By Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief Among the dozen or so high schools in Maine that participated in the national walkout to protest gun violence, Westbrook High School had three students come together in hopes to make a difference in their community. What began as three separate ideas by Sandy Cao, Kelly Maguire and Zoe Popovic, joined together…
By Ben Theriault, Staff Writer The Student Senate meeting held in Bailey Hall on March 9, provided an overall reflection on the current work of the Student Senators. The meeting, led by Senate Chairman Trevor Hustus, ensured progress and attention were being maintained in current projects, however it also served as a way to commemorate and…
By Ben Theriault, Staff Writer The Millennial generation is continuing a common trend—young citizens abstaining from political action. Reasons why this occurs and how to change this fate are explored by assistant professor within the Political Science Department at Rutgers University, Shauna Shames, in her presentation “The Great (Political) Divide: Why Women, Minorities, and Millennials are…
By Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief March is the declared month to celebrate the vast contributions that women have made in history, but it’s reminded me to appreciate the aspiring women that are in my life. Women’s History Month is celebrated in the U.S., U.K and Australia. This month also includes International Women’s Day on the eighth. Thirty-one…
Dionne Smith, Community Editor Just the thought of classes could stress out a college student, and that stress rises with having to work, study, and as exams creep closer each week. However, USM is fortunate enough to have Yesplus on campus to aid with helping students lower their stress and gain more energy with the help…
Kate Rogers, Staff Writer Mild spoiler alert Directed by Ryan Coogler, Marvel’s Black Panther follows King T’Challa, of a fictional African nation Wakonda, as he strives to do the best for his people in the wake of his father’s death. A wrench is thrown in the works when an outsider returns to Wakonda with an agenda…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief One of the simple pleasures that I miss from my time abroad in England is riding the train. There’s something about coasting through the English countryside that is incredibly peaceful and relaxing. In the states I rarely took the train, it was either driving, plane or bus for transportation. A train ride was…
Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer Looking to the generations ahead, a Master Planning Steering Committee co-chaired by Provost Jeannine Uzzi and the USM Foundation’s Cyrus Hagge is formulating an overarching plan for what the university will become. The committee, comprised of faculty, staff, students, community members and professional consultants conducted interviews, surveyed current infrastructure and analyzed mountains…
Dionne Smith, Community Editor Social justice is a very hard hitting, important, and sensitive topic to a lot of people. It can mean a lot of different things depending on the context, and has the potential to be limited, even though social justice can be done in many different ways. The second annual Social Justice…
Jessica Pike & Michael Laforte, Staff Writer & Contributor In high school, there was always that fight to make it into the top 10, to be the best of the school. The college equivalent of that is the Dean’s List, where students who get above a certain grade point average (GPA) are recognized for their…
Ben Theriault, Staff Writer Two weeks ago, on Feb. 14, The Poet and the Assassin, a five-act play written by USM’s own, Reza Jalali was performed at Talbot Hall on the Portland campus. The play is a part of the Gloria S. Duclos Convocation who’s theme is race and participatory democracy. The Poet and the…
Kate Rogers, Staff Writer Subtle Degrees, an ensemble consisting of drummer Gerald Cleaver and Travis Laplante on tenor saxophone, is certainly uncategorizable. Their album, A Dance That Empties, was released on Feb. 23. There are only three tracks, each with its own unique mood. Roughly 40 minutes in length, the album evokes a strong jazz…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief In response to the #metoo movement and the Women’s March, the discussion about sexual assault has been trending across the nation, including right at USM. It has been close to five months since the #metoo movement went viral on social media, empowering victims to share their stories of sexual abuse and harassment,…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief In the wake of the school shooting at the high school in Parkland, FL, where 17 people were killed, it makes me reflect on the current situation regarding gun control in our country. It saddens me to say that I’m not surprised when I hear news of another school shooting. This news still…
Kate Rogers, Staff Writer The University of Southern Maine has direct exchange programs with universities in 10 countries. This means that study abroad students can go to those schools on Maine tuition and even keep their USM scholarships. It’s an amazing opportunity. Three of the available countries are The Netherlands, Japan and Korea. However, USM…
Ben Theriault, Staff Writer The South is not the first place one would expect to find an alternative reggae band, let alone a successful one with a multi-million fan base. The band Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA) formed in Arlington, VA in 1997. Members include, Jacob Hemphill on lead vocals and guitar, Bobby Lee…
Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer Peter Del Gallo recently achieved number two standing in NCAA DIII wrestling after beating the number one ranked wrestler in his division, Jonathan Hass, a returning All-American. The 19-year-old sophomore exercise science major, with a coaching minor, currently ranks undefeated in 32 matches this season. His brother, Daniel Del Gallo,…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief My first letter from the editor, a piece of writing that symbolizes a big change in my role at The Free Press, as I take on the challenge of becoming editor-in-chief. For the past two years that I have worked at The Free Press, I always had in the back of my…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-chief The UMS Board of Trustees (BoT) has been in the works on a new policy, “Institutional authority on political matters.” The proposal was first introduced five months ago, but on Friday, Feb. 2, the USM Faculty Senate had a chance to weigh in on their opinions. This proposal, Board Policy 214,…
Julie Pike, Editor-in-Chief Over the past week a series of crimes have been reported across the USM Portland campus, from Woodbury Campus Center to the Science Building. In the early hours of Wednesday, Feb. 7, Raymondo Rezendes, 48, of Portland, broke into the Woodbury Campus Center. At 4:30 in the morning, both USM police and the…
Cooper-John Trapp, Staff Writer Nontraditional students, specifically those over 40 years old, are a prominent feature of USM’s student body. Reports from Registration and Scheduling Services show that nearly 17 percent of degree seekers are ages 35 and older, while undergraduate students between ages 18 and 24 comprise only just over half of the student…
Julie Pike, News Editor While making no indications of future plans to run for president in 2020, Biden joined in a discussion with former Sen. George Mitchell centered around his new memoir, “Promise Me Dad, A Year of Hope Hardship and Purpose.” The former vice president made a stop at Merrill Auditorium in Portland on…
Ben Theriault, Staff Writer Luca Guadagnino’s newest film and final addition to his thematic Desire trilogy—Call Me by Your Name—proves to be a beautifully devastating meditation on sexual awakening, first love, self acceptance and loss. The film stars Timothee Chalamet as a precocious 17 year old, Elio, and Armie Hammer as a 24 year old…
Ben Theriault, Staff Writer The Portland Museum of Art (PMA) has an eclectic array of art from all over the world. The museum boasts a collection housing 18,000 individual works, with artists featured such as Edward Hopper, Rene Magritte, Edvard Munch and Andy Warhol; PMA has a prestigious variety. Despite having countless pivotal pieces, PMA…