By: Jess Ward, Staff Writer The silver screen has been both a creator and a reflection of the culture around it for a long period of time. Movies and films become defining moments in time; think of Star Wars’ impact in 1977, and the way it resonates today. Why, then, have only five women been nominated…
By Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor USM’s Women’s Basketball team finished the season with an outstanding 16-11 record, the team’s best showing since 2013. The Huskies ended their season with a disappointing 93-58 loss to Eastern Connecticut State in the Little Eastern Conference Semifinals on Feb. 22. The team had a very strong start to the…
By Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor Baseball USM Men’s Baseball team comes into this year off an outstanding 30-15 record from last season, where the team ended the season with a 9-3 loss to Swarthmore College from Pennsylvania in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament Championship. The Huskies, under head coach Ed Flaherty who was recently…
By: Kate Rogers, Community Editor If you have ever visited the disability services center (DSC) on USM’s Portland campus, there is a good chance that you have met and received a smile from Margo Luken. If you haven’t — you should. Luken is the administrative specialist for the DSC, manning the front desk and making…
By Alyson Peabody, News Editor Two weeks ago, Republican lawmaker Amy Arata’s proposal to ban ‘obscene’ material in public schools was unanimously rejected by the legislative committee in Maine after a public hearing, according to the Beacon. The bill started when Arata opened her child’s copy of Kafka on the Shore, by Japanese author Haruki…
By: Hailey Wood, Staff Writer At the beginning of March, the USM Class of 2019 will began raising $2,019 towards the USM Student Emergency Fund in order to unlock an additional $20,000 donated by Martin’s Point Healthcare. The challenge is the Class of 2019 must meet their goal by May 8 to receive the additional…
By Cody Curtis, Staff Writer Everyone knows about Game of Thrones and Lord of The Rings, however there is another fantasy trilogy not everyone knows about, the How to Train Your Dragon series. This fantasy epic about a boy and his dragon reached its conclusion this past weekend. This conclusion is something many movie trilogies…
By Jess Ward, Staff Writer Navigating relationships is a challenge faced by everyone, but especially those in the throes of young adulthood and growing up. As we move forward in life, we expect to find our perfect person, someone who just gets you. But what happens if that person doesn’t exist? What if every new…
Robert Cohen There’s 9 million artists and they’re all great in their own way. You’ve got to find your own way. If you can find a way that’s a little bit different and be the best you can be at it, that’s all you can really ask for. The biggest thing of all is that…
By Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer For decades, the USM Art Department has been a creative sanctuary for both students and faculty alike. This fall, the department will be welcoming its newest faculty member, Hannah Barnes. As an artist with a rich history in drawing and painting, she will be teaching beginner and advanced art courses…
By Ben Theriault, Staff Writer The Osher Map Library and Smith Center For Cartographic Education at USM holds tens of thousands of rare and historical maps, making it the second largest collection of publicly available maps in the country. This semester, the map library attempted to broaden its student and faculty reach. Under the instruction…
By Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer Work-study funded jobs do more than dot the campus landscape. From the admissions office to the Gorham mail room to the journalists at the Free Press, work-study students perform tasks vital to university operations. So, what is this thing called work-study and how does one get it? A work-study…
By Julie Pike, Editor-in-Chief Recently I’ve been having conversations with both family and friends about the state of our mental health. The fact that people are becoming more open to talk about what can perceived as a taboo topic is encouraging to me. I only hope that others can experience the same thing. Mental health…
By Nick Schleh, Staff Writer Single-use plastic drinking straws may be banned from USM. Universities, restaurants, and businesses across the nation are transitioning away from the environmentally harmful plastic straws in order to promote sustainability. Katelyn Seavey, Student Body President and President of the Campus Kitchens Project at USM, is leading the student initiative to…
By Katie Letellier, Staff Writer When I first moved into the dorms at USM, my mom, who was an alum, mentioned something about a pub that was on campus when she was a student. Nearing 21, and unfamiliar with the campus, I was intrigued by the possibility of an on-campus pub. The pub my mom mentioned…
By Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer “Freshman year I was young, wild, and free. We would go outside and lay in the grass. Get people together. Have a party. But it feels so weird to do that now. Am I just odd? Is this normal?” This snippet comes from a late-night conversation with some friends in…
By Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor USM’s Men’s Indoor Track & Field team won their fifth Little Eastern Conference Championship for the fifth year in a row. Since 2009, Men’s Indoor Track & Field has won eight of the 10 conference championships, not winning in 2012 and 2014. The team travelled to Plymouth State University for…
By Max Lorber, Staff Writer Imagine that you are walking across a hardwood floor, a creaking sound underneath your feet. To the right are books, the old among the new, stacked on row upon row of shelving. In this room, knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation, for the past 160 years. There…
By Kate Rogers, Community Editor Looking for great food, great coffee and a warm, welcoming study spot? Quill Books and Beverages in Westbrook offers all this, as well as a chance to support local businesses and pick up a new book at the same time. Opened in March of 2018, Quill is both a cafe…
By Ian Beckett, Staff Photographer Greg Shattenberg’s latest exhibit “Rewinding Romanticism” opened with a reception in the Glickman library last week. The collection will be on display on the fifth floor until May 24th. Growing up in a military family from the west coast, Shattenberg felt pulled towards Maine and moved to the state in…
By Jess Ward, Staff Writer Naomi Alderman’s The Power offers an alternate future reality in which matriarchy has overthrown patriarchy in a violent struggle for power. Alderman prefaces the book with fictitious correspondence between herself and male historian “Neil Adam Armon,” which is an anagram of Alderman’s full name. The letter outlines that the following…
By Cody Curtis, Staff Writer Over many years there have been hundreds, if not thousands of horror films released into theaters. At the same time, very few good horror movies have been released. However, Happy Death Day 2 U, which arrived into theaters this past weekend, is not only a great film in the world…
By Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer For decades, Italy has been an incredibly popular travel destination due to its unique atmosphere and culture. Rebecca Goodale and Lin Lisberger believe that the country can function as an impactful experience for art students who look to expand and further their craft. USM students will have an opportunity to…
By Zoe Bernardi, Staff Writer For those looking to combine technical skills with creative art skills, the Department of Technology at USM offers a minor in digital media and design. This minor intertwines both art, media studies and technology. It can be matched with majors outside of that department and applied to various careers. The minor…