By Melissa Fraser, Staff Writer Originally founded in 1878, USM has experienced an evolution of mergers, name changes and expansions. What was once a small institution of higher education has now developed into a public, comprehensive university, according to the USM website. A timeline of president’s traces the university growth from the beginning of USM…
By Alyson Peabody, News Editor USM’s Recovery Oriented Campus Center has been helping students toward rehabilitation since 2016. The program’s goal is to assist students recovering from substance use and mental health by offering a network of peers and allies at USM to help ease the transition. They do not provide clinical support. The program…
By Nick Schleh, Staff Writer University of Maine System officials recently reviewed 33 programs across the seven schools in the system that are experiencing under-enrollment. Last month the Portland Press Herald reported that the Women and Gender Studies and Master of Law’s programs are facing potential consolidation, a practice USM has done before by combining…
By Julie Pike, Editor-in-Chief Young adults are expected to make a big decision early on their lives. That million dollar question is, “what are you going to do with your life?” At 18-years-old, and even now as I approach 22, having a set idea of what I’ll do with the rest of my life is…
By Asha Tompkins, Arts and Culture Editor The USM roundabout is an on-going, multimodal project and one aspect of its creation is the actual construction that will allow artwork to be placed on the roundabout. The project itself will take approximately 18 months to construct, however the construction starting date has not yet been determined….
By Hailey Wood, Staff Writer Artist Sydney Stultz is a junior at USM majoring in studio art with a concentration in painting and drawing. This spring semester she is focusing on painting portraits. Stultz finds that she gravitates towards painting those closest to her. “I will sometimes sketch out an idea before painting if I…
By Kate Rogers, Community Editor Students at USM have been working to pass a new bill, LD37, to allow for the sale of non-prescription drugs through vending machines. USM student Emma Donnelly gave her testimony last Tuesday at a public hearing in Augusta. She was joined by several other Maine college students, State Representative Maureen…
By Julie Pike, Editor-in-Chief On average, tuition at USM runs between $8,000 to $21,390, depending on whether students are from Maine or out-of-state. Each year, we students dedicate a large amount of money to our education, and so, I think we need to become more actively involved in it. It saddens me to see students…
By Cody Curtis, Staff Writer When going to the movie theater, most,if not all, audience members are hoping for an enjoyable experience. However, when watching a film, sometimes the quality of the film does not matter. Movies such as The Room (2003), I, Frankenstein (2014) and this past weekend’s newest release Serenity, prove that movies can…
By Jess Ward, Staff Writer In a rundown bar off the highway in Belleville, Delaware, a woman spends her summer dancing around her past and entwining it with that of a stranger. It’s this backdrop that Laura Lippman sets her novel, Sunburn, an exploration of personal histories and the way they shape our future. Lippman…
By Jessica Pike, Staff Writer Winter break brought many changes to the Student Senate at USM. Some members resigned, while others stepped up to new roles and making way for possible new member applications and position openings. Taking over for Averi Varney as Chair of the Student Senate is Jamie Phillips. Other Senate members include…
By Hailey Wood, Staff Writer In a world dominated by social media, a new minor has emerged at USM. Professor Francesca Vassallo from the political science & history department, created the social media activism minor. Vassallo was inspired to make social media activism into a minor because of the change in political activism over the…
By Hailey Wood, Staff Writer When you see residential assistants (RAs) roaming the dormitory halls at night, that isn’t the only thing they have on their schedule. Students who take on the role of an RA take on the many responsibilities required for maintaining their roles. Gabrielle Thompson is the RA on the fifth floor…
By Alyson Peabody, Staff Writer Earning a degree from USM’s online program offers flexibility in a hectic world. Paul Cochrane, Director of the Center for Technology-Enhanced Learning, said that online learning is a tool for students who are balancing their education with work and family responsibilities. Online programs reach students outside of a convenient driving…
By Nick Schleh, Staff Writer The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program provides a community for students at USM interested in leadership roles in the U.S. Army. USM’s program joins together with other New England universities to form a combined total of 145 Cadets, with 30 of them attending USM. USM’s ROTC students form…
By: Asha Tompkins, Arts and Culture Editor The USM Department of Theatre (DOT) will present two vibrant and whimsical performances this spring semester. They will kick off the spring season with Unlock’d beginning on March 1, with The Foreigner beginning April 19. Both will take place at Russell Hall on the Gorham campus. Unlock’d, “a modern-ish…
By Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer New Zealand is a country lush with nature, towering mountains and breathtaking horizons. The people who inhabit the country express their appreciation for it through art, recreating the environment on the canvas. When Samantha Manetti studied abroad in New Zealand in 2009, she came across similar paintings and instantly discovered…
By: Ben Theriault, Staff Writer Sometimes a book can be judged by its cover. From Jan. 28 to April 20, students have an opportunity to see the exhibit Contemporary Illuminated Manuscripts: the Work of Nancy Ruth Leavitt. The exhibit can be found in the reading room on the seventh floor of Glickman Library and admission…
By: Melissa Fraser, Staff Writer The spring semester is underway and a growing trend could save students and faculty substantial amounts of money: open educational resources (OER). This term encompasses a vast array of peer-reviewed learning and teaching materials — textbooks, course reading, simulations — all available online, for free. Students are budgeting an average of…
By: Julie Pike, Editor-in-Chief Fair warning, I’m about to get personal here. This past week has been an eye-opener for me, as I discovered that I’m not truly happy with myself. It wasn’t a revelation that came to me easily, but one that I had to force myself to think over and realize. I have…
By Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor For many, winter break is a month off between semesters from late December to late January. But for athletes that participate in a winter sport, they aren’t so lucky. Athletes continue to practice and compete in games or invitationals against other Division III colleges. Wrestling Over the winter break the Men’s…
By Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer Sitting at home this past December, I came to what I had long put aside: paying for the semester. I had money in my savings (not much), money in my safe from summer tips (even less), and money in my wallet (insert laugh/cry emoji here). Money my parents had put away…
By Zoe Bernardi, Staff Writer The effects of the 34 day long government shutdown, which is currently in a three week break, can be seen throughout the country. President Trump’s veto on the budget that did not include funding for a border wall, caused the shutdown. The only way to lift the veto is for congress…
By Hailey Wood, Staff Writer Born out of an event from the Office of Sustainability at USM, the Free Store offers a space for students and staff to donate items they no longer need to be repurposed by others in the community. The Free Store stemmed from a project by the sustainability office called “Mindful…