired by Theriault’s family members. A Q & A session will follow.

“I met Jeri over 10 years ago and was impressed with the wisdom and richness of her poetry,” said Rivertown founder and co-chair Jenna Jandreau. “This program series will bring the best parts of life together – music, poems, art-making, good company, and exploring the power of people and place.”

On Saturday, May 3rd, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Theriault will lead two workshops that focus on “mapping memory.” Participants will explore place-memories by first drawing their childhood home (or neighborhood) and then writing into the spaces created by these visual memories. No previous drawing or writing experience is needed. This activity will be held at the Acadian Archives on the UMFK campus. This event is free and open to the public.

“Jeri’s visit provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate our region’s Acadian and Franco-American heritage,” states Archives director Patrick Lacroix. “Jeri understands the importance of place in the lives of Acadians, and her workshop will help us cherish the home we have in the St. John Valley.”

From 1 to 3:00 p.m. on May 3rd, Theriault will guide a writing and paper collage session at the Rivertown Community Arts Center, located at 26 Market Street in Fort Kent. Participants are encouraged to bring a notebook and their favorite writing implement, along with memorabilia, favorite papers or magazines, and photographs to include in a collage (please note: bring photocopies of anything that you would not want to rip up and glue). Each workshop held on Saturday will cost $25 per person. Materials are included in the cost.

Registration is required for each of the three events. Please contact Rivertown to register or for more information at rivertowncac@gmail.com or (207) 231-2711.

Jeri Theriault grew up in Waterville, Maine, and graduated from Colby College, later earning an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her teaching career spanned thirty-four years, six of them as English Department Chair at the International School of Prague. She has published poetry collections and compiled and edited the anthology, WAIT: Poems from the Pandemic. She received the 2023 Maine Arts Commission Literary Arts Fellowship, the 2023 Monson Arts Fellowship, and the 2022 NORward Prize (New Ohio Review).

The University of Maine at Fort Kent Nursing program that is delivered on the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus will host an Escape Room event for its students on Wednesday, April 16th from 1 to 3 p.m. in Folsom Hall, room 105.

Nursing students will navigate the challenges of caring for two ICU-level patients, one will have sepsis, and the other diabetic ketoacidosis. The nursing students have successfully completed their first two years of nursing school and are moving into their clinical courses this fall.

The Escape Room incorporates everything students have learned in their first two years of nursing school. This year’s Escape Room students will perform more than 100 nursing skills, interventions, clinical judgment and reasoning, pathophysiology, anatomy, pharmacology, ethical and even legal elements.

For more information on the event, please contact Associate Professor of Nursing Stacy Thibodeau at stacy.st@maine.edu or (207) 999-1157.

For UMPI media, please contact Director of Marketing and Communications Rachel Rice at rachel.rice@maine.edu or (207) 768-9447.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent will host its thirteenth annual Scholars’ Symposium on Wednesday, April 30th on the UMFK campus.  The theme of this year’s event is “Boundaries and Bridges: The U.S.-Canada Border Over Time.”  The symposium is free and open to the public.

Join us for a dynamic day of learning and engagement featuring insightful student-led sessions complemented by presentations from distinguished guest speakers. This year’s theme explores evolving changes at the U.S.-Canada border and their impact on communities on both sides.

“The 2025 UMFK Scholars’ Symposium embraces this year’s theme, Boundaries and Bridges: The U.S.-Canada Border Over Time, by fostering critical discussions on the historical and cultural dimensions of our shared border. Rooted in UMFK’s mission of experiential learning, the symposium provides a platform for students, faculty, and the wider community to engage in scholarly discourse that is both regionally relevant and globally significant,” said Dr. Stephanie Landry, UMFK assistant professor of forestry and symposium chair. “Through stimulating presentations, poster presentations, and intellectual exchange, we celebrate academic excellence, curiosity, and the power of collaboration in a rural, Franco-American setting that has long stood at the crossroads of two nations.”

The annual symposium will kick off with an event held at the Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes for a special learning activity on the history of the U.S.-Canada border in northern Maine from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29th.

Wednesday morning, the symposium will begin with a welcome from UMFK President Deb Hedeen at 8:30 a.m. in Fox Auditorium followed by the presentation of undergraduate awards presented by President Hedeen.

At 9 a.m. you will hear from the following keynote speakers:

Dr. Paul Buck: Professor of History and Education at UMFK. With the help of historical maps, most of which are housed at USM’s Osher Map Library, Paul’s presentation examines the different perspectives of Maine statehood and of Maine culture as seen through the prism of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which definitively established the boundary between British North America and the United States.

Dr. Buck explores the treaty itself and its impact on the singular Acadian and Francophone community of the St. John Valley, which found itself split into two countries. He gives historical context as well, most certainly beginning with the long-standing Maliseet and Mi’kmaq communities of the region, along with Scots-Irish and, by the 1820s, of Maine Yankee residents who began arriving in the region. Finally, he will give a more modern perspective with the discussion of the framing of the region as seen through the Congrès mondial acadien/World Acadian Congress in 2014.

Dr. Lisa Lavoie: Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at UMFK and has completed an M.A. thesis on the effect of 9/11 on the twin towns of Fort Kent, Maine, and Clair, New Brunswick, wherein she discussed specific events that have, at times, transformed the border into a barrier. Her current research highlights the more recent effect of the COVID pandemic on local mental health and, in a broader context, on interpersonal and familial relationships in the area. She is a bilingual native of the region.

Patrol Agent in Charge Jodi L. Williams: Jodi L. Williams will provide an overview of the U.S. Border Patrol’s history, evolution, and key operations. The presentation will cover the agency’s origins, the impact of events like 9/11 and COVID-19, and highlight challenges in the Houlton Sector along the U.S.-Canada border. The presentation will also detail the federal hiring process and training at the Border Patrol Academy, offering insight into what it takes to become a Border Patrol agent and the agency’s role in national security and immigration enforcement.

The UMFK faculty members will speak on their research which will focus on a single topic, example, idea, project, or technique at 10 am in Fox followed by UMFK students’ research presentations.

The afternoon continues to highlight students’ research with poster sessions and presentations and the students will answer questions about their methodologies and findings, at the Sports Center from 1 to 3 p.m.

This is a terrific opportunity for community members of all ages to interact with UMFK students and learn more from subject-matter experts. The day’s events will conclude with an awards presentation to honor exemplary student work.

UMFK offers multiple degree paths which lead to associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees. For a complete program listing and more information, please visit the UMFK website.

For more information on the Scholars’ Symposium, please contact Dr. Stephanie Landry at stephanie.landry1@maine.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is making it even easier for students to access quality education with a flexible hyflex course delivery model in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Administration program. This approach puts students in control, allowing them to choose how they attend classes based on their learning preferences and schedules.

“Our goal is to deliver dynamic, student-centered instruction that adapts to each learner’s unique journey—both in the classroom and in life,” said UMFK President Deb Hedeen. “At UMFK, we are committed to providing students with flexible, personalized education that meets them where they are and helps them thrive.”

The model allows students to choose between in-person attendance or synchronous online participation via Zoom, ensuring that education is accessible to all, regardless of location or circumstance. This structure enables courses to adapt each semester, resulting in three possible instructional modalities:

• Exclusive Face-to-Face Enrollment: If all enrolled students opt for face-to-face attendance, the course proceeds as a traditional in-person class.
• Mixed Enrollment: For courses with both face-to-face and online students, simultaneous instruction occurs. Face-to-face students attend in the classroom, while online students join via Zoom, participating at the same time as their peers, in real-time discussions.
• Exclusive Online Enrollment: When all students choose online participation, the course is conducted asynchronously. This allows students to attend the class when it is convenient for them. In this instance, the scheduled Zoom meeting time serves as an optional session for students to engage directly with their professor to have questions answered or engage in further discussion.

This adaptable approach not only maximizes enrollment potential but also meets students where they are. By offering multiple avenues for course participation, UMFK ensures that all students have the opportunity to engage in a manner that best suits their individual needs.

“Our Computer Systems Administration program is ideally suited for this type of instruction modality because it mirrors the real-world working environment of computer systems administrators,” said UMFK Assistant Professor of Computer Science Kelly White. “With this model, we can provide our students with the best of both worlds, traditional in-class learning experience for the courses they want and remote, online learning experiences for maximized scheduling flexibility.”

The successful implementation of the hyflex model reflects UMFK’s commitment to innovative education and student-centered learning. As the university continues to embrace flexible learning solutions, it remains dedicated to providing accessible education that meets the evolving needs of its student body.

For more information about UMFK’s computer system administration degree program, please visit the Computer Systems Administration program webpage.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a rural, public university committed to providing students with exceptional educational experiences. UMFK offers a variety of programs that prepare students for successful careers and lifelong learning, emphasizing personalized attention and community engagement.