People of USM: Robert Ritchie
Posted on May 04, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
River Plouffe Vogel, Staff Writer The University of Southern Maine is home to many bright characters. It’s a unique place that offers new and interesting experiences. For many students, finding community takes time, however there are certain individuals who bring the community to the students. Robert Ritchie is one of these individuals. Ritchie has worked […]
NAMI on campus: New club works to destigmatize mental illness
Posted on May 04, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
Julie Pike, Staff Writer Working alongside faculty members at the Recovery Oriented Campus Center (ROCC), a sophomore nursing student, Jessica Fossett, is in the process of bringing a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) club to USM. NAMI is a nationwide advocacy group that represents individuals and families who have been affected by mental health […]
Jr. NAD hosts weekend for connection
Posted on April 22, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By: Darleen Hutchins and Marisa Zastrow, Contributors Students from the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Marie Philip School and Rhode Island School for the Deaf attended the Jr. National Association of the Deaf region one conference hosted in Maine the weekend of April 7-9 at Mackworth Island. The theme of […]
The journey of recovery: How the USM community handles healing
Posted on April 18, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By: Mary Ellen Aldrich, Community Editor ‘Recovery’ is a word with meanings and interpretations as diverse as those who use it. Regardless of these differences, it is a word which, according to members of the Recovery Oriented Campus Center (ROCC), holds similarities to “hope,” “healing” and “improving.” The ROCC, located on the USM Portland campus, […]
People of USM Donna Cassidy
Posted on April 11, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By: Kelly Scrima, Web Editor Maine boasts many artists who stand out in the art history books for their works, with notable artists including Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer. On March 15, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Breuer) in New York City opened a new exhibit entitled “Marsden Hartley’s Maine,” which was […]
People of USM: Kaoru Phillips, Assistant Director of the International Office
Posted on March 18, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By Eleanor Mair, Contributor The transition into university can be difficult. The experience of living in a new town, trying to make new friends, participating in brand new courses and gaining a sense of independence can be overwhelming. For incoming international students, however, their recent travels, sometimes thousands of miles away from home, to immerse […]
A closer look at marijuana and its potential to exacerbate cognitive problems
Posted on February 25, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By Mary Ellen Aldrich and Cara DeRose As of January 2017, recreational marijuana is officially legal in Maine for those who are twenty-one and older. Although recreational marijuana’s previous illicit status never deterred people from using it, people can now smoke marijuana without the usual obstacles of accessibility and unlawfulness (so long as a person […]
Kittens and yoga, a match made in heaven
Posted on February 13, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
By: Julie Pike, Staff Writer Imagine bending into downward dog as a tiny kitten scampers underneath you, or extending into sun salutation while another kitten brushes up against your feet. This describes the experience of those who attended the Kitten Yoga event to benefit the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (ARLGP) on Saturday, Feb. […]
People of USM: Maria Tzianabos, Instructor’s passion for dance runs deep
Posted on February 06, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
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 […]
The dreadlocks debate: appreciation or appropriation?
Posted on February 06, 2017 by USM Free Press in Community
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 […]