College readiness programs are so beneficial for many students, and these programs can be geared to tackle certain issues. Some programs focus on first-generation college students, or those who come from low-income families, or even just high school students who need an extra support person who is trained in the college application process. For Make…
Category: Community
Funding Issues Arise ahead of The Maine Deaf Film Festival
The 19th annual Maine Deaf Film Festival is the largest and longest running deaf film festival in the world. Over the past 20 years, the festival has brought together thousands of viewers and countless numbers of guest speakers from all over the world to participate in what could be considered one of Maine’s proudest traditions. …
TO SLEEP OR NOT TO SLEEP—IS THAT THE QUESTION?
How many times do you intend to do something good for your health, and then don’t seem to follow through? Why do we seem to sabotage our own best interest sometimes? Most people feel better with 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Here’s how you can get in that routine. Research has been done to…
When in Rome
Since my freshman year at USM, my best friend, Bethany Desrosiers and I have used the term “friendship field trip” to describe an excursion that creates a fun memory for the two of us to reminisce on later. It includes going to Old Orchard to meet with photographers for her budding modeling career, or going…
Creative Expression
Creative Writing Night, an event run by Graduate Assistant Karri Moser on behalf of Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL), saw five USM students brush up on their creative writing skills as they tackled numerous different writing styles and prompts inspired by carefully selected photos. Moser, a former news reporter and the author of five published…
Some Campus Resources for Students
On Wednesday, January 11, the University of Southern Maine hosted a New Student Orientation for all transfer and new students who planned to attend for the spring semester. This event hosted twelve different campus groups and resources all wanting to help see success academically, financially, and socially. The groups included the University Credit Union (UCU),…
Financial Goal Setting
According to the American Psychological Association, a survey conducted in 2017 on what most Americans stress about indicates that 62% of Americans stressed money. Another survey by the Federal Reserve Board indicates, almost half of Americans could not cover a $400 emergency bill without borrowing money or selling something. These are scary statistics to digest….
Surviving a Snow Day
USM saw its first snow day of the 2022-2023 school year on the 20th. If you’re an out-of-state student from somewhere warmer, you may have been under-prepared. If you’re used to the snow, you could be wondering why it took this long to see so much snow. It’s January, and there hasn’t been a…
Iranian Women Demand Change
Though February is the shortest month of the year, it looms large in our hearts and minds because it marks several significant annual occurrences. For one, it is Black History Month, and it includes Valentine’s Day. February happens to be when the 1979 Iranian Revolution took place giving birth to the establishment of the Islamic…
If You Want to Run With the Big Dogs You Gotta Get Off the Porch
I want to run with the wolves one night. I want to howl at the full yellow moon. I want to lope across snowy Meadows, breathing crispy cool air and ex- Haling warm steam that freezes on fur. As dark will grow up cold, the pines will crack And moan like frozen lakes. Some black,…
SYPHILIS – The Great Pretender – INFECTIONS ON THE RISE
Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), is caused by a slow growing bacteria called Treponema pallidum. While it has been around for centuries, it’s been in recent news due to an increased number of cases nationwide, including Maine. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the headlines or Center for Disease Control (CDC) advisories: From the Washington…
The New Husky Hub
On Tuesday, January 24th, a school-wide email was sent out from Director of Student Engagement and Leadership David Lewis about a new online community called The Husky Hub, introducing a brand new platform to USM with the plan of connecting people across all majors and locations to help everyone find commonalities with their fellow peers. …
WMPG Year in Review – 2022
As 2022 comes to a close, we here at WMPG would like to thank our volunteers, business supporters, listeners, and the community of the University of Southern Maine (USM) for their support. It’s been a very successful year for us, and we could not have achieved everything we have without your support. We’ve been very…
Indigenous Peoples: How They’ve Been Impacted
On Monday, November 14, Intercultural Student Affairs and the Student Body President’s Office hosted an event in which they streamed “Dawnland,” and “Bounty,” to educate about Indigenous history in the Bailey 10 lecture hall on the Gorham campus. Two guest speakers, Dawn Neptune Adams and Esther Anne, attended the event. Both women were featured in…
Choices?
In College, we can explore our interests, work towards our goals, and plan for our futures. It’s a time to meet new people, socialize and make our own choices. Socializing at college provides emotional and academic support. Choosing how to have fun and de-stress matters. Some students use alcohol and cannabis as a way to…
FAFSA deadline around the corner
On November 9th, USM’s Student Financial Services teamed up with representatives from the Financial Authority of Maine (FAME), TRiO, Promise Scholars, and Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) to host a FAFSA Completion Night on both Gorham and Portland campuses to encourage students to fill out their FAFSA. The same event was also held at the…
The Job Shadow Program
Underclassman students here at USM take on a lot of new responsibilities, from new classes to a new living situation, and many more things they have to adjust to. It’s easy to get lost in thought about what to do once someone graduates from USM. Specifically, what kind of career a student wishes to pursue….
Mr. Burns Takes the Stage
Have you ever wondered what the world may look like in a post-apocalyptic setting? Or rather, how would our forms of entertainment appear without electricity, and only the faint memory of what our favorite television shows used to be? Well wonder no longer, because the University of Southern Maine’s theatre department has brought that futuristic…
The Peer Career Guide Program
At one time or another someone has asked you to fill out a résumé. For some people it’s a fairly simple process. You compile a list of your work and school history, you add in your accomplishments and sprinkle in some traits, experiences, and keywords that will catch the eye of any person who will…
Osher School of Music produces “Nine: the Musical”
The Osher School of Music’s (OSOM) musical theater workshop class performed their rendition of Nine, a musical written by Arthur Kopit & Maury Yeston. Based on the 1963 film, 8 ½, the story tells of an Italian filmmaker, Guido Contini, as he navigates various obstacles in his life: a midlife crisis that provokes a creative…
Financial Wellness + iGrab with Abshiro Ali
My name is Abshiro Ali and I’m a graduate student at the school of Nursing. I work at the Financial Aid Department as a Graduate Assistant promoting Financial Wellness for University of Southern Maine students, staff, and alumni. What does financial Wellness mean? Financial wellness is understanding of your personal finances and goals, and using that…
A Spooktacular Extravaganza at USM
Nestled inside the heart of the USM community are the drag shows that have been put on here since October, 2021. Ever since the residential drag queen, Letta Dicken, started the shows, more and more performers have expressed themselves through the art of drag during these shows. It allows everyday students to explore their identities,…
Walking on the Left
Portland, Maine had the opportunity to see Maine’s current Governor Janet Mills, who is seeking a second term, face off against former Governor Paul LePage, attempting for his third term, in the last gubernatorial debate until November’s election. On Thursday, October 27th, 2022, the two candidates and a large audience gathered at the Holiday Inn…
Walking on the Right
“Inspiring today. Transforming tomorrow.” This is a sentiment that radiates truth with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. On October 27, 2022 they held a forum for the Gubernatorial Debate between incumbent Governor Janet Mills and rival candidate Paul LePage. This forum saw President of the chamber, Dana Connors welcome everyone to this event that…