Lara Kirkby of Adelaide, South Australia, is the Outstanding Graduating International Student in the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. A December 2024 graduate, Kirkby majored in biochemistry, researched in the Maginnis Lab and participated on the UMaine Women’s Soccer Team, through which she competed in and won two championships. After earning her bachelor’s […]
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Zachary Wentworth of Calais, Maine, is the Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD). He is a secondary education major with a concentration in social studies and a minor in history. A Maine Top Scholar, a Maine Seacoast Mission scholar and a Galen Cole Family Foundation scholar, Wentworth served as […]
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Meg Caron of Bangor, Maine is the 2025 valedictorian. She is pursuing dual degrees in French and microbiology with a second science major in molecular and cellular biology. Alongside research, volunteer work, campus clubs and cooking competitions, she has been a member of the Field Hockey and Women’s Cross Country teams. Caron emphasizes the value […]
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Alexandria Banou Morgan of Perry, Maine is a 2025 co-salutatorian and the outstanding graduating student in the Honors College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). She is majoring in psychology with minors in neuroscience and philosophy. Her journey at the University of Maine has been one of self discovery through scholarly pursuits […]
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Dominic Needham of Veazie, Maine is a 2025 co-salutatorian. A microbiology major and member of the Honors College, Needham transferred to the University of Maine his sophomore year. His enthusiasm — drawn from a fascination in how invisible-to-the-eye pathogens can shape society — has remained steady and engaged through his education. Leading into his senior […]
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From the classroom to the barn, University of Maine third-year students Maddie Closson and Samantha Martin lead the herd for the Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AVS) program as farmworkers, teaching assistants and interns. Each week, Closson and Martin travel to Witter Farm to work in the equine and dairy cattle barns, greeted by the sounds […]
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Changing markets, environmental degradation and invasive pests pose persistent threats to the future of food production. To tackle the challenges of the uncertain future, farmers need ongoing communication about climate impacts and options for adaptation. Sara Delaney is advancing research that fine-tunes ongoing education to help farmers thrive amid this uncertainty. Before becoming a Ph.D. […]
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For undergraduate student Chantelle Flores of Oakland, Maine, using art to alleviate others’ suffering and advocating for change inspires her coursework at the University of Maine. She is tackling a project for the UMaine Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center (MHC) that explores medical trauma through the lens of documentary poetics. This project will combine […]
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Hashem Abuqawod was born in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and lived there until he was four when his family moved to Kuwait. They came back to the United States when he was 12 and moved around during his teenage years. After graduating from high school, Abuqawod joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and was deployed to […]
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Helping others make informed decisions about the future of their community and country is crucial to Mak Thompson, a University of Maine senior from Bangor. Thompson has volunteered to serve as a poll worker during elections since high school. This year, they will once again empower Mainers to participate in the electoral process as a […]
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