UMFK News Releases

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is pleased to announce the creation of new Master of Science in Nursing and Doctorate of Nursing Practice programs. These graduate-level programs will be offered fully online.

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctorate of Nursing Practice are UMFK’s first graduate-level programs. While UMFK has several graduate-level pathways with other University of Maine System institutions, these will be their first solo programs.

“Nursing is UMFK’s signature program,” said UMFK’s President Dr. Deb Hedeen. “With a robust group of highly qualified doctorate-level faculty, creating doctoral and master’s programs is an obvious fit and our State has a demonstrated need for individuals with graduate-level nursing education.”

“We have researched the health needs of the State and after considering the graduate-level nursing programs that the University of Maine System already offered, we determined that providing specialty tracks in Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP), Acute Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Acute PMHNP), Primary Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Primary PMHNP), and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) were of the most value to the residents of Maine,” said UMFK’s Associate Provost of Academic Affairs and Dean of Nursing Dr. Erin Soucy.

The online, accelerated program will have several start dates to allow for greater access for students. UMFK will begin admission into the Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) program for a summer 2022 start. The remaining specialty tracks will launch in summer 2023 and summer 2024. The Doctorate of Nursing Practice has an expected start of 2024.

“Expanding capacity to produce more registered nurses is not enough to help our State,” said President Hedeen. “We must prepare more nursing faculty and advance nurse practitioners to handle the upcoming retirements in the next five to ten years.”

The staggered roll-out of the specialty tracks is to accommodate not only the expected enrollment bump, but also the need for additional faculty. Delaying the start of several of the specialties allows the university time to conduct a national search for appropriate faculty.

“Our national accrediting agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), sets forth graduate program accreditation standards that we follow,” said Dr. Soucy. “Our program curriculum and evaluation plan align with CCNE and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) standards for quality graduate education and program evaluation.”

“Maine needs comprehensive strategies for our most dire workforce challenges,” said University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy. “UMFK has long been a leader in nursing education. I appreciate their innovation and their commitment to investing in educational programs that expand our overall capacity to prepare more people for careers as Maine healthcare providers and educators.”

UMFK will begin marketing these programs nationwide this spring in order to correspond to the staggered programmatic rollout. The marketing is done in conjunction with a national entity called Academic Partnerships (AP) who enables a wider reach for UMFK’s messaging.

“Nursing is a vast field of study, and we are thrilled to be able to offer prospective students multiple pathways for nursing education at UMFK,” said President Hedeen.

For more information, please call (207) 834-7600 or go to the Nursing program webpage.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Alumni Association is pleased to announce the first annual Ski, Shoe, Ski Winter Triathlon event on March 20, 2022.

“This fun event combines three different winter activities into a race here in Fort Kent,” said UMFK’s Foundation Officer, Shannon Lugdon. “Participants can compete individually or as part of a team.”

The race begins at the Fort Kent Outdoor Center for a loop of cross-country skiing and then switches to a snowshoe hike up the side of the Lonesome Pines Trails hill. The race ends with participants speeding down a designated section of Lonesome Pine Trails. Prizes will be awarded in several competitor categories such as, youngest, oldest, fastest, slowest, costumes, and more!

“While this event is a competition, we’re hoping people have fun participating in the three legs of the race,” said UMFK’s Alumni Association President, Sue Devoe. “These are the most popular things to do in Fort Kent in the winter so we thought it would be interesting to put them together in a race.”

Proceeds from the registration will go toward installing lights on UMFK’s soccer field. “This is a much-needed addition to the athletics program at UMFK,” said Lugdon. “Currently the teams must practice during daylight hours which gets tricky as the days get shorter. This would allow for greater flexibility in their practice and game schedules.”

Registration is $20 for an individual and $45 for a team of three. Registration opens on January 21, 2022, and can be completed here: https://www.umfk.edu/alumni/giving/ski-shoe-ski/ [link no longer active]

For more information, please call Shannon Lugdon at 207-834-7800 or go to www.umfk.edu.

The University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) is pleased to announce the creation of a new Arctic Studies Minor within the Arts & Sciences degree programs.

“We are excited to offer this new academic minor in Arctic Studies for students in Maine and beyond that connects with the University of Maine Arctic Initiative,” said Dr. Kaisa Holloway Cripps, assistant professor of business at UMFK.

“The environment, security, and economic stability of the Arctic is a strategic imperative for both the globe and the state of Maine,” added Dr. Michael Curran, assistant professor of business at UMFK.

The primary goal of the Arctic Studies minor is to make a positive and enduring difference in the world through education, research, and outreach. The minor connects undergraduate students with research and learning experiences in the University of Maine System where they can study the people, cultures, environment, governance, and contemporary issues of the Arctic and Circumpolar regions in an interdisciplinary program.

“This project will further connect UMFK and the University of Maine System with our current governor’s pledge of Arctic nation partnerships to combat climate change, strengthen trade, and provide for research opportunities,” said Dr. Leo Trudel, associate professor of business at UMFK. “Being an Arctic partner is also an area that Senator Angus King has discussed as an important role for Maine.”

UMFK’s new minor will also spearhead the need for academic community engagement, global collaboration, and cross-institutional partnerships. The faculty and students will embrace the transformative power of technology in support of student learning and faculty research and professional development.

“As Maine’s most northern university, we embrace our location and our climate as strengths and opportunities for research and careers,” said UMFK’s President and Provost, Dr. Deb Hedeen. “Our market research has shown us that careers in this field are growing quickly and we are choosing to be a part of that growth.”

There are several degree pathways that will now utilize this minor to assist students in finding their desired career. For example, a student may opt to pursue a business degree with the Arctic Studies minor to better understand how climate change is impacting trade routes in the Arctic region. Other students might wish to pursue an Environmental Studies degree with an Arctic Studies minor to examine the flora and fauna of a region. UMFK students can also benefit from a partnership with MaineLaw which provides a degree pathway toward a law degree.

“Students want to make a difference and we aim to provide them the tools with which to do so,” said President Hedeen. “There are endless career opportunities for students who pursue any of these degree options. Including Arctic Studies as a minor in our portfolio just made sense; it is a very desirable area of study for students.”

For more information on academic programs at UMFK, please call 834-7600 or email umfklife@maine.edu.

Each year the University of Maine at Fort Kent Alumni Association recognizes an UMFK alumni for their outstanding character, professional achievement, distinguished leadership, service to UMFK, and service to the community. Without your input, we are unable to present a deserving individual the appropriate recognition.

The Alumni Association Board appreciates all of the nominations that are received. If you know someone who has demonstrated success in his or her career and/or personal life, please take the time to nominate them online at: https://www.umfk.edu/alumni/awards/nomination-form/ [link no longer active]

The deadline for submission is Monday, January 31, 2022. The recipient of the award will be honored during the University’s annual Homecoming weekend in September.

If you would like to request a hard copy of the nomination form or for more information, please contact Susan Tardie at susan.tardie@maine.edu or by phone at 207-834-7557.