Specter Moose Launch Party Friday, April 24, from 1 to 2 p.m., Katz Library, first floor (Augusta Campus)

Come get a free copy of the largest edition of Specter Moose yet!

A 100-Page Milestone
This edition marks a proud moment in the publication’s history and celebrates the artistic spirit thriving at UMA. Inside, you’ll find a wide range of photography, prose, and poetry from 20 student contributors. To honor ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s 60th anniversary, this year’s Coast to County feature shines a spotlight on seven inspiring members of our community—artists, storytellers, and educators who each bring a unique perspective to the shared story of UMA.

Inspired by the Error Screen
The design of Issue No. 4’s Coast to County feature draws from the bold retro TV aesthetic of the cover art, with color strips that line up like tabs along the page edges of the printed copies. Each article is highlighted with its own color, reflecting the range of voices in our community, and together these colors echo the way ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s many perspectives come together as one vibrant, united whole.

The Spirit of the Moose
The name Specter Moose comes from a century-old Maine legend of a massive, glowing moose that stands out against the dark of the Maine woods. The magazine channels that same luminous presence, gathering the strength and imagination of UMA students and giving their ideas and voices a place to take shape and to shine.

Why stop by?
Pick up a free copy of the 60th anniversary edition, enjoy light refreshments, and celebrate the student editors, artists, and writers behind this keepsake issue.

See you at the Katz Library on Friday, April 24 between 1 and 2 p.m. 

Explore more at

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

Alyssa Stonier always knew she wanted to work in healthcare. What felt uncertain was how to make that goal fit alongside work, parenting, and the realities of adult life.

After leaving her job at the VA to stay home with her young child during a period of family transition, she stayed connected to school through online coursework at Central Maine Community College. When her family’s plans shifted again, Alyssa found herself returning to work, buying a home, and realizing that her long-held goal hadn’t changed.

“When we reshaped our life, I realized that being a nurse was still my dream,” she said. “I just didn’t know if nursing school could actually work with everything else.”

As she explored nursing programs across the state, Alyssa quickly ran into the same barrier again and again. The programs required rigid, full-time, daytime schedules that made working nearly impossible, especially for someone supporting and caring for a family.

Then she discovered the Â鶹APP.

As she learned more about the flexibility of the nursing program, her dream began to feel like a real possibility. Evening classes, asynchronous coursework, and adaptable clinical pathways meant she didn’t have to put the rest of her life on hold to move forward.

Alyssa remembers calling admissions with pages of questions, convinced there had to be a catch. “I thought it was too good to be true,” she said. “I asked everything about prerequisites, the cohort, clinicals, all of it. I needed to know exactly what I was signing up for.” But as her questions were being answered, Alyssa realized there was no catch. “I remember thinking, the opportunity actually feels real here.” 

Thanks to transferred credits from her associate degree in psychology from CMCC, Alyssa is currently a sophomore completing her program prerequisites at UMA. She is excited to be joining the fall 2026 nursing cohort. As Alyssa continues working toward her degree, she is juggling online classes, a remote data entry job, and family life with two littles at home—including newborn Charlotte.

What stays with Alyssa most is how grounded and normal the experience feels. With all of her responsibilities, she never feels set apart from the rest of her classmates. At school, she is simply a student, learning, growing, and preparing for the work she hopes to do.

“Even during my pregnancy, I was able to stay focused on learning and preparing for my future,” she said. “UMA made it possible to keep progressing toward my goals, and I always knew support was there if I needed it. Now that Charlotte is here, happy and healthy, I’m so grateful I’ve been able to continue my education through it all.”

When asked what advice she would give to someone unsure whether nursing can fit into their life, Alyssa doesn’t hesitate.

“Just do it,” she said. “UMA is very human-oriented. They care about you as a person, not just as a student. If you need to slow down, take time, or shift directions, that’s okay. They understand that life happens.”

For Alyssa, that understanding has turned a long-held goal into a plan she can finally carry forward. With a path that fits her life, she is doing what once felt impossible and moving steadily toward the nursing career she has always wanted.

Stories like Alyssa’s reflect what 60 years of UMA looks like in practice: opportunity, persistence, and a community that helps people move forward.

At UMA, learning does not stop at the classroom door. It travels into schools, community events, and neighborhoods across Maine.

±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s Dental Club is a student-led example of what that looks like in action.

Throughout the year, club members volunteer at local outreach events, connect with families about oral health, and represent ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s dental programs in the community. Whether they are sharing preventive care tips with children, supporting local organizations, or collaborating with dental professionals, students are building skills that matter while making a difference that is felt.

For many members, the club is where confidence grows. It is where classroom concepts become real conversations. It is where future dental professionals begin to see themselves as leaders and educators, not just students.

Their work reflects what defines UMA: education that meets students where they are and prepares them to serve where they are needed most. Through hands-on service, Dental Club members strengthen their clinical knowledge, communication skills, and commitment to community health, all while reinforcing the importance of accessible, preventive care across Maine.

This kind of engagement embodies ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s mission to transform lives through high-quality education, student support, and civic engagement. It also reflects ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s belief that progress happens when we work together, building partnerships that make education more connected, relevant, and valuable.

In every photo, there is more than a moment. There is preparation for a career, connection to a community, and the steady growth of students who are already making an impact.

As part of ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s 60th Anniversary celebration, we are proud to spotlight Isabella Puleo, a senior in the Bachelor’s of Applied Science program.

Isabella is already making her mark on the aviation industry beyond the classroom. As a third-semester student in the Aviation Maintenance Technician School (AMTS), she serves as a work-study student supporting program operations and gains hands-on experience as part of the line crew at MacJets. She is also an active member of the Women in Aviation International, Wild Blue Chapter, participating in outreach to empower other women in the field.

to hear Isabella describe the moment she discovered her future was in aviation maintenance.

Four graduating UMA art students invite you to explore their creative journeys in “How Did We Get Here?” a new exhibition opening May 10 at the Charles Danforth Gallery.

Running through Aug. 15, the show features works of senior art students exploring identity and personal journeys through sculpture, painting, printmaking, assemblage and digital art. The exhibition, which opens with a reception and artist talk on May 10 at 12:30 p.m., is a chance to connect with the creative vision behind the work and experience it firsthand.

The Danforth Gallery is located in Jewett Hall on the Â鶹APP campus, 46 University Drive, Augusta. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All are welcome to this free event.

Artists:

Morgan Cafferata (they/them) makes work that is enticingly uncomfortable. Exploring identity, sexuality and the grotesque across mediums, they draw inspiration from feminist art, folklore, camp films and the natural world, attempting to make the uncanny relatable. They live on the unceded land of the Wabanaki Confederacy in so-called mid coast Maine.

Sheila M. Lynch (she/her) of Northport, Maine exhibits works in linoleum block printing, and is exploring her identity through the lens of the architecture and buildings that create a community.

Fatima Babar (she/her) is a digital artist exploring identity and personal journeys through worldbuilding and storytelling.

Jeff McKay (he/him) of Hallowell, Maine is showing digital prints of original watercolor paintings for a children’s book he is illustrating. His exploration of identity through an original character called “Watersharkamelon” follows a half-watermelon, half-shark as he searches for other similar creatures in the great big oceans of the world. Jeff is not half-artist, half-shark.

For more information about the exhibition and gallery, please contact Amy Rahn, Charles Danforth Gallery Director: amy.rahn@maine.edu.

In her second-year as dental hygiene student at the Â鶹APP, Lila Pierce was appointed as a student delegate to the American Dental Hygienists Association House of Delegates. Representing District 1—which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont—she joined ten other selected students and professional delegates from across the country in June of 2025 to review proposed resolutions and help shape the future of the profession.

Only one student from the national delegation is selected to cast an official vote during the House of Delegates meeting. In her role, Lila is attended state meetings, worked with her mentor Traci Dempsey, president of the Maine Dental Hygiene Board, and prepared for the experience. “I never imagined being able to engage in the profession in such a big and far-reaching way while still in school,” she said. “It’s exciting, and I want to contribute in a meaningful way.”

Lila’s interest in dental hygiene began when she was just seven years old and had a positive experience with a hygienist who made her feel comfortable and cared for. After high school, she was accepted to an out-of-state program, but cost put it out of reach. She chose UMA for its affordability and proximity, and discovered an environment that exceeded her expectations. “The faculty are always willing to help,” she said. “They’re engaged with us in class, on Zoom, even in our group chats. They make sure we’re never alone in this.”

Now in the clinic, Lila says the hands-on experience is helping her dream come to life. She’s especially grateful for ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s professionalism course, which she says gave her the tools to not only act like a professional, but become one. “Finally being able to get my hands-on experience in the clinic feels unreal,” she said. “So far I’m really enjoying my newfound career. I’m excited to test the limits of this profession even after I graduate.”

Â鶹APP (UMA) architecture students Megan Brown, Nolan Cartwright, Eloisa DeGroote, Suzie Felix, Kelsey George, Rohan Glendinning, Kaden Harrison-Billiat, Brennan Loewen, Marie Lough and Nicholas Smart, lead by UMA Assistant Professor of Architecture Patrick Hansford, spent the fall 2024 semester participating in the Envision Resilience: Designs for Living in a Changing Climate program. Their work is now on exhibition at the Portland Public Library’s Community Gallery through March 15. 

Over five months, students from eight participating universities immersed themselves in the culture, values and history of Portland, South Portland and the Casco Bay Island communities, developing innovative designs that addressed challenges such as affordable housing, sea level rise, transportation, urban heat, equity, local industry and ecology. 

Participating institutions were Cornell University, Harvard University, the University at Buffalo, the Â鶹APP, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, Yale University and the program’s first international partner, the University of Toronto. 

The Envision Resilience Portland and South Portland Challenge brought together graduate and undergraduate students in urban planning, architecture, environmental justice and landscape architecture to connect with community stakeholders for an iterative process of researching, developing and proposing adaptive solutions for vulnerable sites along the cities’ coastlines. 

The team from UMA specifically selected a currently vacant lot on the far east end of Commercial Street, near the Narrow Gauge Railroad, Sun Life building and the entrance to the walking trail because of its development potential and close proximity to the downtown waterfront and residential areas in the east end.

Their projects included neighborhood revitalization, a community center, ferry terminal, light rail system, maritime center and adaptive reuse of an existing brick building. They also envisioned a redesign of the waterfront with parking garage towers, a transportation center, a fixed bi-cable transit system and a floating community of the future.

Teams from the other universities prepared similar projects in other areas of Portland, as well as recreation spaces, energy efficient building designs, housing, wetland and marine habitat restoration and dining and entertainment districts, to name a few.

There have been several previous Envision Resilience projects including Nantucket, MA (2021); Narragansett Bay, RI (2022); and New Bedford and Fairhaven, MA (2023).  

The 2024 Envision Resilience: Designs for Living in a Changing Climate exhibition will run through March 15 at the Portland Public Library, located at 5 Monument Square, Portland. Admission is free and the exhibition is open during library hours.

works to bring creative thinking to environmental and community challenges, elevate local industry and encourage innovation and resilience. Remain Nantucket engages in charitable work to support the evolution of a healthy year-round community across the island. Remain Ventures invests in buildings and mission-related businesses that strengthen Nantucket’s year-round economy and spark innovation that brings long-term value to the island’s residents. Both Remain Nantucket and Remain Ventures are funded by Wendy Schmidt and her husband Eric to support the local economy, community and environmental vitality of the island of Nantucket. 

Developed by Remain, the is a multi-university design studio and community engagement initiative that connects interdisciplinary student teams with coastal communities to envision adaptive and creative pathways forward in the face of climate change. 

serves as the civic and cultural center of their region in which generations of citizens are literate, informed and engaged. The Library provides trusted resources and accessible experiences that inspire imagination, curiosity, awareness, and learning. The Library embraces change and evolves to meet the needs of the community.

UMA’s own Parker White, a freshman aviation student, does it again! He’s the reigning 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series champion, and he just dominated the eNASCAR College iRacing Series spring season opener, leading all 31 laps to take first place. Congratulations, Parker!

Read about his win .

Read Parker’s story here.

Zach Rollins, a student in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems program, became the first UMA recipient of the Catch a Rising Star Award, which recognizes outstanding undergraduate students for their academic achievements, involvement and potential in the student affairs profession. The award includes a scholarship to support future academic and professional endeavors.

Benjamin Bucklin, a Student Services Coordinator in the UMA Office of Academic and Career Advising, a NASPA member, and leader of ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s Trail Blazer Workshop Series, received the Doris Michiko Ching Excellence in Student Affairs Award. This honor recognizes a midlevel student affairs professional for exceptional commitment to the field, including program development, creating a positive campus environment, and NASPA engagement.

±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s Trail Blazer Workshop Series also earned the state Program of the Year award, which recognizes outstanding programs from Region I institutions. The Trail Blazer Workshop Series equips students with the understanding and skills needed to navigate the challenges of college and prepare for their career. Recent workshop topics include “Understanding Student Debt,” “Internship Search 101,” “Avoiding Burnout,” and “Finding the Right Career.”

Tessa Pyles, UMA Director of Academic and Career Advising said, “On behalf of UMA’s Office of Academic and Career Advising, I want to congratulate Ben and Zach! Those of us who work beside Ben every day are thrilled that he has received this recognition for his dedication to UMA’s students and their success.”

These honors reflect ±«˛Ń´ˇâ€™s strong commitment to student success, program excellence, and leadership development.

About NASPA
NASPA, a national organization for higher education professionals, is divided into eight regions, including Region I, which covers New England. Member institutions include Bates College, Bowdoin College, College of the Atlantic, Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy, Thomas College, Southern Maine Community College, University of Maine, University of Southern Maine, and Unity Environmental University. The NASPA Region I Conference, held annually in November, recognizes state and regional award winners, who are then considered for national honors.