As UMA celebrates 60 years of expanding opportunity across Maine, we continue sharing the stories of the people who bring that mission to life.

Rachel Dollahan knew exactly what she was looking for in a degree and just as importantly, what she was not willing to compromise. Working full-time and living out of state, she needed a program that could meet her where she was and stay true to her passion for library science. Through Âé¶čAPP online Information and Library Science program, she found that fit along with something more lasting: a mentor who believed in her, a community that made distance feel smaller, and a sense of confidence she now passes on to the students she supports every day.

We asked Rachel to share more about his journey to UMA and what inspires him in the classroom.

How are you connected to UMA?

Alumni

What was your program of study, year of graduation, and official degree title?

Information and Library Science, graduated December 2021, Bachelor’s of Information and Library Sciences

Thinking back to when you enrolled, what made UMA the right fit for your life at that time?

I live in Illinois, so I was looking for an online program, because I work full-time and online learning works around my schedule. A lot of universities don’t have an actual ILS Bachelor’s program, because librarians usually get their Bachelor’s in something else; I didn’t want to study anything else! So I was already interested in the program, but what sold me was the tuition. Your tuition prices for out-of-state online students were just too good to be true. No other college was offering such discounted tuition for online students.

How did your UMA experience specifically help you transition into your career or the next phase of your life? (Did a certain internship, professor, or project pave the way?)

Dr. Jodi Kosakowski was instrumental in my current success. While I only had a handful of one-on-one video calls with her, her support and encouragement got me through those days when I thought I couldn’t do it. And I have tapped into those memories of encouragement whenever I’m struggling with imposter syndrome in my career. She very obviously cares about each student, and I will forever sing her praises!

How do you see the impact of your education showing up in your life today—not just at work, but in your community or how you see the world?

So while I have an ILS degree, I currently work for the TRIO Upward Bound program, helping high school students prepare for college. I love to share my UMA experience with my students for several reasons: to show how great online programs can be, to show that the path to higher education is different for everyone (I got my degree in my late 30s), and to, of course, promote the ILS program to my library-curious students! But most importantly, I get to be a Dr. Kosakowski to these teenagers now, and that may be the most rewarding part of my job.

What is something surprising or meaningful you learned at UMA that has stayed with you long after graduation?

That education, and access to education, is for everyone, no matter their gender, race, religion, economic status, etc. Even as an online student, I met people from across the country! Different cultures, different religions, different dialects! And what we all had in common was a passion for learning and libraries. As I stated above, your tuition rates for out-of-state online students were insanely affordable. If I had not found your program, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go back to school. To me, that shows that UMA actually wants students to have access to education by making it affordable!

What advice would you give to current students (or those considering your field) to help them succeed?

I tell all my high school students about college: TALK TO YOUR PROFESSORS! First off, they WANT to help you! That’s why they are there! Secondly, getting to know your professors will teach you things about the field that you won’t learn in your textbooks. These are experts in the field, and the wealth of knowledge they hold is worth every penny you pay in tuition.

When you look back at your UMA journey from where you are now, what makes you most proud?

Now this is a tough question. I am so proud to be a Moose, and I honestly can’t pick one reason. The support I was shown, the knowledge I gained, and the people I met (faculty and fellow students) have helped me grow both professionally and personally. I can’t say enough great things about UMA (trust me, my students get sick of it, lol)!

Is there anything else about your UMA experience that you would like to share?

Sometimes, being an online student can feel isolating. I was hundreds of miles from campus, and yet I felt so involved. You offered activities for online students, like an online scavenger hunt (I won a t-shirt!), or when you sent out hot cocoa bomb-making kits to everyone. I once got an online student care package with all kinds of goodies! I have never heard of a university caring so much about its online students, and it made me feel like I was part of the student body, not just an afterthought. I can’t express how much I valued that. And I should mention, most of those things were pre-COVID, so it’s not like you all started doing that when everyone had to be online, lol. You already had systems in place for an inclusive online learning experience.

For 60 years, UMA has focused on making education accessible; today, Rachel carries that mission forward by proving that the path to a degree is open to everyone, regardless of where they start.

Each April, Second Chance Month invites communities across the country to recognize the challenges justice-impacted individuals face as they rebuild their lives after imprisonment and the opportunities that can help them succeed.

Across the United States, nearly 2 million people are incarcerated in state and federal prisons, and an estimated 5 million formerly incarcerated individuals are working to rebuild their lives in their communities. Many encounter barriers to housing, employment, mental health care and substance use support while also navigating the lasting stigma and trauma of having done time. These challenges contribute to high rates of within the first few years after release.

Education has proven to be one of the most effective ways to change that trajectory. Research shows that access to college programs while incarcerated can significantly reduce recidivism while improving long-term employment opportunities and community stability.

At the Âé¶čAPP, the Prison Education Partnership helps create those opportunities. Founded in 2006, the program has become a national leader in higher education in prison through a strong collaboration with the Maine Department of Corrections and the dedication of UMA faculty and staff.

Through PEP, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students take college courses, earn degrees and build skills that prepare them for life beyond incarceration. The program connects students in Maine correctional facilities with UMA instructors and academic support, creating pathways to opportunity that continue long after release.

According to Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections Randall Liberty, while Maine’s overall return-to-custody rate is approximately 23 percent, the rate for individuals who earn a UMA degree while incarcerated drops to a staggering 0.05 percent.

“Education is the most effective way not only to break the cycle of incarceration, but also to restore the dignity and humanity of the students we serve,” said UMA Director of the Prison Education Program Daniel McGloin. “By equipping our students with the tools to rewrite their narratives, they are proving every day that their past does not have to define their future. Their success shows that when determination is paired with access to a college degree, it can change the trajectory of a person’s life.”

For many students, the classroom becomes a place where new possibilities begin to take shape.

“UMA showed me the light within myself,” said T. Tyler Thibeau, a UMA PEP graduate currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Maine. “They gave me the space and encouragement to shed toxic layers, rediscover my curiosity and love of learning, and use that to become a researcher working to reduce recidivism.” 

Graduates of the program are building careers, supporting their families and contributing to their communities across Maine. Their experiences also enrich the academic community at UMA, bringing new perspectives, resilience and determination to the classroom.

Second Chance Month offers a moment to reflect on the role education can play in strengthening communities and expanding opportunity. Through the Prison Education Partnership, UMA continues to support students determined to build new paths forward and to demonstrate the power of education to transform lives.

Check out local events commemorating Second Chance Month on Âé¶čAPP Heritage Month Calendar as well as learning resources concerning the significance of Second Chance Month in Maine and beyond. You can keep up with more content like this by and submitting events and resources to promote inclusion and belonging in our community.

New Ventures Maine is now accepting applications for the 2026 Marketing Mini-Grant competition, which provides cash grants of up to $1,000 per region to support small business marketing projects. Applications are due Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.

The NVME Marketing Mini-Grant program strengthens access to customers for microenterprises by supporting the development of marketing tools, materials, and activities through a competitive application process.

To be eligible, businesses must:

• Have five or fewer full-time equivalent employees
  
• Show sales activity within the past 12 months
  
• Report gross annual sales of no more than $150,000 in the previous calendar year

Learn more and apply at .

New Ventures Maine is a statewide education and economic development program administered through the Âé¶čAPP and the University of Maine System.

Contact:
Alicia LaFosse
NVME Microenterprise Program Manager
alicia.lafosse@maine.edu

A Conversation with Rion Turner, UMA Class of 2020, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Management

The conversation below is abridged from the podcast.

At 40, Rion Turner decided to start again. What began as a bold move from a long career abroad led him to the Âé¶čAPP, where he discovered a new sense of direction, a passion for learning, and a career he loves.

Q: How did you find your way to UMA?
I grew up in Southern California and joined the Army right after high school, serving in Germany. When my service ended, I stayed in Germany and worked for years in hospitality and restaurants. But as I hit 40, I knew I needed a change.

My sister mentioned UMA, this “quirky little school” in Augusta, Maine, and told me how supportive it was of veterans and what she called “non-traditional students.” At first, I thought, “What does that mean? You’re either a student or you’re not!” But once I understood, I realized that was me. So in 2015, I left Berlin and moved to Maine to start my next chapter.

Q: What was it like starting out at UMA?
Well, on my first day, someone actually mistook me for a professor — probably because of my gray hair! That gave us all a laugh. But right away, I also realized I needed to brush up on math. The Mathematics Lab became a game-changer for me. Not only did I get the support I needed, but I also discovered I was pretty good at it. Before long, I was working there as a tutor myself. The Math Lab really became my “happy place;” a community where I could give back.

Q: Were there any courses that really made an impact on you?
Two, in particular: Organizational Behavior and Capstone, both with Dean Brenda McAleer. In Capstone, our class did a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of UMA and identified opportunities like graduate programs and student housing. A few years later, I looked around and saw those very things had become reality. That was pretty exciting to witness.

Q: How did your career unfold after UMA?
During my junior and senior years, I worked for the State of Maine in professional licensing. It was a valuable experience, but I knew it wasn’t quite my path. A relative encouraged me to apply to Bath Iron Works. At first, I thought, “You don’t want me welding or bending metal!” But I soon learned there were administrative roles too.

I applied for an estimator job and landed it. That’s where I’ve been ever since. I’ve been promoted a few times and am now working on cost proposals for the Navy’s DDG51 destroyer programs. It’s challenging and rewarding work.

Q: You went on to earn your MBA. What was that like?
Yes, I graduated from UMA in 2020, right during COVID, and thought, “Why not keep going?” I applied to the MBA program at the University of Maine in Orono. Most of it was online, so I could work full-time. It took me four years instead of two, but I finished in 2024.

What I found was that my UMA education prepared me really well. I could “hang with the best of them.” It wasn’t easy, but I was ready for it, and Bath Iron Works even supported me financially.

Q: What advice would you give current or future UMA students?

Choose practical education. What I learned at UMA is useful in my daily job, even now.

Master Excel. I use it everyday in my job.

Be willing to change. A boss once told me, “You either love it, you change it, or you leave it.” I couldn’t change my life in Berlin, so I left it; and that choice led me here. Today, I can honestly say I love my life.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

College Night highlights include:

• Discounted tickets for UMA attendees
• UMA shoutouts and recognition during the game
• A chance to show your UMA pride—wear your UMA gear!

For more information, contact Carolyn Anderson at carolyn.anderson@maine.edu.

Step into Âé¶čAPP Saco Center and the first thing you’ll see is a colorful quilt hanging behind the front desk. Its bright moose, rainbows, and cheerful hellos in many languages reflect the community that gathers here. Greeting you at the front desk is the artist who made the quilt: a warm, grandmotherly woman, UMA alumna, and Administrative Specialist Brenda Plummer. Brenda has become a trusted guide for students, staff, and visitors, offering encouragement, practical help, and a ready smile. But Brenda’s story isn’t stitched from fabric and thread, but from determination, resilience, and living life on her own terms.

While Brenda is everything she seems to be: kind, empathetic, and nurturing, she is so much more. Sporting tattoos, piercings, and easy humor she is a woman who has weathered challenges and emerged stronger, cooler, and unapologetically herself. 

Her path to UMA was anything but straight. She married young, endured an abusive relationship, and raised three daughters while working jobs that demanded grit and perseverance. At one point, her husband sent her to truck-driving school instead of allowing her to pursue nursing. Brenda met the challenge head-on, mastering the skills of maneuvering 18-wheelers in impossible spaces and earning the nickname “Queen of the Alley Docks.” Later, she supported her family by working three jobs, survived a career-ending back injury, and even built her own two-bedroom home from a garage. 

Through it all, Brenda never lost her sense of compassion or her belief that second chances matter. When her daughter suggested she return to school, she took the leap and enrolled at UMA. At first she was afraid she would not succeed. But she found supportive professors who gave her the confidence to keep going. In her final semester, she faced her toughest challenge yet. Math was the class she had put off, and she soon fell behind. “I thought about dropping out,” she admitted. “But my professor took the time to listen, make a plan, and help me succeed. That made all the difference.”

Graduating in 2024, Brenda reflects on her education as life-changing. “The classes helped me to read and understand people better. I learned how to be a better listener. At UMA, every single teacher was so supportive and wonderful with me.” She further shared, “I like the respect I’ve found here. I’ve had some rough jobs in my life, but here I feel respected and appreciated.”

Today, she continues to serve students at the Saco Center with the same mix of warmth and grit that carried her through her own journey. Students say her encouragement inspires them to keep going. “You encourage me every time I come in to do the best I can do,” said student Katrina Thibedeau. “You make me feel I can do it.”

Brenda also shares her story with older students considering college. “It’s a dream come true. It’s not too late. When the kids are grown, it’s time for you,” she said. “All you need to do is tell yourself, ‘I will not stay on the couch. I can do this.’”

As UMA celebrates 60 years, Brenda’s story highlights the university’s long tradition of transforming lives through education. Her journey shows that transformation is not only about earning a degree, but about gaining confidence, embracing growth, and making a difference in the lives of others. She stands as a living example of Âé¶čAPP mission, proving that resilience and support can open doors to new possibilities, no matter where or when you begin.

Their journey began when they met in the architecture studio at UMA. Élise, originally from Canada, found UMA to be the perfect fit. “It was a quality program and the people were welcoming and supportive, which was especially important for me as an international student,” she said. Ben, a Maine native, was drawn to the program’s hands-on approach and strong foundation in building science. “I knew I wanted to do something with construction or real estate,” he explained. “I appreciated how the program blended creativity with building science and practical design.”

Élise graduated in 2018, and, after Ben’s graduation in 2020, they launched their business. What began with house flips during a hot real estate market has grown into a full-service renovation and restoration company that focuses on historic preservation, general contracting, and investment property remodeling. 

Their work blends period craftsmanship with modern building practices, all while honoring the original character of the spaces they touch. Their first major project, a deteriorating 1875 Italianate home on Lincoln Street, became a defining moment. “It was a privilege to be able to save the home and restore it to its former glory while preserving and rehabilitating its original moldings, the grand staircase, marble fireplace and other important details.”

Since then, Élise and Ben continue to take on a variety of projects across Central Maine—transforming homes, restoring older spaces and retrofitting vintage structures without erasing their stories.

That thoughtful, respectful approach extends to how they collaborate with homeowners. “Every home already has a certain standard of craftsmanship,” said Élise, “and we work hard to match it.”

Beyond their restoration work, Élise and Ben are helping meet real needs in the communities they serve, not just by preserving history but also creating pathways to stability and belonging. Élise serves on the board of Row House, Inc., a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting Hallowell’s architectural and cultural heritage. Additionally, the pair renovate and manage rental properties to help meet local housing needs, and they are working to build modest, high-quality homes in Farmington to help older adults age in place comfortably. 

Through each project, they demonstrate how architecture can be a force for renewal by revitalizing spaces, supporting lives and strengthening the fabric of Maine communities. Thanks to alumni like Élise Bolduc and Ben Hitchcock, Âé¶čAPP impact continues to grow—one home, one family and one neighborhood at a time.

UMA Rockland Center recently welcomed alumni, students, and community members for Talks on the Town: A Talk on Happiness with Greg Fahy—a pleasant evening of thoughtful conversation, good food, and meaningful connection. 

Guests enjoyed the first hour catching up over refreshments and relaxed conversation before settling in for an engaging talk with Greg Fahy, UMA associate professor of philosophy. Drawing from global perspectives and recent research, Fahy guided the group in exploring how happiness is understood and experienced around the world, and shared research on happiness-boosting (and blocking) factors to explore, embrace or avoid. 

Known for his approachable style and ability to make complex ideas feel relatable, he encouraged attendees to reflect, share, and think a little differently about what it means to live well. Fahy’s talk was also shared via Zoom for those who could not attend in person.

The event was held at the beautiful Riley School in Rockport and is part of a growing effort to create more opportunities for alumni and community members to gather, learn, and connect. More events are already in the works—and we hope to see you at the next one.

When Shannon “Mac” McNamara made the decision to start over, she didn’t know exactly where that path would lead. What she did know was that she was ready to build something — something bold, something purposeful, something that reflected who she really was.

Originally from upstate New York, Mac had already served as an Intelligence Specialist in the U.S. Naval Reserves and worked in government contracting as an imagery analyst. But during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, she took a leap of faith and enrolled at the Âé¶čAPP to pursue her passion for architecture and art history.

“I was drawn to UMA because of the flexibility and focus on real-world learning,” Mac said. “It gave me the opportunity to start fresh, and to do it on my own terms.”

That fresh start quickly evolved into something remarkable.

At UMA, Mac has thrived as both a student and a leader. She served as President of Âé¶čAPP chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students, representing the university at national conferences and advocating for student voices — especially those from smaller, more intimate programs like Âé¶čAPP. Through her leadership, Mac helped shape a more inclusive and engaging experience for future architecture students.

Her academic achievements are just as impressive. In 2023, she earned top honors at Âé¶čAPP Student Research Conference, winning both the Top Presentation Award and the Top Qualitative Research Award for a paper exploring the portrayal of the female nude in art history and its ties to modern sexual assault culture. Her faculty mentor, art historian Dr. Amy Rahn, described her as “an outstanding researcher, writer, thinker, and community member; someone with both brilliance and generosity of spirit.”

But Mac’s impact extends beyond accolades. She embodies Âé¶čAPP mission to meet students where they are and help them grow into who they’re meant to be. Her story reflects the university’s belief in transformation, civic engagement, and the power of accessible education. She’s the kind of student who uses every opportunity — not just to advance her own future, but to uplift others.

5 pm – 7 pm

The Riley School, 73 Warrenton St, Rockport ME

and Online

UMA Rockland Center is pleased to invite you to Talks on the Town: A Talk On Happiness with Greg Fahy, Professor of Philosophy.

A social hour will be held from 5pm – 6pm for guests to eat, drink, and mingle while enjoying this charming venue. Come foster lifelong relationships with members of the UMA community at all stages of their academic and post-academic careers.

From 6pm – 7pm Greg Fahy will present his talk: On Happiness. In this interactive presentation, Professor Fahy will guide participants through the World Happiness Report and its conclusions about different cultural approaches to happiness and well-being. Fahy will also explore current neuroscientific and psychological findings about happiness. By the end of the evening, participants will gain an understanding of different approaches to happiness, as well as practices that increase personal well-being.

In-person space for this event is limited. Registration is required to attend. Please register below. We look forward to seeing you at The Riley School on May 13th!

Any other questions? Feel free to reach out to Sophia Larson.