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 Â鶹APP, 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.

Join the accounting faculty of the Â鶹APP for an informative session focused on study material options for various professional certification exams in accounting. This webinar is designed for students considering certifications such as:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
• Enrolled Agent (EA)

We’ll explore a range of prep material package options from leading providers, including:

1. Becker (CPA, CMA, CIA, EA)
2. Surgent (CPA, CMA, CIA, EA)
3. Gleim (CPA, CMA, CIA, EA)
4. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE)

Current and recent exam participants will also share their experiences with these resources to help you make informed decisions.

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Gwen Bedell – gwen.bedell@maine.edu.

Duncan Persons, UMA’s Social Media & Student Communications Specialist, recently caught up with UMA student and Winslow Boy’s Baseball Coach, Beth LaFountain. Beth was named the Winslow coach in March 2022 and has been viewed as a trailblazer in the world of coaching here in the state of Maine. Find Duncan and Beth’s interview transcript below.

Tell me about your experience at UMA. Why did you decide to enroll, and why did you pick your major?

I originally started at University of Maine at Orono, and we [my family] moved closer to central Maine, so I transferred to UMA. I liked the fact that we could have a schedule that worked around work schedules. I have three kids, so I have a lot of responsibilities and it was nice to go to a school that caters to non-traditional students.

Why did you want to finish your degree? Why go back to school?

I had some life changes, and now that my kids are old enough where my youngest is in school full time, I finally had the opportunity to go back and finish my degree.

Why did you choose Business Administration as your major?

I love business, I’ve always loved the challenge of turning no money into a lot. I’ve really found a love for doing stuff like this [coaching] with youth programs or sports teams, and trying to really treat the team and program itself like a business. Reinvesting in yourself, and of course, our profit would be winning and getting good experience for the athletes. But I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of trying to turn something out of nothing.

What are some classes that you’ve taken so far that you would recommend to another student, or an experience that has positively impacted you?

Honestly, I think I’m the only person who would ever say this but I really liked Collective Bargaining.

I took that with Brenda McAleer and that was a lot of fun because we are all our own walking billboards, and it was interesting; a lot of the topics she touched upon. Of course her direction was more business [oriented], but for me, I turn everything into sports. So everything I learned in her class helped me a lot.

How would you describe your relationships with your professors?

Right now, I have Professor Hoop who teaches sociology, and she is the best. She reaches out through Zoom; extremely accommodating and easy to talk to. Quite honestly, I think she probably mirrors exactly what UMA tries to do and accomplish.

How did you become a boy’s baseball coach at Winslow High School?

So I started playing when I was in fourth grade, and I started pitching in junior high. For me, I fell in love with the mechanics and technical parts. Of course, the strategy part came later but I really liked dissecting mechanics.

I graduated [high school] in 2004, and we won a state championship. Then in 2005, people started reaching out to see if I could start working with their daughters and teach them how to pitch. So that’s when it really started taking off, is when I started coaching softball. That way, I could apply all my favorite parts to it.

Do you miss playing baseball, or do you like coaching more?

I actually don’t miss playing, I think I like coaching better—it’s so much fun. I had my time, and now it’s fun to try to create an experience like that for another group of kids. It’s very rewarding, and luckily I have the best group this year. They’re seriously an awesome group.

What’s your biggest goal for coaching? What were your intentions coming into your role?

I think that having an impact on people through sports was definitely something I set out to accomplish. Most of all, I think when you reinvest in the youth league and get to impact those younger athletes and follow them through, I think winning is a natural result….and I hate to lose (audible laughter).

What is the key to balancing work and class?

I have a lot of help. The fact that my kids are in school full time, that’s when I can get my homework done and plan for practices. A lot of the time, if I’m not here [coaching], I’m at their practice for Youth League. It’s actually a lot more manageable than people realize. My schedule aligns with theirs, so I try to take advantage of the time when they’re in school.

What advice would you give to someone who’s in a similar position as you?

Drink a lot of coffee, and lower your bar of expectations…Manage your expectations, be realistic of where you’re at, and try to pace yourself.

Is there a specific faculty/staff member that has made a positive impact on you at UMA?

It was a very minimal interaction with this guy, but Tom Giordano. He actually was the only professor to sit me down and ask “What do you want to do?” because the class I was taking wasn’t a good fit for my personality. He felt like I was taking the class because it was something I thought I should do, but he was the first person ever to sit me down and ask what I wanted, and try to realign my goals with my passions in life. I think it was probably the only time a professor cared enough to ask and not just push me through his course and get onto the next round of students. I think that shows the quality of professors at UMA because they really care about the individual and not just the success rate of their course.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned inside or outside of the classroom since being a full time student at UMA?

To not be afraid of going against the flow and not be afraid to follow your passion and make it work. UMA has been great in the sense that I have 3 kids and it’s difficult to go back to school, but they make it possible for people to accomplish that goal. Obviously, I don’t listen to the people who say “girls shouldn’t coach baseball.”

I read an article on centralmaine.com about how people assume you’re a girl’s softball coach instead of a boy’s baseball coach. Do you get that a lot?

From people I know, too; some of those are my friends. Some of my friends are not surprised at all, but a few people that I know well, they try to correct me. It’s really funny to me that it’s more believable to them that there’s a girl’s baseball team they’ve never heard of than the fact that I took over as the head coach on the team I was the assistant [coach] of last year (laughs loudly).

It’s totally innocent, it’s loose conversation. It’s just their innocent thoughts. It’s not something I take offense to, honestly.

My grandfather was the coach of this team for 10 or 11 years, way back in the day. He’s 95 now so when I told them I was going to do this, I was wondering what his reaction would be…and he loved it! I have way more support than I actually expected.

What has been the biggest challenge since being enrolled at UMA?

Balancing my responsibilities has been the most difficult, for sure. This is rebuilding a program. I want to turn this around, so that takes time and effort. I need to be careful that I don’t neglect one thing for another. Whatever I do, I want to do well, and you can’t do everything well.

I know that’s a weakness of mine; taking on too many things. I just can’t do it all at the same time. And I wanna help, and I know I can do it. But one thing at a time.

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.

Coming from the accounting department, Leah Kovitch was not new to tax preparation when she joined CA$H Maine‘s volunteer team. Alongside her volunteer work, Leah works as a professional tax preparer, attends graduate school at USM, and is enrolled in the Accounting Program at UMA. Leah shares her unique perspective on what it’s like to be a volunteer tax preparer.

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UMA Student (Pre-Covid-19 photo)

ĚýU.S. News and World ReportsĚýranked theĚýÂ鶹APPĚý(UMA) in its list of the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs, including separate rankings for Best Online Bachelor’s for Veterans and Best Online Business Bachelor’s Degree.Ěý

“We are very honored to be recognized by U.S. News and World Reports,” said UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “UMA has a 30 year history in distance education and we continually seek to innovate our online programs,” Wyke continued. “With faculty experienced in distance learning modalities and outstanding student support programs, UMA students can be confident about receiving a high quality online learning experience.” Ěý

“Achieving these rankings could not be accomplished without the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and student support professionals,” said Joseph Szakas, UMA Provost. “During the recent surge in online programming due to COVID-19, UMA was uniquely poised to provide quality instruction for students learning at a distance.”

“Online programming is critical for degree completion that will meet the state’s workforce needs,” stated Jonathan Henry, UMA Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing.Ěý “Many of our students finish their college education while continuing to work and meet family obligations. Delivering classes in various modalities provide students the flexibility to meet the competing demands on their time.”Ěý

UMA is a partner in theĚýĚýinitiative, joining its goal that by 2025, 60% of Mainers will hold education and workforce credentials that position Maine and its families for success.

The U.S. News & World Report bases its rankings on statistical data gathered from questionnaires about each institution’s online specific bachelor’s degree programs. The factors considered included faculty credentials and training, student services and technologies, and student engagement.Ěý Over 350 institutions across the country participated in the U.S. News and World Report survey.

We are seeking Business & Cyber students to volunteer their time by providing guidance, insight, and recommendations. Students will gain hands-on experience and networking opportunities, and contribute to an ongoing bi-annual webinar (held December and March). All work will be done remotely.

For more information email MCR@maine.edu.

Keisha Beal of Rockland has been recognized by UMA with the James H. Woodworth Memorial Award which recognizes both academic and extracurricular achievement. Beal has worked to empower those who experience food insecurity and recently completed the “Building Advocates Leadership Program” funded by the JT Gorman Foundation. She is a 2020 graduate of UMA’s Bachelor of Science in Mental Health and Human Services degree.

Kendra Robinson of Rockland is the recipient of the Jeffrey Klivans Scholarship which is awarded by UMA to a deserving student in the BS in Business Administration program. This scholarship was established in 2007 with gifts from the Klivans family. Jeffrey Klivans of Camden was a well-respected member of UMA’s faculty and a pioneer in distance education technology and teaching.

Chelsea Summers of Owls Head has been recognized with the John Nickerson Scholarship which is awarded to students in the Public Administration program who demonstrate scholarship of the highest order with the potential to serve the public unselfishly. Summers is already putting her UMA education to best use in her multi-dimensional position as Assistant Town Administrator, Clerk, Tax Collector, and Deputy Registrar of Voters for the Town of South Thomaston.

Sara Wandell of Rockport has been awarded the Richard and Mary Elisabeth Randall Scholarship, a gift that was established at UMA in 2008 to honor UMA’s past President Richard Randall and his wife. The scholarship is awarded to a student who is demonstrating academic excellence, maintaining a very high GPA, and contributing to high standards at UMA.

Congratulations are extended to these four local scholars on their exceptional achievements!

Each session will allow attendees to learn more about how UMA serves students statewide, specifics about the academic programs from faculty and students, and the free application process. Other topics covered will include financial aid and tuition costs including available scholarships for new and transfer students.

Anyone interested in starting or completing a college degree is welcome to attend one or more session. These information sessions are especially geared to adults with college credits but no degree, which currently includes approximately 189,000 Mainers (20% of the 25+ population).

“We welcome anyone who wants to explore what makes UMA an attractive option for starting or finishing their college degree,” said Brandy Finck, Associate Vice President for Admission and Student Financial Services. “About half of our new students in fall 2018 were traditional-aged recent high school graduates, but Â鶹APP average student age is in the mid-30’s. We know how to serve all students, no matter what their age might be, and no matter where they live in Maine.”

UMA is located on two campuses and delivers courses and services at eight outreach Centers located throughout Maine. UMA serves approximately 5,500 students annually, of which two-thirds (63%) are part-time, and 60% are 25 and older. Almost half (43%) are completing the majority of their coursework online, and 21% are taking courses at one of the UMA Centers.

Visit our page for more details, including directions to each location and a sign-up form.

UMA Information Session Schedule