2016 Kornetsky Prize

TreyHeadshotThe 2016 Marcia Smargon Kornetsky Sociology Prize has been awarded to Harold “Trey” Stewart. Trey is from Aroostook County in Maine and has been at UMaine for the past 4 years. His exceptional academic and public service record gave the department no doubt that he earned this highest honor the sociology department can give.

Harold “Trey” Stewart III is a native of Presque Isle. During his time at the University of Maine he double majored in Political Science and Sociology and double minored in Legal Studies and Business Administration. Trey is also a member of five academic honors societies. He is heavily involved in on-campus activities and was a leader in many organizations including his fraternity Alpha Tau Omega, the Interfraternity Council, and Student Government. In 2014 Trey served as the Vice President of the undergraduate student body before serving as the President in 2015. In the summer of 2015 he worked as an intern for Congressman Bruce Poliquin in Washington, D.C. This is what he had to say about the internship: “During this past summer, I had the distinct honor of serving Congressman Bruce Poliquin as an intern in Washington, D.C. office. Throughout the internship, I had many opportunities to apply the sociological lessons I learned during my time as an under-graduate in the University of Maine’s sociology department. Some of the key issues of overlap were economic and social inequality in American politics at the national level including the hindering effect that PAC’s and Super-PAC’s have on hindering our democratic process and limiting the voices of the people by providing them false information on a massive scale. In addition, there were also several opportunities to view social issues from a macro-scale at our nation’s governmental capital. One such issue was that of technological advances and relaxed regulations expanding access of pornography to the youngest members of our society, which in turn has several negative side-effects on these individuals. In sum, this experience was incredibly awarding and eye-opening for me as both an academic and as an American citizen considering a future in government and politics.”

Trey is currently a candidate for the Maine State Legislature where he is running for the 147th district (Presque Isle) in the House of Representatives. If elected, he will be one of the youngest legislators in the country. In the Fall of 2016 Trey will be returning to the University of Maine to pursue an MBA before eventually attending law school.

We congratulate Trey on this achievement and wish him all the best in the future!!