Austin Blake: Outstanding Graduating Student

What difference has UMaine made in your life and in helping you reach your goals?
UMaine has given me the resources and help to achieve everything I’ve wanted to while I’ve been here. Without everyone that has helped me along the way, I wouldn’t have the experiences I’ve had or the opportunities I have going forward.

Have you had an experience at UMaine that has changed or shaped the way you see the world?
Being a resident assistant changed the way I see the world because it forced me to interact with a variety of people coming from different walks of life on an individual level.

Why UMaine?
UMaine felt like the perfect size with the perfect atmosphere to me. It was big enough to explore something new every day, but not so big that I felt overwhelmed or lost in the shuffle. The atmosphere is a familial one where people almost always hold the door for you and say thank you when you do it for them. I don’t think every university has this feel to it, and I’m lucky to have attended one that does.

How would you define the opportunities for student success at UMaine?
Between the people and resources that UMaine has to offer, there are ample opportunities for success at UMaine. The set of resources that helped me succeed the most were students ahead of me that had already gone through what I was about to go through. They were able to offer me advice on how to set up my course schedule so I could get the most out of the classes that mattered the most to me.

Have you worked closely with a professor or mentor who made your UMaine experience better?
A mentor who has helped me a lot would be Darren Brown, a 2016 UMaine accounting graduate. Darren had already gone through accounting classes I was about to go through, so he was able to advise me on how to best set up my schedule for success. A professor who helped me a lot would be Wendy Coons, a lecturer in accounting. Wendy shared my enthusiasm in growing the size and impact that the UMaine Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) group can have, and I believe together we set the group up for continued success going forward.

What advice do you have for incoming students to help them get off to the best start academically?
My advice would be to find out what study habits help you do your best and build on those going forward. Having the peace of mind in knowing how you do your best and how you’re going to prepare for every exam and project is huge once you have it nailed down.