The Ā鶹APP (UMA) is proud to announce that Greg Jolda, coordinator of Ā鶹APP Aviation program and longtime instructor, has received the Federal Aviation Administrationā€™s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, the highest honor the FAA bestows on a pilot.

Presented by John Bell of the FAA Safety Team out of the Portland Flight Standards District Office, the award recognizes airmen who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and safety for at least 50 years.

Joldaā€™s aviation career began in 1970 with the U.S. Air Force, where he logged more than 3,000 flight hours before retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1991. He joined UMA in 2014 as coordinator of the Aviation program, where his leadership has helped strengthen Maineā€™s aviation workforce through accessible, career-focused education.

Gregā€™s passion for aviation and his commitment to teaching have strengthened Ā鶹APP role in preparing Maineā€™s aviation workforce.

Jolda maintains Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot credentials and continues to train students in Ā鶹APP fleet, including the Cirrus SR20 acquired in 2022. He has logged more than 5,000 total flight hours and 2,000 hours of instruction.

Colleagues at Maine Instrument Flight, Ā鶹APP aviation partner, praised his impact. ā€œGreg brings an energy that you donā€™t see very often,ā€ said Chad Morris. ā€œHe loves to teach, and his vision has advanced our program in ways that benefit every student.ā€

As UMA celebrates its 60th anniversary, Greg’s leadership reflects Ā鶹APP commitment to student success, academic excellence and community partnerships that support workforce-relevant education that empowers students and supports communities across Maine.ā€

National recognition positions UMA as a leader in cybersecurity training and workforce pathways

UMA, a designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to expand Maineā€™s cybersecurity workforce with a focus on protecting critical infrastructure.

Maine currently has more than 2,300 unfilled cybersecurity jobs, according to CyberSeek, leaving employers unable to fill nearly a third of available positions. This initiative will help close that gap by expanding training pathways that include new microcredentials in industrial control systems and operational technology, registered apprenticeships, and intensive boot camps.

Led by Henry Felch, professor of cybersecurity and computer information systems and director of the Maine Cyber Range at UMA, the project will also expand and formalize the Maine Cybersecurity Alliance and broaden access to certification testing and cyber range simulations. UMA will train 40 to 60 participants, with a goal of placing at least 70 percent in cybersecurity positions within six months of program completion.

UMA is one of 18 institutions nationwide selected for funding through NISTā€™s Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development program. The award will fund Ā鶹APP project, Building Maineā€™s Cyber Workforce Through Regional Pathways. The two-year, $434,820 initiative is supported by this federal grant and institutional contributions.

ā€œMaineā€™s geography and dispersed infrastructure create unique cybersecurity challenges, particularly for water systems, healthcare providers and rural utilities,ā€ said Henry Felch. ā€œThis initiative will provide targeted training that strengthens our workforce and helps protect the systems communities rely on every day.ā€

The project brings together a coalition of partners that includes the Maine National Guard, Greater Augusta Utility District, Tyler Technologies, Southern Maine Community College, Northern Maine Community College and several career and technical education schools. These partners will contribute to curriculum development, apprenticeships and advisory board service.

ā€œBy investing in cybersecurity education and workforce development, we are investing in the security and resilience of our communities,ā€ said UMA President Jenifer Cushman. ā€œThis award recognizes Ā鶹APP leadership in creating accessible pathways into this vital field and reinforces our role in preparing Maineā€™s workforce for the future.ā€

Through the initiative, UMA will expand training on the SimSpace cyber range, open a new Pearson VUE certification center to increase access to industry exams, and strengthen outreach to learners from diverse and underserved communities, including those in rural areas. Outcomes will be shared at Ā鶹APP annual Cybersecurity Workforce Summit, at national conferences such as NISTā€™s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Conference and Expo, and through published case studies. The long-term goal is to create a model that other rural regions across the country can replicate.

The program period runs from October 2025 through September 2027.

When Dr. Kelby Myers packed her bags for the remote Himalayas of Nepal, she carried more than medical suppliesā€”she brought the kind of expertise that transforms lives, even across continents. A veterinarian and instructor at the Ā鶹APP, Myers was handpicked for an international mission that would prove how one skilled professional can create lasting change.

The mission was ambitious: help save endangered snow leopards while improving veterinary care in Nepal’s isolated Manang Valley. Snow leopards face a deadly threatā€”not just from habitat loss, but from diseases carried by domestic animals and fearful herders who kill leopards to protect their livestock. Myers joined a team sponsored by the Snow Leopard Conservancy and International Veterinary Outreach, knowing that better animal care could mean the difference between extinction and survival for these magnificent cats.

Myers was the perfect choice. After earning her doctorate at Oregon State University, she built a career spanning equine medicine, large animal practices, and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. But it was her combination of medical expertise, teaching excellence, fitness as an endurance athlete, and adventurous spirit that made her invaluable.

Myers work in Nepal revealed the power of education to transform entire communities. The region’s veterinary technicians, typically the youngest and most inexperienced due to the isolation of these remote assignments, had been operating without adequate equipment, resources, reference materials, or experienced mentorship. Diseases that would devastate American agriculture were routine occurrences. “The technicians were in way over their heads,” Myers recalls. Without proper diagnostic tools or training support, even basic veterinary skills were challenging to develop.

Rather than simply treating animals, Myers and her team pivoted to what mattered most: education. They taught basic diagnostic skills, animal welfare, and disease prevention. They showed herders how to distinguish between wolf and cat kills, how to shelter animals safely, and distributed fox lights to confuse night-time predators. Most importantly, they demonstrated that compassionate care could replace dangerous and painful practices.

The breakthrough moment came on their final day. A horse owner arrived with his prized racehorse for castration, a procedure that local practitioners performed without anesthesia or pain medication, simply because they lacked access to better methods. “I told him I didn’t need the restraining ropes,” Myers explains. “I have medicine for that; he won’t feel a thing.” Using field anesthesia, she performed the operation while local technicians crowded around to learn. When the horse stood up gently, with no bleeding, the grateful owner had tears in his eyes.

That single procedure encapsulated everything the mission represented: how knowledge, compassion, and proper training can revolutionize care. The impact extends far beyond one horse: healthier livestock means fewer leopard kills, better-trained technicians can serve entire regions, and conservation efforts gain community support.

Back in Maine, Myers brings this global perspective to UMA’s Veterinary Technology Program on the Bangor campus. UMA’s Vet Tech program is the only one in the state offering both Associate and Bachelor degrees. Her students don’t just learn technical skills; they’re prepared to become part of a skilled workforce ready to serve Maine’s communities and beyond, wherever they choose to practice. With a near-100% job placement rate and state-of-the-art facilities, the program reflects UMA’s commitment to breaking down barriers between students and their dreams.

Dr. Myers’ journey from Maine to the Himalayas and back demonstrates how compassionate professionals who see a need and choose to act can create transformation in communities, and sometimes across the world.

Learn more about UMA’s Veterinary Technology Program and discover how you can join this tradition of excellence.

Check out this that explores the One Health One Welfare Initiative the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) embarked upon in the Manang District of Nepal together with its partners, International Veterinary Outreach (IVO), Animal Nepal, and Mountain Spirit.

Chief Noel C. March, lecturer of justice studies and community policing at the Ā鶹APP (UMA), has been selected to participate in a significant educational program titled Operationalizing Never Again: The Role of Law Enforcement in the Holocaust and Contemporary Genocide. This groundbreaking program is a collaboration between Rutgers University, the University of Virginiaā€™s Center for Public Safety and Justice (CPSJ), and the Global Consortium for Law Enforcement Training Executives (GCLETE).

Chief March will join law enforcement leaders from around the world to explore the crucial historical lessons learned from the role of law enforcement in Nazi Germany, particularly the actions of Reserve Battalion 101, and their relevance to contemporary policing. The program includes immersive training, historical case studies and experiential learning, including participation in the International March of the Living in Krakow, Poland.

ā€œI am honored to take part in this pivotal program that aligns with my commitment to educating future law enforcement leaders on ethical decision-making, accountability and the prevention of human rights abuses,ā€ said Chief March. ā€œItā€™s essential that we draw lessons from history to ensure the protection of human rights and the dignity of all individuals in todayā€™s society.ā€

The Operationalizing Never Again program aims to provide law enforcement executives and educators with the tools to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and make decisions that uphold justice in todayā€™s rapidly evolving global landscape. Participants will gain insights into law enforcementā€™s complicity during the Holocaust and engage in discussions on preventing modern-day atrocities.

ā€œThe program represents a powerful opportunity for law enforcement leaders to examine their roles in shaping the future of policing and community relations,ā€ said John J. Farmer, Jr., director of the Miller Center at Rutgers University. ā€œChief Marchā€™s participation exemplifies the commitment of law enforcement professionals to ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.ā€

The training program will include pre-trip virtual seminars, on-site sessions in Poland and post-trip assignments. Participants will also receive training in ethical decision-making and active bystandership, alongside workshops on applying historical lessons to modern policing.

This initiative is a critical step toward fostering stronger, more ethical leadership within law enforcement agencies globally. It is particularly timely in addressing the increasing need for law enforcement agencies to reflect on their responsibilities in upholding democratic values and preventing human rights violations.

For more information on the program and its objectives, please contact SCPS-CPSJ@virginia.edu.

About Chief Noel C. March

Chief Noel C. March is a lecturer in justice studies and community policing at the Ā鶹APP. With a distinguished background in law enforcement leadership, Chief March is committed to advancing the education of future public safety leaders and promoting ethical policing practices.

Rudeness seems to be everywhere these days. In his new book, “Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace and Your Home Space” (2024, Indie Books International), psychologist and author John M. O’Brien compares the spread of rudeness in our culture to the spread of COVID-19, ā€œ[itā€™s] like a new pandemic plaguing human interactions worldwide.ā€ One can hardly disagree as society is becoming more divisive.

It is easy to see the negative effects of aggression and violence, but this book shines light on the harmful impacts of rudeness. ā€œMost of us are less aware of the more subtle but nonetheless toxic behavior that is incivility,ā€ Oā€™Brien says in his book. Treating each other poorly, whether family members, coworkers, or perfect strangers affects both the physical and emotional health of all involved.

Throughout Rudeness Rehab, O’Brien guides readers to see the value in interacting with others kindly, presents tools to identify and nullify rudeness triggers, and offers strategies for a civil way forward. Colt Briner, author of “The Race to Relevance,” says “Rudeness Rehab,” ā€œis an investment in emotional intelligence. These are the sorts of lessons that pay dividends for a lifetime.ā€ Professor Brenda McAleer, Ph.D., Associate Provost of the Ā鶹APP (UMA) and the Dean of the College of Professional Studies, says she feels more equipped to deal with incivility in her own life and in her ability to help others who may be struggling with this issue. ā€œI have even used the final sentence in his prologue in teaching my Organizational Behavior college course: ā€˜Every moment in life is a new chance for a reset and an opportunity to start fresh.ā€™ā€

In celebration of the bookā€™s launch on October 8, Amazonā€™s Kindle is offering the e-version of “Rudeness Rehab: Reclaiming Civility in the Workplace and Your Home Space” for just 99 cents through October 15.

John M. O’Brien, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice since 1998. He is founder of Mental Health Associates of Maine and Activate Success. O’Brien serves as an adjunct professor at the Ā鶹APP, teaching courses in psychology, trauma, and addiction-related topics, and also provides professional speaking on a variety of topics related to effective stress management with a special emphasis on civility. He is an International Coaching Federation Associate Certified Coach (ICF ACC) and National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. O’Brien equips people with tangible skills and concrete tools that empower them to swiftly reduce stress levels and enhance wellness. More information about O’Brien, his work and his book, is available at .

As part of its continuing commitment to intellectual community, the Ā鶹APP Research Colloquium (UMARC) series is a venue for UMA faculty, staff, and sponsored students to present completed scholarly works to their peers. The series provides a forum for the presentation of all UMA research (as defined by the Faculty Senate in 2010) including scientific investigations, innovations in education, creative works, and theoretical considerations.

The effects of human interaction on Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) behavior and nest predation

Two professors from the Ā鶹APP (UMA) presented their research on the effects of human interaction on Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) behavior and nest predation on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the UMA Augusta campus.

Marielle Postava-Davignon and Jennifer Long, both UMA assistant professors of biology, compared jay behavior and nest predation levels in New Hampshire and Maine between sites where little human interaction has been documented, and sites located at popular recreation areas where feeding has been well documented. They captured, banded, tracked and recorded the birdsā€™ behavior to determine if human interaction impacts important behaviors such as predation and breeding.

The Canada jay, when living near humans, can be a friendly little songbird that seems to enjoy engaging with humans and the free food we provide, whether in a feeder or out of a trash can at a scenic overlook. Known by several other names such as the gray jay, whiskey jack, and even camp robber, they might steal food from your picnic table and even eat right out of your hand. It was this bold behavior that caught the attention of Postava-Davignon, an avid hiker. ā€œOne tried to steal my lunch when I was hiking and was rather pesky about it,ā€ she quipped. She then wondered if it was or wasnā€™t okay to feed them, and if doing so caused them to be so audacious. Back home and after a thorough search for information, she found nothing definitive on the subject. She invited Long to join the project, and so it began. Through their research, Drs. Long and Postava-Davignon observed that Canada jays living in more remote areas often behave differently from their more urban-dwelling counterparts.

Visit uma.edu/umarc for more information and a schedule of future presentations.