By: Liz Trudel, Staff Writer The halfway point of the semester has passed and these past two months have had their fair share of controversial events. So far there has been transphobic graffiti, Matthew Bourgault, the traveling preacher, arriving on campus to spread his hateful rhetoric, Glenn Cumming’s use of derogatory slang during the first…
By: Editorial Board, Free Press Staff Every November, political signs line the sides of roads and keep mailboxes company at the end of driveways. Names of politicians or short, urgent messages telling voters to select either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on their ballot are poignantly present. Since the 2016 presidential election, the intensity of political signs…
By: Dan Kilgallon, Staff Writer For someone who loves their movies in threes, I was pretty excited to pick up War for the Planet of the Apes when it finally hit Blu-ray/DVD a few weeks ago. The film completes what I consider to be an underrated science fiction trifecta that began with 2011’s Rise and…
By: James Fagan, Staff Photographer Professor Michael Boudewyns has been teaching theater courses at USM since the Fall of 2016. He teaches classes that are both interesting and fun. Boudewyns likes to allow students to be creative, and playful in a way that makes his classes interesting. He loves to be able to give someone…
By: Emma Donnelly, Contributor This November, Maine has four statewide initiatives. Question 2 is a Medicaid expansion initiative. A “yes” vote supports this initiative to require the state to provide Medicaid through MaineCare for persons under the age of 65 and with incomes equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line (less…
Accelerated Graduate Pathway Programs: Short Cut to Graduate Program, by Lynsey Thibeault, Professional Advisor The University of Southern Maine now offers several new exciting Accelerated Graduate Pathway programs that help students save time and $$ in earning both their undergraduate and graduate degrees! The programs are: Statistics (MS): for students majoring in Mathematics, Engineering, or…
By: Daniel Kilgallon, Staff Writer As I’ve made clear before, film sequels have become somewhat dangerous territory to me. In contemporary Hollywood, it seems to be a challenge to balance what worked in an original movie with enough new content that progresses to a larger story. When it comes to blockbusters, the most common mistake seems…
By: Mary Ellen Aldrich, Arts & Culture Editor All Saints’ Day is a celebration in which some Christian denominations partake. Most commonly known to be celebrated by Catholic Christians, the holiday follows Halloween, falling on Nov. 1. It is known by a few names: All Saints’ Day, Feast of All Saints, Hallowmas (“Hallows” means “saints”;…
By: James Fagan, Staff Photographer Of Thee I Sing opened on the shows cast singing behind the viewers at the top of the auditorium, urging the viewers to “vote for Wintergreen,” the recently elected presidential candidate of an unnamed party. John P. Wintergreen is an outspoken, passionate man who truly wishes to do the right…
By: Cormac Riordan, Staff Writer 2017 has been a strong year for music. The past fall has been the grounds for many great albums to come out, including some that can be considered the best albums of the year. Some albums which I would consider to be the best of this year include Tyler the Creator’s…
By: Sam Margolin, Staff Writer In the spirit of the Halloween season, the Portland Museum of Art hosted a special event Friday night as part of the Model Citizens: Art and Identity in the United States, 1770-1830 exhibits. The event was an exploration and explanation into mourning embroidery and memorial portraits in 18th and 19th…
By: Sarah Tewksbury, Editor-in-Chief USM’s Board of Visitors (BOV) is a group of professionals who meet roughly three times a semester to work with the President of USM to improve the university. Focusing on advancement through public relations, government relations and fundraising, the BOV is made of volunteers that bring varying perspectives from the community and…
By: Sarah O’Connor, Staff Writer Over 200 York High School students rallied against bullying across the street from the high school on Monday morning. The rally was in response to a violent confrontation between a bully and the older brother of a taunted student. The bullied 14-year-old gay student was supported by friends and students…
By: Sarah Tewksbury, Editor-in-Chief The USM chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) has failed to meet the standards for maintaining active status as a student group on campus. The Board of Student Organizations (BSO) met for the third time this semester on Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. Two representatives from YAF were present for…
By: Hawraa Rikan, Contributor We all agree that free speech is fundamental for a civilized society, but who gets to draw the line between hate and free speech? When I transferred to the University of Southern Maine last semester, it was baffling to me what people found offensive. Free speech has become limited to the…
By: Cornelia Cone, Contributor Reflections on the “Descendants of Henrietta Lacks” bioethics lecture hosted at the University of Southern Maine’s Portland campus on Oct. 13, 2017 ‘Individuals are not stable things, they are fleeting. Chromosomes too are shuffled into oblivion, like hands of cards soon after they are dealt. But the cards themselves survive the shuffling….
By: Solomon Nkhalamba and Catherine Darragh, Contributors Students know that they must invest time to succeed academically, but there is less understanding about financial preparedness. As a college student engulfed in school work and many other demands that come with this amazing period of life, it is tempting not to think about financial management. As the…
By: Daniel Kilgallon, Staff Writer To no surprise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had yet another successful year at the box office thus far, with their two feature films released grossing well over $700 million combined in the United States alone (Box Office Mojo). Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming have also…
By: Maverick Lynes, Staff Writer Leslie Odom Jr. recently graced Portland and the Merrill Auditorium with his love for both jazz and theatre. He was entertaining and remarkable. His voice is one that is listened to in awe and with jealousy. Odom Jr. can effortlessly tell a story through a song and hit the perfect notes,…
By: Cormac Riordan, Staff Writer Every spring, the University of Southern Maine English Department faculty members start to select who will be the O’Brien poet for the upcoming year. This year it is none other than Cheryl Savageau, a Fellowship-award winning Massachusetts poet. She has written three collections of poetry, a children’s book, and has…
By: Sam Margolin, Staff Writer In her book, Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living, Deborah Neimann writes, “Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make.” Adding to that, sustainable living is the…
By: Jordan Castaldo, Staff Writer The Career and Employment Hub is a convenient tool provided by USM to assist students in planning for the future. Not only are there resources for writing resumes or cover letters, but they also offer outlets for setting up internships, job search strategies, and alumni resources. Associates are also available to…
By: Sarah O’Connor, Staff Writer Susan Feiner is resigning the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CASH) curriculum review committee (CRC). Professor Susan Feiner, PhD is a professor of economics and women and gender studies at USM and also the union president of the university. Professor Feiner shot down the rumors that she is resigning…
By: Cara DeRose, Copy Editor Student Body President Pdg Muhamiriza and Student Senate Chair Muna Adan apologized to members of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and multicultural students last Monday for student government’s failure to “lead people the way it’s supposed to lead them,” according to Muhamiriza. The apology was made partially as a result…