By: Dionne Smith, Community Editor USM President Glenn Cummings comes from humble beginnings and over time has worked his way to the prestigious position he holds currently. During his presidency he plans to further improve the university, keeping his focus on his nine goals and other areas of interest at USM, such as providing students…
By Jake Hahn, Free Press Staff For some, the art of dance is just part of the background noise of life, just another thing they may see throughout the course of the day. For others, however, much more thought is put into the art. For these people it’s a way of life, not just a…
By Dionne Smith, Free Press Staff There is an ongoing debate about whether it is appropriate or not for white people to wear dreadlocks. The argument stems from the history of white people appropriating different aspects of other cultures as well as stereotyping cultures. In the twenty-first century, is it okay for all aspects of…
By: Jordan Castaldo, Free Press Staff Dana McDaniel is known to most as the head of the USM Linguistics Department. However, having the pleasure of getting to know her a bit further, and to focus more on her linguistics background and not just her job, it becomes apparent just how interesting McDaniel is. McDaniel was…
By: Kelly Scrima, Free Press Staff USM is currently in the planning stages of adding a minor in Islamic studies. The idea of an Islamic studies minor has been on the minds of faculty and students for some time. However, it’s taken a while for things to actually get started. According to Brendan Butler, a…
By Thomas Fitzgerald As we return for another semester here at USM, we all gain an extra day off before adjusting to a full week of classes. This day off is in recognition of an important figure of American history, as it is dedicated to humanitarian and activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Although some…
By Meaghan Gonsior Student Delaney Kenny jokingly describes herself as a “Super Senior,” double-majoring in Finance and Economics and minoring in geoscience. Her post-graduate goal is to become a CFO or CEO, preferably working in the renewable energy field. She’s passionate about LGBTQ rights and her recently adopted cat, Sugar. The former fuels her efforts…
Nicholas Beauchesne, who goes by Nick, is the Sports Editor at the University of Southern Maine Free Press student newspaper. As an English major with a double minor in history and public and professional writing, Nick keeps himself busy at all hours of the day. Whether he’s reporting on a sports event, Substitute teaching as…
In Luther Bonney, students meander around the atrium, some using computers that sit right outside the computer lab. Dusty footprints clutter the first floor, where construction that began in October is still in the works to be completed by the end of the semester. The plan for improvements, implemented by the previous administration, is meant…
Monday, January 25 Two Small Pieces of Glass University of Southern Maine Southworth Planetarium, Portland Starts: 1:00 p.m. / Ends: 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 26 PEB: Pancake Breakfast University of Southern Maine Abromson Lobby, Portland Campus Starts: 7:30 a.m. / Ends: 10:00 a.m. OML Gallery: Five Centuries of Maps University of…
Nicholas Beauchesne, who goes by Nick, is the Sports Editor at the University of Southern Maine Free Press student newspaper. As an English major with a double minor in history and public and professional writing, Nick keeps himself busy at all hours of the day. Whether he’s reporting on a sports event, Substitute teaching as…
The Mindfulness Group offers students a way to unwind and reflect through meditation. Each Tuesday, the Mindfulness Group assembles from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Sullivan Recreation and Fitness Complex in the Multipurpose Room. The group was started by the USM Health and Counseling Services’ suicide prevention initiative USM CARES with the meditation and…
Marpheen Chann is a popular name at USM lately. This fall he became the first ever student vice president at USM, and on top of that, he’s been hard at work on a number of other projects. Chann first came to USM in 2010 after a year at Valley Forge College in Pennsylvania. He is…
While a lot of students like to spend Saturdays sleeping in, hanging out in their dorms and catching up with friends or binge watching entire seasons of whatever show their roommate claims to be the greatest show ever, some use the time to catch-up on their school work. And for some, it’s the only time…
Katie Belgard hadn’t planned on being the president of the Board of Student Organizations when she first joined. She’s one of those students everyone seems to know. Spending a lot of time in the Woodbury Campus Center, she can often be found calling to and greeting passersby with a smile. A women and gender studies…
Bryn Gallagher does it all–well, practically. She’s involved in a number of on and off-campus activities and organizations. A junior sociology major and criminology minor at USM, Gallagher became the new president of the Sociology Club in the fall of 2013. “It has been a transitional semester,” Gallagher said. “It’s been hard to figure out…
The conversation about LGBTQA students in collegiate and high school sports has not been common, but it should be, according to Sarah Holmes, coordinator for the Center of Sexualities and Gender Diversity. This week, the USM Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine will host “Changing the Game: A Panel Discussion on LGBT People in High…
Despite a less than enthusiastic reception from students this fall, the USM branch of the student organization Divest UMaine plans to continue with its efforts this year to pressure USM’s community and administration to support a system move to divest its fossil fuels. Divest UMaine, is a group of students, staff, faculty and alumni whose…
The early bird gets the worm. Or, in this case, a few new breakfast options and some space to rest. This year, in an attempt to consolidate and better meet student needs for food, convenience and space, the Brooks Convenience Store, once located in upper Brooks, has been combined with the Husky Hideaway, in lower…
If you’re walking between the Luther Bonney and Payson Smith Halls at Portland’s USM campus this fall, you may notice that something is different about the once-empty, long stretch of grass. This summer, USM teamed up with local permaculture designer and USM graduate David Homa to construct an edible landscape – the project fittingly called…
Joan Benoit Samuelson made history 29 years ago when she crossed the finish line at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to become the first ever Women’s Olympic marathon winner. Last Wednesday, Samuelson made an appearance on the Portland campus to talk about her role in breaking the gender barrier but also spoke personally about the…
The nationally eighth ranked Lady Huskies were unable to advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship last Friday in Gorham, losing 80-58 to the Smith College Pioneers (23-4). The loss concludes the season for the women’s team with an impressive 27-2 record. Just 10 minutes into the game,…
Like many students, I’m addicted to coffee. Not only because of its unique aroma and taste, but because of its ability to cast a spell that temporarily ignites my motivation, concentration and productivity. So when I read that a nine-year study proved that coffee consumption does not link to any chronic diseases, I was filled with excitement and relief.
For as long as I can remember, my mother always warned me about saturated fats. Saturated fats, according to her conventional wisdom source, clog arteries and contributes to heart disease and obesity. She use to trim excess fat from the occasional steak I was able to enjoy once in a while. As for me, I…