The UMA 2022-2023 Scholarship application is open now with a deadline of March 31, 2022.

Applicants will be evaluated on academic achievement, leadership, and community and/or campus service.

Steps to Apply

1. Submit the online form available on the Scholarships webpage.
2. Attach resume and cover letter containing a personal statement as to why the applicant feels they should be considered for a scholarship.

Details

• Scholarships based on financial eligibility require the student to submit their by UMA’s preferred filing deadline of March 1, 2022.
• All Scholarships require a minimum academic cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
• Scholarship awardees will be notified no later than May 1, 2022.
• Students graduating in Summer 2022 or Fall 2022 are NOT eligible for these scholarships.

Questions?

Contact UMA Student Financial Services at umafa@maine.edu.

As Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close, it is fitting that we highlight two of our emerging Hispanic leaders at UMA and see what they have to say about their roles in SGA. We are lucky at UMA to have such thoughtful and engaged student leaders.

Grace Hills serves as the Vice President of Bangor SGA

“Mi nombre es, (My name is), Grace Katherine Hills Prado. This is my second year at UMA and I’m proud to be elected as Vice-President for the Bangor campus. One of the things I’m looking forward to doing is to help coordinate events for the students. Outside of school I work in a health care setting where I plan events for the elderly and make sure they always have something making them smile! Hispanic Heritage month is something that really sticks out to me and as I come from a Chilean background. I believe having diversity in leadership allows us to expand on ideas and makes sure that more of the student body is heard. One of the things that I would really love to do this year is an event that allows all us to share our cultures. If you have any ideas, please email me at Grace.Hills@maine.edu, I’m looking forward to hearing from you.”

David LeĂłn serves as the SGA President for Augusta

“Hola! Mi nombre es, (My name is), David LeĂłn. I am a 44-year-old Hispanic Army Veteran presently pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in psychology at the Â鶹APP. I am the President of Student Government, the Chair of the General Assembly, a member of the DEI council, and member of the honors program. As a student leader, one of my primary responsibilities is to advocate for and create a student forum where students may air their issues and we, the elected student body, can respond to those concerns. Because I’m Puerto Rican, I’m open to learning about and appreciating different cultures. Cultural heritage is a record of a society’s ways of life as they have been handed down through the years. We must never forget where we came from. Feel free to reach out to me at david.leon@maine.edu.”

During March break, five Â鶹APP (UMA) students participated in an exciting educational opportunity through the MDI Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) in Bar Harbor. Initially scheduled as an in-person program, the MDIBL program facilitators quickly adapted, given the social distancing requirements of the COVID-19 virus, to provide the program online using multiple teaching platforms for interactive classes.

“We were disappointed that we could not gather together at MDI Biological Laboratory but were determined to provide the students with a comparable learning experience through an online program,” stated Dr. Juyoung Shim, a member of the UMA Biology Department and this year’s MDIBL course director.

The participating students were selected from a large field of candidates to take part in a week-long course focusing on research in Biomedical Sciences. The UMA students participating in the Bridging Disciplines: The Impacts of Environmental Chemicals on Aging and Physiology research program were Samantha Brown, Bronte Elias, Emma Lord, Sarah Nichols, and Rorie Short.

This type of research opportunity provided experiential learning to UMA students and is beneficial for those pursuing graduate studies or health professions upon graduation.

According to the MDIBL, the week-long course provides the fundamental concepts of toxicology and aging biology via lectures, discussions, reading current news articles and scientific publications, and critical thinking exercises. Students will receive from MDIBL a program Certificate of Completion in the mail.

Brown is a veteran student double majoring in biology and nursing. Upon graduation, she intends to continue her education and is considering either an osteopathic or advance nurse practitioner program. Brown, her husband, and children reside in St. Albans.

Elias hails from Madison and is an applied science major and Lord is a biology major from Cabot, VT.

Nichols is a biology major who lives in Hallowell with her three kids and cat. After graduating from UMA, she has plans to pursue graduate school in biological research.

Short, a Rockland resident and retired from the Army after 20 years, is a full-time student majoring in biology. He attends classes at the UMA Rockland Center and after graduation he plans to continue his education “with a long term goal of working in a research lab here in Maine.”

In addition to Dr. Shim, other program faculty members included Dr. Douglas Currie, USM Associate Professor of Biology; Dr. Jane E. Disney, MDI Senior Staff Scientist, Director of Research Training, and Director of Community Environmental Health Laboratory; and Dr. Frederic Bonnet, MDI Staff Scientist and Microscopist; and Dr. Nishad Jayasundara, UMaine Assistant Professor, Honors College.

Â鶹APP biology majors graduate with a broad spectrum of career options. Many graduates obtain positions in laboratory science in both the public and private sectors and in education, while others successfully pursue graduate study in the biological sciences, medical school, and in allied health programs leading to careers as physician’s assistants or pharmacists. More information about Â鶹APP Biology Program.

Additional Information

About MDI Biological Laboratory
“The MDI Biological Laboratory is a rapidly growing, independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution. Its mission is to improve human health and well-being through basic research, education, and development ventures that transform discoveries into cures.” For more information, please visit .

Â鶹APP
UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs. For more information, please visit uma.edu.