Our Annual UMA Golf Tournament sold out with 30 teams and raised approximately $12,000 to help strengthen the student-athlete experience through team travel, equipment, athletic programming, tournament operations, and opportunities for students to compete, grow, and lead. Thank you to every player, sponsor, and volunteer who made it such a success.

We were glad to have The Big JAB 96.3 out with us, catching up with coaches, students, President Cushman, and Athletic Director Chris Hart throughout the day.
Congratulations to our winners:

• Low Gross — Team Cowan
• Low Net — Team Bailey
• Putting Contest — Ted Rioux
• Closest to the Pin — Dylan Elliott
• Longest Drive (Men) — Erik Hall
• Longest Drive (Women) — Katrina Label

Two shots we’ll be talking about for a while: Ted Rioux came inches from sinking a $2,500 putt, and Dylan Elliott’s swing at the $1 million prize was heading straight for the green before a tree branch knocked it wide. So close!

In 2006, UMA organized its longstanding service to Maine’s incarcerated citizens into a formal cohort of students enrolling in a Liberal Arts degree program. Sixteen residents of Maine State Prison began a journey that would not only change their lives but significantly impact the culture of Maine’s correctional system.

Today, the UMA PEP is one of the longest continuously running higher ed in prison (HEP) programs in the nation. Since 2006, over 170 PEP students have earned UMA associate and bachelor’s degrees while incarcerated. We serve residents at all seven of Maine’s adult correctional facilities where they study a range of majors including Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Justice Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Mental Health and Human Services. Our hybrid delivery model, with unparalleled access to technology and the internet in-facility, sets the gold standard for HEP programs across the country.

On Friday, October 2, please join us in celebrating 20 years of exemplary higher education in prison and envisioning what is next for this dynamic program at the center of Â鶹APP mission to “transform the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine.â€�

Katie Doherty, Deb Neuman, Peter Osborne, Cathy Milojevic-Kaey, Patrick Skeate, Cathy Conlow, and Ranae L’Italien each have strong ties to the communities and industries UMA serves. Their combined expertise will help UMA strengthen partnerships, respond to Maine’s workforce needs, and continue creating accessible educational opportunities for learners across the state.

The Board of Visitors advises Â鶹APP leadership on university priorities, community needs, partnerships, and long-term strategy. Members also serve as ambassadors for UMA, helping connect the university with employers, organizations, civic leaders, alumni, and communities throughout Maine.

UMA also extends its sincere appreciation to Soumia Iber as she concludes her service on the Board of Visitors. Her leadership, insight, and commitment have helped strengthen UMA and its connections with communities across Maine. We thank her for her lasting contributions to the university.

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the UMA Board of Visitors. Learn more about the experience and perspective each brings to UMA below.

Katie Doherty

President & CEO, Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce

Katie Doherty is the President & CEO of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, where she leads a dynamic team dedicated to strengthening Central Maine’s business community. Under her leadership, the Chamber has expanded membership, elevated its signature events like the Kenney Awards, and enhanced its role as a driver of economic growth. Katie has been instrumental in bringing major events such as IRONMAN 70.3 Maine in Augusta—generating over $11.7 million in regional impact—and the Great Race to Gardiner, while also advancing workforce and leadership initiatives like the Kennebec Leadership Institute, KLI 2.0, and the Chambers 7th UP programs.

She currently serves as Chair of the Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, U.S. Chamber winter Board of Regents for the Institute of Organizational Management and Past chair of The New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Outside of her industry board involvement she sits on many local board and committees, championing collaboration and promotion across the region and state. A Thomas College graduate, Katie lives in the Kennebec Valley with her husband and two children.

Deb Neuman

President & CEO, Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce

Deb Neuman serves as President and CEO of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, where she champions economic development, business support, and regional collaboration. With a strong background in leadership and community engagement, Deb plays a vital role in advancing initiatives that strengthen the Bangor region’s economic landscape and workforce development.

Peter Osborne

Director of Educational Services, Maine Municipal Association (MMA)

Peter Osborne serves as Director of Educational Services at the Maine Municipal Association (MMA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization representing Maine’s cities and towns. In this role, he leads a dynamic team that develops and facilitates more than 110 workshops, conferences, and virtual learning programs annually, supporting the professional growth of municipal officials and employees across the state. Prior to joining MMA, Peter spent more than a decade in higher education, serving in student affairs, career development, and program management roles. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from the University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Southern Maine. Peter has served on nonprofit and advisory boards, including the Maine Career Development Association, Inclusion Maine, and the University of Maine at Farmington Board of Visitors. He currently resides in Jay, where he enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, and performing in community theater.

Cathy Milojevic-Kaey

Head of Operations and Events, Augusta Colonial Theater

Cathy Milojevic-Kaey serves as Executive Director of the Augusta Colonial Theater, where she helps lead efforts to restore and revitalize one of Augusta’s historic cultural landmarks. With a background in education and community engagement, Cathy brings experience in organization, outreach, events, and fundraising to the theater’s ongoing restoration work. Her leadership supports the broader vision of strengthening downtown Augusta through arts, culture, and community connection.

Patrick Skeate, ’16

Information Systems Security Engineer, The Jackson Laboratory | UMA Alumnus

Patrick Skeate is an Information Systems Security Engineer at The Jackson Laboratory, where he focuses on protecting critical systems and data in a highly technical and research-driven environment. A graduate of the Â鶹APP, Patrick brings expertise in cybersecurity, information systems, and risk management, along with a strong connection to Â鶹APP academic programs.

Cathy Conlow

Executive Director; Former City Manager, Bangor

Cathy Conlow is the Executive Director of Maine Municipal Association and former City Manager of Bangor, Maine, where she led municipal operations and strategic initiatives to support the city’s growth and community well-being. With a strong background in public administration and local government leadership, Cathy is known for her collaborative approach, commitment to public service, and ability to navigate complex challenges. Her experience brings valuable insight into municipal management, economic development, and community engagement.

Ranae L’Italien

Chief Executive Officer, KV YMCA

Ranae L’Italien is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kennebec Valley YMCA, where she has served in progressively responsible leadership roles for more than 20 years. As CEO, she provides strategic and operational leadership for a complex nonprofit organization and brings extensive experience in organizational development, financial management, strategic planning, fundraising, leadership development, and community partnerships.

Ranae is deeply committed to community service and civic engagement and is passionate about strengthening communities through collaboration, developing leaders, and creating opportunities to improve the lives of individuals and families. She serves on the boards of Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, Camp KV Board of Trustees, and the YMCA Alliance of Northern New England. She is a past president and current board member of the Rotary Club of Augusta. She has also served as a Commissioner on the State of Maine’s Paid Family Medical Leave Commission.

Ranae lives in Sidney with her husband, two children, and dog. She enjoys being outside, camping, baking, and reading.

The program responds to a clear workforce need in Maine. Municipalities across the state currently have , and public employers are seeking people prepared for roles in local government, public service, and community administration.

The degree has already drawn support from the Maine Legislature’s Committee on State and Local Government and the Maine Municipal Association, who see it as a timely response to Maine’s public-sector workforce shortage.

This program is one of across the University of Maine System to support adult degree completion and address Maine’s workforce needs. Â鶹APP program is the only one of its kind in the University of Maine System, offering an accelerated pathway for students who want to move into public administration without starting from scratch.

What makes this program different:

• 90 credits instead of the traditional 120, shortening the time to earn a degree
• 100% online, with HyFlex options so students can attend in person, join live, or work on their own schedule
• Built on UMA’s existing Public Administration courses and faculty
• A pathway into UMA’s full Public Administration bachelor’s degree for students who want to keep going

How you can help:

• Get familiar with the program so you can answer questions from students, colleagues, and community members
• If you know current or prospective students who might be a great fit, especially working professionals in public-sector or municipal roles, connect them with Admissions or Advising
• If you’d be willing to be featured in a faculty, student, or alumni profile for our marketing materials (for this new program or any existing program), please reach out to Amber Sinclair at amber.sinclair@maine.edu
• Check out the website — and share the link! uma.edu/apa

Thank you for everything you do to help UMA open doors for Maine’s learners.

These live, role-specific trainings provide a practical introduction to Navigate360’s core features and workflows, helping you build confidence using the platform in your day-to-day work.

Getting Started with Navigate360 for Advisors

August 18, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET

Learn how to:

• Navigate the staff home page and student profiles
• Create and manage appointment availability
• Prepare for and document advising interactions using the latest Navigate360 AI capabilities
• Issue alerts and manage cases
• Identify and support targeted student populations

Getting Started with Navigate360 for Faculty

August 20, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET

Learn how to:

• Navigate the staff home page and student profiles
• Create and manage appointment availability
• Prepare for and document advising interactions using the latest Navigate360 AI capabilities
• Submit Progress Reports and alerts

For those who might like to attend but are unavailable on the 20th, as long as they register, they will receive a recording of the session.

If there are any questions or issues with registering, EAB’s Kristen Brittingham KBrittingham@eab.com or Kurt Grunder KGrunder@eab.com will be able to assist.

This structure is intended to better align the department’s work with Â鶹APP strategic plan and create a more connected and coordinated approach across these areas.

What Faculty and Staff Need to Know

The most noticeable change will be how projects are requested and coordinated with External Relations.

An updated directory of roles and points of contact, along with a clearer process for submitting and managing requests, will be shared in the coming weeks.

For now, please continue using the same contacts and processes currently in place.

Questions about the new External Relations structure can be directed to Kristen Eaton, Vice President of External Relations, at kristen.eaton@maine.edu.

The Â鶹APP congratulates Associate Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Robert Bernheim, Ph.D., on receiving a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Poland for the 2026-2027 academic year.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, is among the nation’s most prestigious international academic exchange programs. It supports faculty and researchers as they teach, conduct research, and build global partnerships, bringing new knowledge and perspectives back to their classrooms and campuses. Scholars are selected through a rigorous, multi-stage review process involving peer reviewers, Fulbright leaders, and representatives from the host country. 

Bernheim’s Fulbright research uses the bagel, a food that originated in Poland’s Jewish communities, to tell a larger story about culture, identity, and memory. His project examines the return of the bagel to Poland since 1989 to better understand the country’s evolving relationship with its Jewish heritage and the memory of the Holocaust and the German occupation. Through this work, he explores how the revival of a traditional food can create opportunities for dialogue, deepen understanding of shared history, and foster reconciliation across communities. 

While in Poland, Bernheim will teach a course at the University of Rzeszów on the history of food, cooking, and flavors in America. The course complements his research by exploring food as a form of cultural expression, examining the histories, traditions, and human connections that shape societies. His research also draws on the idea of “bagel diplomacy,” using the shared history of the bagel to foster dialogue and mutual understanding between local ethnic Poles and the Jewish diaspora.  

Following his Fulbright, Bernheim hopes to help establish a recurring bagel festival in Poland, expand a digital bagel trail map highlighting the food’s historical and cultural significance, and begin creating a digital archive documenting Poland’s bagel traditions. He also plans to share the project’s findings through scholarly articles and a larger publication. 

“Professor Bernheim’s Fulbright award is a testament to both the strength and global-mindedness of his research,” said Lisa Botshon, Ph.D., UMA’s Fulbright liaison and a two-time Fulbright Scholar. “By fostering international collaboration through his unique project, he not only advances scholarship in his field, but also brings invaluable perspectives back to the classroom. His achievement underscores the excellence of UMA’s faculty and the impact of their scholarship in our classrooms and through collaborations around the world.” 

“I hope this project creates lasting opportunities for dialogue and collaboration long after my Fulbright concludes,” Bernheim said. “Whether through community partnerships, future scholarship, or new ways of sharing history, I hope the relationships built through this work continue to grow.”

Bernheim joins a distinguished group of UMA humanities faculty who have earned Fulbright awards, including Lisa Botshon, who completed fellowships in Slovenia and Portugal, Ellen Taylor in Slovenia, Rob Kellerman in Latvia, and Sarah Hentges in Denmark. Their achievements demonstrate UMA’s commitment to scholarship that expands opportunity, strengthens teaching, and prepares students to engage thoughtfully with communities in Maine and around the world. 

Prison Education Partnership (PEP) Director Dan McGloin has been selected to join the Corrections Education Leadership Academy, where over the next year he will work alongside 11 leaders representing corrections agencies, colleges, and education and reentry programs across the country. Together, they will build stronger connections among corrections, colleges, communnity partners, and employers, creating more opportunities for incarcerated students to turn their education into meaningful careers.

As one of the nation’s leading prison education programs, UMA continues to help shape what high-quality correctional education looks like. Dan’s participation creates new opportunities to bring proven ideas back to Maine, strengthen pathways from education to employment for incarcerated students, and ensure UMA remains an active voice in national conversations that influence the future of prison education.

Congratulations, Dan!

Are you interested in mental health, human services, advocacy, community engagement, or leadership opportunities? We invite you to join the Mental Health & Human Services Club!

The club is open to all students, but we especially encourage Mental Health and Human Services students to get involved. Whether you’re looking to connect with peers, explore career interests, build your resume, or make a difference on campus, the club offers a welcoming space to learn, collaborate, and lead.

Our next meetings will be:

• July 24, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
• August 21, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

During the academic year, meetings are typically held on the first Friday of each month from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Club members play an active role in shaping our activities. In past years, students have:

• Invited guest speakers to discuss careers and current issues
• Organized campus and Zoom events
• Collaborated with other student organizations to host panel discussions
• Planned documentary viewings and facilitated discussions
• Developed educational, advocacy, and awareness events for the campus community

We are especially looking for students interested in leadership opportunities and helping guide the club’s activities for the 2026–2027 academic year. Serving on the executive board is a great way to build leadership skills, gain experience planning events, and make a lasting impact on the student experience.

Whether you would like to attend occasionally or take on a leadership role, we would love to have you join us. Bring your ideas, interests, and enthusiasm as we plan another exciting year of programming and engagement.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to nicole.achey@maine.edu. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming meetings!

The Faculty Development Center will be hosting its Fall 2026 Course Camp starting Monday, August 17th and running through Thursday, August 20th. More details will be coming soon, please for updated session information and registration!