Highlights from the State of the University Address — March 8
University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy delivered the 2022 State of the University address on March 8 in Minsky Recital Hall.
Guest speakers included UMaine Faculty Senate president and professor William Nichols; Alicia Cruz-Uribe, the Edward Sturgis Grew Associate Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology, School of Earth and Climate Sciences; Zachary Wyles, president of University of Maine Student Government; and Valeria Roach, a sophomore in the NROTC (Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps) Program and native of Ukraine.
Short videos focused on fostering learner success at the University of Maine at Machias; the UMaine School of Nursing diversity, equity and inclusion initiative; Maine’s national R1 top-tier research university designation; the Research Learning Experience (RLE) initiative of UMS TRANSFORMS; and students’ Black Bears Care campaign.
The recording of this event is available online, below are some highlights and a transcript of remarks.
Achieving R1
UMaine earned the highest possible designation a doctoral research university can achieve from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: R1. To learn more about what this accomplishment means for the university, read the story and watch the video about it.
Aiding those in crisis
Valeria Roach, a sophomore in NROTC and native of Ukraine, urged members of the UMaine community to support those affected by the war in her home country to the best of their abilities. Watch her remarks here. Her family created a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help her friend Sasha who lives in Odessa, Ukraine. In response to the crisis in Ukraine, the University of Maine Foundation established the Higher Education Relief Fund to provide financial support for students and faculty who may be impacted by various environmental, political or global crises as they are pursuing or hope to pursue scholarship at UMaine. Visit the UMaine Foundation website to learn more and support the fund.
Black Bears Care
President Ferrini-Mundy and Zachary Wyles, president of University of Maine Student Government Inc., discussed how students, faculty and staff worked together to maintain safe, in-person learning and other experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch this video to learn more.
Excellence in Machias
During the address, audience members learned about the excellent work and initiatives from students, faculty and staff at UMaine Machias, as well as ongoing efforts to fully integrate the institution as UMaine’s regional campus. Yani Nganzobo, the newly named 2022 UMaine Machias valedictorian, received special mention for her success and contributions to the campus community. Watch this video to learn more about Yani.
Increasing diversity in nursing
The School of Nursing at UMaine has partnered with Northern Light Health and Morgan State University for a new initiative to diversify Maine’s nursing workforce. Read the story about it to learn more.
Starting college with research experiences
In fall 2021, UMaine and UMaine Machias launched Research Learning Experience (RLE), courses that allow students across academic disciplines to engage in open-ended research and scholarship at the start of their college careers. Learn more about these courses, a crucial component of the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative funded by the Harold Alfond Foundation’s historic $240 million grant, from this story and video about them.
Quotes from speakers
“This year has changed us and has changed our institutions, yet our culture of caring and commitment is stronger than ever.”
— President Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Listen to President Joan Ferrini-Mundy’s full remarks
“The University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias communities have demonstrated incredible resilience, a sense of responsibility and caring for the greater good, which is in keeping with our 150 plus years of land grant heritage.”
— William “Dee” Nichols, president of the Umaine Faculty Senate
Listen to Dee Nichols’ full remarks
“We have farther to go and much to learn, but we are pointed in the right direction by a president who challenges herself and allows us to place diversity, equity and inclusion at the core of our work”
— Alicia “Cici” Cruz-Uribe, Edward Sturgis Grew Associate Professor of MIneralogy and Petrology
Listen to Cici Cruz-Uribe’s full remarks
“For the community of UMaine, I hope that you can do even more to help millions of others like me from across the world who look at the United States and colleges with hope.”
— Valeria Roach, sophomore in NROTC and native of Ukraine
Listen to Valeria Roach’s full remarks
“Everyone took part in recovering from this pandemic, and today we stand together as a community, stronger.”
— Zachary Wyles, president of University of Maine Student Government Inc.
Listen to Zachary Wyles’ full remarks
Full transcript of event
Dee Nichols: Good morning. I am William Dee Nichols, president of the University of Maine Faculty Senate and literacy professor in the College of Education and Human Development, and I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you. As we begin our session today, I would also like to recognize our education major, Kaitlin McCullough, who will lead us in the National Anthem. Please join me in standing while Kaitlin leads us through the Anthem.
(The Star Spangled Banner)
Dee Nichols: Thank you Kaitlin, that was beautiful.
We open today’s event with our land acknowledgment, which recognizes that the University of Maine is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation, and the University of Maine at Machias is sited in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. Both of our universities recognize that in these homelands, issues of water and territorial rights, and encroachment upon sacred sites, are ongoing. Penobscot and Passamaquoddy homelands are connected with other Wabanaki Tribal Nations — the Maliseet and Micmac — through kinship, alliances and diplomacy. UMaine and its regional campus also recognizes that the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy and the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination.
We invite all of you to consider how we live and work on this land, and to attend carefully to the roles that each of us plays as members of the University of Maine and the University of Maine at Machias communities in shaping future relationships with the land and among people.
Today, as we get ready to listen to the State of the University address, I bring you greetings from the Faculty Senate and from my colleague Eric Jones, president of the University of Maine at Machias faculty. It is a pleasure to see everybody here today, to be together and to celebrate the state of the university and to reflect on all that we have accomplished — individually and collectively — to be here. A great deal has occurred this past academic year, including many accomplishments to be proud of.
A reflection on this academic year has to be couched in our past two years of the pandemic. The University of Maine and UMaine Machias communities have demonstrated incredible resilience, sense of responsibility and caring for the greater good which is in keeping with our 150 + -year land grant heritage.
Extension and engagement activities — the service which we all provide — are, along with education and research, core to the mission of the University of Maine. The Faculty Senate will continue to work in collaboration with President Ferrini-Mundy’s administration to shine a brighter light on our collective outreach activity and its incredibly important impact that these services provide the people and the state of Maine. It is a story of selfless acts, inspiration, and action that needs to be told. Together, in the year to come, we will do just that.
I now want to introduce Professor Alicia Cruz-Uribe, the Edward Sturge Grew Associate Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences. Cici is back from a research trip to the Oak Ridge national research laboratory and she will provide a further introduction for President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.
Alicia Cruz-Uribe: Thank you, Dee, for that kind introduction, and good morning everyone. Today, March 8, marks International Women’s Day, when we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. First observed in 1911, this day is a chance for women to work together for the rights to work, vote, and hold public office, and for all to support the causes of peace, equality, and a world without gender bias.
Each of us has a role to play in forging a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and it is far too big a job for just one day. Although the war in Ukraine and its impact on women dominates the headlines, and deservedly so, atrocities and alarming injustices against women occur regularly around the globe. And, sadly, far too often in the communities we call home.
I am pleased to be part of a community here at UMaine where we are not yet perfect, but where we still strive for inclusive excellence and gender parity. I am grateful for the many opportunities afforded to me at the University of Maine. We have farther to go and much to learn, but we are pointed in the right direction by a President who challenges herself and allows us to place diversity, equity, and inclusion at the core of our work.
Before joining us in Maine, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy was the Chief Operating Officer of the National Science Foundation. She was named President of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, in 2018. In addition to these duties she accepted an appointment as the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation of the University of Maine System in 2021, formalizing the work she does to make the resources and expertise of Maine’s R1 top-tier research university available to all UMS universities and their faculty, staff, and students.
In addition to these duties, President Ferrini-Mundy has chaired the University of Maine Science Advisory Board from the start of the pandemic and is co-principal investigator of UMS TRANSFORMS, the initiative overseeing implementation of the Harold Alfond Foundation’s $240 million grant to the University of Maine System. She also contributes to the leadership of a number of Maine-based and national economic development, research, and educational enterprises.
Please join me in welcoming President Joan Ferrini-Mundy for her 2022 State of the University Address.
Joan Ferrini-Mundy: So today is Cici’s birthday, I think we should wish her a happy one. Good morning everyone, and welcome to the 2022 address on the State of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. Thank you, Dr. Cruz-Uribe, for the warm introduction, and welcome to all who are participating today, both in-person and via livestream.
Just a word about recognizing the place that we are gathered in here together today, the Leonard and Renee Minsky Music Recital Hall — and the alumnus who made it possible. With the passing last month of Leonard Minsky, UMaine lost a passionate visionary who, with his wife Renee, touched the lives of generations of UMaine students and Maine people with their advocacy for the arts, lifelong commitment to inclusiveness and community, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life for all.
We have some special guests with us here today. I believe I see state representative Maureen Terry here, welcome and thank you for coming. And I’m not sure if state representative James Thorne has made it, he may be watching, but in any case thanks to everyone for being here, and I see so many familiar faces. What I’d really like to do is have a conversation with you and find out how things are going with those of you I’ve not seen in a while. Members of the President’s cabinet are here, and I’ll ask them now to please stand so that we can recognize their incredible work and commitment to this university. So I’ll ask you all to stand please, briefly.
Thank you. You will hear from several students today. They include Zack Wyles, the President of UMaine Student Government, who will share some observations about the student in-person experience. Zack is a senior political science major from Old Town, Maine. You’ll hear from Zack in a minute, but Zack, identify yourself so the folks can see you.
Also with us today is Valeria Roach, a native of Ukraine, now from North Carolina, who is a UMaine Naval ROTC cadet and a student in the School of Marine Sciences. I have asked Lera to share her story and thoughts with us at this time. Our university communities and the world stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and all who are affected by the senseless violence and dangerous crises resulting from Russia’s invasion of their peaceful country. So Valeria, I invite you to the podium.
Valeria Roach: Good morning everyone. It’s an honor to be sharing the stage with President Ferrini-Mundy and to be asked to speak to you today. My name is Lera, and I’ve been going to the University of Maine for almost two years. Prior to going to UMaine, I used to visit Maine to see my adoptive grandparents. I’ve lived in North Carolina with my biological brother, Vitalik, since 2014. We were adopted from an orphanage in Ukraine, where we lived for about seven years.
When Vitalik and I came to the United States, we did not speak any English. We had not known the unconditional love and support of parents and family that we have now. We missed our homeland, and all of our friends that we grew up with, and especially our extended family who are still in Ukraine. Through adoption, we found amazing adoptive parents who love us unconditionally. My brother and I became U.S. citizens in 2014.
When it was time to go to college, I found UMaine’s Pathways to NROTC program. I am now a second-year student on a five-year NROTC program scholarship. I am enjoying being part of a university community where there is quite a bit of diversity and good teachers who I have enjoyed.
While I have lived in this country for eight years, I have fond memories of Ukraine. I appreciate the beauty of the country and its people. And since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, my heart lives with Ukraine and its people. I worry about my biological father and uncle who have been drafted and are forced to take up arms. I worry about my aunt and my cousins who are in Ukraine, and last I spoke to them, my aunt told me that they can’t have lights on in their house because it might make them a target for bombing. I worry about the kids with whom we grew up in the orphanage. Especially one of my dear friends, Sasha and his family who are stuck in their city. Ukraine is no longer safe, and for them to stay there is very dangerous, and for them to leave is also just as dangerous. Sasha and his family are in danger no matter what they do.
Amid the humanitarian crisis in my homeland, there is hope in humanity. Countries are opening their borders and strangers are opening their hearts to those who are forced to flee their country. Many nations are providing aid in various forms.
There are a lot of people fighting for Ukraine behind the scenes. Many selfless people are helping those in need. That gives me hope. It shows me that Ukraine is not alone. For the people in Ukraine, my hope is that they will come to feel safe again, that they won’t have to worry about their children and other loved ones or “whether tonight is the night.”
For the community of UMaine, I hope we can do even more to help millions of others like me across the world who look to the United States and its colleges with hope. This university and this amazing school are a part of me now and it can be for many more young people who deserve the same chances I have been given.
My message to you today: If you know of anyone who is impacted by the crisis, please check in with them. Please stay updated on what’s going on in the news. If you have the financial means, please donate. I think it’s important for people to be aware, to stay informed, because while it may not affect you directly, it affects people around you every single day. And I think it’s important to help wherever you can. And I just want to thank you guys for all your help, and anything you can do for the people of Ukraine. Thank you.
Joan Ferrini-Mundy: Thank you Lera. It’s kind of hard to go on.
This State of the University address falls on International Women’s Day as you’ve heard, which began in 1911 based on the suffrage and labor movements in Europe. This year’s theme, established by the United Nations, is “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” It is a time to celebrate women’s achievement and strive for a world that is free of bias, gender stereotyping, all stereotyping, and discrimination. You have already heard from Lera, and we will hear from and see other strong, accomplished women throughout this talk.
Our hybrid presentation today will convey the state of the university in the contexts of our state, region, nation, and the world. Over the past year, we have observed war and its devastating effects in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and sadly, many other countries, we have witnessed continued racial and social injustice, and endured the relentless challenges of the COVID pandemic. Higher education leaders around the world are discussing the place of our institutions in defining tomorrow.
We have a UMaine commission looking right now at such questions as: what should our students’ education and college experiences be like, in a turbulent world and a changing climate? How should those students expect higher education to transform them, and maybe more importantly how will they transform it? How can we draw on the assets and experiences that each student brings? Are we doing our best to educate the problem solvers, innovators, and leaders for the future — leaders who will stand up for inclusion, strive for peaceful solutions, and save the planet? I am pleased and proud to say that the University of Maine is already positioned for that future. The strategic values that we agreed upon in our 2019 strategic framework — fostering learner success, discovering and innovating, and growing and advancing partnerships — guide what we do.
Today, in 2022, the defining features of the state of our university are: commitment to making a difference and a culture of caring. For example, UMaine Machias has developed a partnership with Eastport Health Care that will be setting up weekly booster clinics on campus that will serve the Machias area. This fall, UMaine Machias will also admit its first group of nursing students in our new 2+2 program to bring more nursing professionals to Washington County and beyond. All involved are committed to making a difference.
In addition to its work to expand access to nursing education in Machias, our UMaine School of Nursing is working with partners such as Northern Light Health and Morgan State University, a historically black university, to build a stronger, more diverse nursing workforce. This project is funded by a $1.7 million grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration, and the new and inclusive practices being developed will be national models and will make a difference in Maine and beyond.
Director Kelley Strout and student success coordinator Dylan Walsh in the School of Nursing are both here today, along with Barbara Salgado, a first-year nursing student, and Camilla Silva, a senior nursing student. Please stand and wave to the audience, folks. Great work, great great work. Thank you for what you do to promote the health of our communities and greater belonging and opportunity in the nursing workforce. This is a culture of caring.