From April 19 to April 23, the University of Maine held its “Greek Week,” a week where fraternities and sororities got out into the community, held events, and became closer with the student body as a whole. 

This year, Greek Week held many events, including a trivia night, various games and a banner making contest. These events were hosted throughout the week, with a new event taking place each day. All of these events allowed members of Greek life to leave their sphere, and become introduced to new people.

“Greek week” allows Greek life members to meet people they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet. People from other organizations have to team up for the common goal of winning Greek week and it is a great opportunity. “In terms of the greater UMaine community, it can show that Greek life members are much more than the typical stereotypes. We proved our intelligence in the trivia night and showcased all of our unique talents at the talent show on Thursday ” Tau Kappa Epsilon President Dillon Rose said.

Sigma Phi Epsilon President Jared Klutzaritz felt that the return of Greek Week is a sign that things are slowly returning to normal.

“The Greek community on campus has always been a pretty tight knit group, when something like COVID hits it can be really isolating for Chapters because we lose that sense of community. Seeing Fraternities and Sororities interact again and developing that community again is what Greek life needed” Klutzaritz said.

One of the more popular events during the week was the Greek life talent show, and event where members of Greek organizations showcased their talents. 

“It was very cool to see every team’s talent that they had less than a week to prepare for,” Rose said. 

Another one of the larger events was the opening ceremony, with guest speaker, UMaine alumni Peter Madigan. He served under the Reagan administration, working as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Legislative Affairs. Madigan also served at the Department of State as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs. 

As the week wrapped up, all Ggreek organizations were able to reflect on the week, and learn from the other organizations on campus. 

“It reminded me to remember to take a break and have fun! It was thoroughly enjoyable to have friendly competition during a stressful week” Rose said. 

Klutzaritz discussed the importance of being part of a community. 

“I think the biggest thing Greek life can take away from this week is that we are not alone,” Klutzaritz said. “We still have each other to lean on and are oftentimes experiencing the same difficulties and situations as each other. For those not affiliated, I hope they can see the good Greek life and events life Greek Week can do. Our organizations help build what makes the University of Maine the University of Maine, and we can do that safely.” 

Students looking to join Greek life can find opportunities at the beginning of both spring and fall semester. 

The General Student Senate meeting began with roll call and the approval of the previous meeting minutes by Senate Clerk John Cyr. 

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Zachary Wyles gave his Robert’s Rule item of the week, which was laying on the table. This is for putting a resolution forward, which can be picked up by the senate.

Executive Reports:

President Harrison Ransley clarified some points regarding an email that was sent out. He also is putting a resolution to the senate, which will be seen later in the meeting. The senate will also be addressing complaints regarding the hiring process. Vice President Wyles urged senators to not let the last week relaxation kick in yet. Vice President of Financial Affairs Jake Tauke spoke on unallocated funds and funding requests. Vice President of Student Organizations Emmeline Willey addressed thank your advisors week, as well as club officer training coming up. Vice President of Student Entertainment Chase Flaherty sent out a list of events for the week. He is setting some money aside for another drag show model for the drag show this year. Maine Day needs more volunteers to help with lines and social distancing. Food trucks will be arriving on Maine Day as well. Advisor to Student Government Lauri Sidelko gave some updates, including allegations against the senate for unethical behavior.

Periodic Reports:

The University of Maine Board of Trustees Student Representative Abigail Despres said that she will be attending the faculty senate meeting occurring in a couple of weeks, though there will be talks about how their economic process works, and how money moves around. Despres is pushing for applications for the board of trustees position. 

Reports of Standing Committees:

Membership Committees have graduation cords for graduating senators. The Policy and Procedure Committee finished working on working guidelines. Executive evaluations are also due. 

Reports of Special Committees:

The Student Mental Health Committee is still trying to recruit mentors for the mental health mentorship program. The Multicultural Affairs Committee has been refining their constitution. The Maine Day Committee is trying to get trash pickers and rakes for cleanup. 

Representative Board Reports:

The Commuter and Non-Traditional Student Board is trying to schedule their final Black Bear Exchange shopping trip. The Honors College Student Advisory Board said their Live Below the Line Challenge raised over $600. The money raised will be sent to the Black Bear Exchange and to put together finals care packages. The board is the only student organization that progressed to the finals of the It’s Personal campaign. The Senior Class Council finalized senior week events for next week. The Sustainability and Environmental Action Committee held elections for their new executive board. All positions were filled. The committee will also be hosting several events for Earth Day. 

Community Association Reports: 

The Feminist Collective has elected their new co-chairs for next year. Wilde Stein is getting ready to run  a drag show on April 30. 

Consent Agenda:

$600  to the Pre Law Society was approved. 

The general student senate meeting began with roll call and the approval of the previous meetings minutes by Senate Clerk John Cyr. 

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Zachary Wyles gave his Robert’s Rule item of the week, which was moving to reconsider. This is used when a vote has already passed, but new items brought up warrant another vote of the previous item. The rules need to be suspended in order to accomplish this. The Anthropology Club was granted final recognition. Vice President for Student Life and Inclusive Excellence and Dean of Students Dana also made an appearance at the senate meeting and welcomed senators to think about what the student body has learned from the pandemic. 

Executive Reports:

President Harrison Ransley has been continuing to work towards the renovations project. He should be getting a quote for that shortly. Vice President Wyles is putting together recommendations for executive employees. Vice President of Financial Affairs Jake Tauke spoke on unallocated funds and funding requests coming up. Vice President of Student Entertainment Chase Flaherty is finalizing Maine Day plans. There will be no parade or fireworks. The Advisor to Student Government urged senators to continue reaching out to fellow students, as this can be a difficult time of year.

Periodic Reports:

Faculty Senate Student Representative Abigail Despres said that the uUniversity may require the vaccine to attend next semester. The fair elections practices board will be investigating some election violation reports. Director of Communications Danielle Jarosz has been working on website updates and organization. She has continued senate features as well.

Reports of Standing Committees:

The Membership Committee will not be able to order apparel this semester. They are looking into getting cords for graduation. The Policy and Procedure Committee voted on new resolutions.

Reports of Special Committees:

The Student Mental Health Committee is trying to recruit mentors for the mentorship program. 

Representative Board Reports:

The Commuter and Non-Traditional Student Board held two Black Bear Exchange trips, donating over 1,000 pounds of goods. They have enough money left for one more trip. They have elected a new president for next semester. The Honors College Student Advisory Board received approval for funding care packages for finals. The Senior Class Council is finalizing senior week events. 

Community Association Reports:

Wilde Stein is almost done prepping for the drag show. 

New Business:

There were several resolutions voted on this week:

Funding request for UMaine Society of Microbiology (approved)

A resolution that makes the vice president of student leadership a paid position (referred to the Executive Budgetary Committee).

An act to allocate $500 for a bonus to the vice president of financial affairs (approved).

Starting in the fall semester of 2021, the student government at the University of Maine will have a new president and vice president. On Monday, March 22, UMaine elected Zack Wyles as their new president and Elizabeth Davis as their vice president of the student body. Both have been impactful forces in the campus community, doing exceptional work within the student government. Given these new roles, the two hope to accomplish even more.  

The candidates in this election cycle ran in pairs. Wyles ran for the presidency, choosing Peter Alexander as his running mate. In the other corner, Harrison Ransley ran as the incumbent for the president positionseat, with Davis as his vice president pick. While the results aren’t exactly what the two winners may have expected, they are both determined that they will work well together this fall. 

“While I felt bad that the original plan wasn’t working out, I do think that working with Zack will be very exciting,” Davis said. 

“I can’t wait to work with Elizabeth, I think we are gonna make a great team,”  Wyles said. 

Wyles is currently the vice president of the student government. He is charged with running the weekly student senate meetings while pursuing projects to help the student body. He ran on the platform of lowering textbook pricing and trying to get Mainestreet to give a preview of the class syllabus so students can have a better idea of what classes entail, rather than going in blind at the beginning of the semester. The current senate administration helped re-establish last semester’s pass/fail protocol for classes, which has been greatly appreciated by students since its reintroduction. 

Davis is a member of the student senate and is the current vice president of the UMaine Pre-Law Society,  where she has made great strides in the campus community. She ran on a platform advocating for better mental health services and student rights on campus. She also wants to try and expand the menu options for dining halls around campus. She is hoping that these efforts will lead to an overall more sustainable and healthy campus environment.

While the two ran on different platforms, they both have agreed that all the issues  they brought up during the campaign are important. Since the election, both have already come up with plans for how to implement policy ideas next semester, with a big issue being student mental health.

“We 100% want to make sure that student mental health is in a sound place. We should be coming back in full next semester, and we want students to be ready for that change,”  Wyles said. 

“We want to be supporting mental health at all times. We will be supporting 24/7 call lines, and having student voices heard in planning committees. We want to establish a strong connection between faculty, senate and the student body,” Davis said. 

The fall semester is looking to have some fresh faces and new leadership. After this week, the student senate will also have its various committee officer positions filled, meaning that the full student government team will be assembled. 

The political sphere in the United States has become an increasingly hostile environment over the last couple of years. With increased polarization, the environment for discourse becomes more and more skewed, turning many off of the topic of politics altogether. However, with COVID-19 heightening tensions and ideas even further, the pandemic calls into question the resistance to reason that we see in modern politics. Americans have seen the denial of scientific evidence and the denial of proof with  little apparent reason. The McGillicuddy Humanities Center fellow Ivy Flessen aimed to answer how this has come to be through the presentation of her research on March 12. Flessens’ presentation revolved around the resistance to reason as seen in contemporary American society, illustrated through the use of the Myth of Er, as seen at the end of Plato’s Republic. 

Flessens’ presentation gave a summary of the Myth of Er and its relevance for understanding the resistance to reason. 

“My inspiration for this comes from the same idea as the talk today. There is a stark resistance to scientific fact in American society. Plato was most helpful to run this, especially through the use of the Republic. It helped better pave the way to observe the intersection between morality and philosophy in politics,” Flessen stated. 

Her presentation then talked about the implications that the resistance to reason has on society, as well as the political sphere today. Flessen has found that no matter the insistence or strength of reason, it will be, at least in some way, resisted in the political world, just as it was in the myth. The resistance is something buried deep in society because the world is naturally irrational. This, along with other issues surrounding it, will continue to be a problem that needs adaptation in the future. 

The McGillicuddy Humanities Center Undergraduate Fellows program is a program for third and fourth-year students at UMaine who want to partake in independent research. Fellows attend meetings, collaborate and build relationships with their cohort, participate in interdisciplinary humanities programs and act as student representatives of the humanities on campus. After being inducted into the program, fellows spend two semesters doing their research, which culminates with their presentations. Fellows receive $8,000 from the program, which is distributed in two awards of $4000 per semester. Flessen recounted her experience getting involved in the Fellows program. 

“I heard about the fellowship partially because of the publication the center puts out every year,” Flessen said. “I was getting ready to transfer, but the center would give me the financial support I needed to stay. I had to write a proposal, and that process took about a month due to diligence. Even if students are pressed for time, they can put out a good proposal in less time.”

At the end of this spring semester, Flessen will be graduating and pursuing a Ph.D. program. 

“I am actually graduating this year and going to graduate school. Going into a Ph.D. program [I will be contemplating the] classical question of the noble, and the pursuit of power in the modern power sphere. The tensions between those two things, and how we solve that, is my interest going forward, and hopefully, an academic career can still come from that,” Flessen said.

GSS Feb. 23

The General Student Senate meeting began with roll call, and the approval of the previous meeting minutes by Senate Clerk John Cyr.

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Zachary Wyles gave his Roberts Rule of the week, which was a point of privilege. This is used when a senator is making a complaint, but is also used for more information. This however, is not the traditional use.

New Senators, Officer Appointments, and Resignations:

Austin Westfield was sworn in as a senator this week.

President Harrison Ransley used $526.34 to help cover expenses for the Maine Peace Action Committee, and will be meeting with Vice President for Student Life and Inclusive Excellence and Dean of Students Robert Dana tomorrow. President Ransley and Vice President Wyles will be meeting with the Provost Council next week to discuss the changes to the pass/fail policy. Vice President of Financial Affairs Jake Tauke is trying to get updated physical addresses for all senators, so that gift cards can be mailed out for senate meals. The annual budget will be taking place soon, meaning the vice president will be receiving budgets for all organizations on campus. Vice President of Student Organizations Emmeline Willey said that Student Organization Committee elections will be happening soon, and anyone looking to run should contact her. Vice President of Student Entertainment Chase Flaherty has spoken to Ben Evans, and will be scheduling a MasterChef cook along event. Students will be able to sign up for it on the Student Government Instagram page. New events for next month will be announced after the MasterChef event. Free movies are still available at Spotlight Cinemas with a MaineCard. Advisor to Student Government Lauri Sidelko announced that Heather Hogan will be filling in for a couple of weeks due to medical reasons. Weekly surveillance testing shows that more people have been attending testing. Often, positive tests will result in a great number of close contacts, and she urged students to be careful moving forward.

Periodic Reports:

Student Legal Services Liaison Camryn Hammil announced that there are six pending cases on campus. University of Maine ROTC senate representative Austin Westfield said that they have enabled five new scholarships for ROTC students. Director of Communications Danielle Jarosz posted the video promotion for the MasterChef event, which has been met with positive reception. 

Standing Committees:

Marketing and Public Relations Committee had a great meeting last week. They decided to use a shorter video for Instagram and a longer video for Facebook. The Policy and Procedure Committee came up with new resolutions for the Student Conduct Code. 

Representative Board Reports:

The Commuter and Non-Traditional Students Board thanked everyone who helped with the first shopping trip for the Black Bear Exchange. The trip normally takes an hour, but because of all the help, it only took 15 minutes. The Honors College Student Advisory Board had their first Meal Pack-Out meeting. They are looking to set aside the month of April for food security. They also held elections for the executive board. The Interfraternity Council had an effective joint meeting with the Panhellenic Council to discuss revisions to their code of conduct. Most fraternities have finished recruitment. The Sustainability and Environmental Action Committee is looking to start a compost project in Orono.

New Business:

Several resolution and funding requests were proposed this week:

Funding for the Pre-Law society to create an ESports team on campus.

An act to add funds to student government for various campus works.

An act to modify and update the Student Conduct Code.

All of these requests were passed.

GSS March 2

The General Student Senate meeting began with roll call, and approval of the previous senate minutes by Senate Clerk John Cyr. 

General Good and Welfare:

Her Campus, a magazine run by women on campus, received final recognition by the senate.

Vice President Wyles gave his Roberts Rule Item of the week, which was a point of information. This is used for a senator to ask about clarification regarding a report or resolution. 

Executive Reports:

President Ransley has had several students reach out to him about the pass/fail changes, as well as the uncertainty of graduation. Both him and Vice President Wyles will be meeting with the faculty senate to try and address these concerns from the student body. They have also been invited to a student sustainability summit, where they hope to bring more ideas back to campus. Wyles is trying to come up with ideas for how to carry out Maine Day this year, and has been very grateful that himself and  Ransley have been working so well together, despite the fact that they are running against each other. The Vice President of Financial Affairs Jake Tauke spoke on unallocated funds and funding requests that will be talked about later in the meeting. Vice President of Student Organizations Emmeline Willey says a new club will be coming to the next meeting seeking preliminary recognition. Vice President of Student Entertainment Chase Flaherty announced that Dean Dana will be hosting a virtual Q and A with Terry Crews. Students can submit questions online. Heather Hogan, trending in place as advisor to student government, is now accepting nominations for leadership awards, which will be distributed in the coming months. Food requests can now be made for campus events, but a planning form needs to be submitted.

Periodic Reports:

University of Maine Security Representative Blaize Vail is looking into police behavior in the dorm, ensuring nobody violates the student constitution. 

Reports of Standing Committees:

Membership Committee will be sending out gift cards for food at the meetings, to replace having food in person. They will be meeting this Thursday. The Policy and Procedure Committee is working on new resolutions for job descriptions. The Political Activism Committee will start meeting on a bi-weekly schedule for the rest of the semester.

Reports of Special Committees:

The Student Mental Health Committee is starting a mentor program to combat loneliness and isolation on campus.

Representative Board Reports:

The Commuter and Non-Traditional Student Board is planning a pizza event in the coming weeks. Honors College Student Advisory Board finalized events for the rest of the semester. These events include Forum Fridays and guest speakers. The Interfraternity Council held a virtual leadership conference to learn more about handling student mental health, as well as diversity in the Greek community. Panhellenic Council held a round table summit for all chapter leaders. The Senior Class Council will be holding senior week the last week of April.

Community Association Reports:

Wilde Stein has modified its constitution and allows for more E-Board members.

The General Student Senate meeting on Feb. 16 began with roll call and the approval of the Feb. 7 meeting minutes by Senate Clerk John Cyr. 

General Good and Welfare:

Vice President Zachary Wyles gave his Roberts Rule Item of the week, which was moving to the previous. Moving to the previous can occur when senators want to move out of debate on an issue and directly into voting procedure.

New Senators, Officer Appointments and Resignations:

The first round of officer elections happened this meeting, the new positions are as follows:

Faculty Senate Student Representative: Kylie Trawick

Student Legal Services Liaison: Camryn Hamil

Representative to the Graduate Student Senate: Tessa Shanteller 

Orono Town Council Liaison: Micheal Delorge

Old Town City Council Liaison: Camryn Hamil 

University of Maine Security Representative: Blaize Vail

Center for Undergraduate Research Liaison: Angel Loredo

Membership Chair: Blaize Vail

Policy and Procedure Chair: Alyssa Caisullo

Services Committee Chair: Connor Bray

Political Activism Committee Chair: Micheal Delorge

Student Conduct Code Oversight and Review Committee Chair: Abigail Despres

Representative to the Provost Council: Blaize Vail

Student Mental Health Committee Chair: Alyssa Caisullo

Multicultural Affairs Committee Chair: Alexis Plater

President Pro-Tempore: Frank Kelly

Sergeant at Arms: Leanne Nisbet

Executive Reports: 

President Harrison Ransley reported that the cabinet meeting will be held directly after the senate meeting. Nominations should be finished after the meeting as well. Going forward, any sort of absence appeal will take place during the executive session. This will better protect the identity of senators who want to keep reasons behind absences private. Vice President of Financial Affairs Jake Tauke reported on unallocated funds, including some financial transfers that were done to cover some insurance costs. Vice President of Student Organizations Emmeline Willey reported that Student Organizations Committee elections will be happening soon, and that anyone wishing to run should get their nominations in as soon as possible. Vice President of Student Entertainment Chase Flaherty reminded the senate that Winter Carnival is still on schedule for this week. There will also be a Master Chef event happening for the school on Zoom in the coming weeks. More information will be available soon. There are also still free tickets for Spotlight Cinemas in Orono for students. Advisor to Student Government Lauri Sidelko was absent this week, so Benjamin Evans gave her report for her. He announced that campus Bingo will be happening next week, and there will be talks about starting esports teams for the school.

Periodic Reports:

Faculty Senate Student Representative Kylie Trawick announced that acceptance numbers are up for the school. COVID-19 test attendance is up to 85%. The faculty senate stands by its decision to change the pass/fail option for this semester. In regards to vaccinations, the faculty senate wants the distribution to happen in a more private location. When it does come time for students to be vaccinated, they would like everyone to be vaccinated at the same time. Director of Communications Danielle Jarosz said that the current feature on Instagram is going well and has been getting positive reception. Follower raffles will begin in the hopes of obtaining more followers. 

Standing committees:

The Committee of Marketing and Public Relations had really productive meetings with both the president and vice president. They discussed promotions for the future, and are looking for ideas from senators. The Membership Committee wants to give gift cards to attending senators, in order to make up for the lack of food at meetings. This Thursday, there will be a membership meeting to discuss alternatives to the annual senate retreat. The Policy and Procedure Committee worked on several new resolutions. 

Representative Board Reports:

The commuter and non-traditional student board is doing their first shopping trip for the Black Bear Exchange next week. The Interfraternity Council held its first in-person meeting last week. There were many chapter presidents in attendance, which made the meeting more productive. They are looking to start study nights for the Greek community. The PanHellenic Council is having a joint meeting with the Interfraternity Council and their executive board. The Senior Class Council will be hosting a trivia night on Wednesday, Feb. 17. They are seeking feedback for potential commencement alternatives. The Sustainability and Environmental Action Committee is trying to bring electric car chargers to campus, as well as plant new trees. 

Community Association Reports:

The Feminist Collective will be watching films related to Black History at their next meeting. Wilde Stein will continue working on getting connected with the Old Town High School Gay-Straight Alliance. 

New Business:

There were several new resolutions this week:

An act that makes it so absence appeals take place during executive session.

An act that would bring the current senate constitution up to date.

An act to modify signature requirements for officers from 200 to 100.

All these resolutions were passed.

At the conclusion of new business, the senate had its second round of nominations. They then did a final roll call and adjourned.

 For most students, college is a stressful time. It often involves a constant balancing act between doing schoolwork, meeting deadlines, trying to maintain a healthy social life and maybe even having a job to earn some money. Now, in light of a global pandemic  in which the opportunities to see friends and family are limited, that balancing act has become a lot more difficult. Staff at the University of Maine Counseling Center have recognized this and have released the SilverCloud program to help students manage their anxieties and stress. 

SilverCloud is a wellness program delivered through an app that helps students with their mental health through wellness exercises. These self-guided exercises are designed to help users change beliefs and behaviors to start thinking and feeling better. SilverCloud’s modules focus on dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, resilience, insomnia and even worries related to COVID-19. The pandemic has taken an exceptionally steep toll on student’s mental health. Part of the entire college experience is making new friends and new memories with new people and having the ability to explore and find yourself. When the ability to interact with others becomes restricted, and that original college plan is hindered, students’ mental health can begin to suffer because of it. While most people agree that they want the COVID-19 pandemic to end as soon as possible, students and community members alike have to be able to help themselves and make efforts to improve their mental health. The app mainly tackles mild to moderate symptoms, and should not be considered a substitute for traditional therapy. However, it can be used as a helpful tool for trying to change to a more positive mindset and act as a stepping stone on the journey of self-love and emotional awareness. 

SilverCloud has a heightened focus on information and education, but also provides information through quizzes, online journaling and mood monitoring. Each module within the program takes about 40 minutes to complete, but it is important that students take their time and do not feel rushed when completing these activities. Silvercloud is available to students in the app store for iPhone and Android users, as well as through a web browser. The service is free with a UMaine student ID. As the world continues to get more stressful, it’s important to take care of our mental health, in order to properly handle all the challenges that lie ahead. While that is not always an easy road to travel, this service can make that journey just a bit easier. 

If you or someone you know are facing difficulties surrounding your mental health there is help available. Please reach out to the UMaine Counseling Center at 207-581-1392 or visit their website below for more information. Additionally, 24/7 help is available with Community Health and Counseling Services’ Crisis Response line at 888-568-1112. For more severe symptoms of mental distress please visit the nearest emergency room. 

https://umaine.edu/counseling/

The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily restricted people’s ability to see and connect with other people. However, exploring the outdoors is still an opportunity that many have been able to take advantage of. One of the most attractive aspects of Maine is the vast beauty of its environment. The town of Orono is now working to create a central hub for people to gather and appreciate the beauty this town has to offer. Plans have begun for the town to construct a volunteer-based outdoor recreation center which will host  activities that encourage people to appreciate and explore the nature in the town. The town has purchased 7 acres of land for the project, enough for a central building and parking lot. 

The Orono Economic Development Corporation founded this project. The property is located on Taylor Road in Orono, sitting next to both the Orono and Bangor Trust trail systems. The property was purchased in 2018, but only now are plans for renovation finally coming to fruition. The Orono Land Trust also purchased nearby ponds in order to better expand the area, making it a more attractive stop for hikers, bikers, and bird-watchers. The center will be extremely beneficial for students as well giving them opportunities to explore the outdoors, socialize with friends, and give back to the community through volunteer positions.  

“I’m pretty involved in the community with volunteer work so even if I weren’t going to participate in using the facility, it would be awesome to work as a volunteer for it,” third-year elementary education student Madeline Hanlon said about the new facility. “Especially with everything being shut down with [COVID-19], myself and other students are always looking for more recreational activities especially ones that get you active.” 

Fundraising events for the facility are going to begin soon, and the town will be looking for as much support as possible to get it done. The Town will also be looking for volunteers to help gut the property in order to get it ready for renovations. The new rec center has the potential to be a strong asset for the town which will better show off the nature that surrounds us. Though, there are residents that want to make sure that the land is preserved properly, and not neglected. 

“I want the town to make sure that the land is preserved in an environmentally friendly way so that the most people can get the most out of it,” third-year psychology student Chloe Lunt said.

Students looking to volunteer will have to wait until later in the fall for the opportunity, as COVID-19 has temporarily put a hold on the project. Students or community members looking for more information on the project should contact the Orono Economic Development Corporation for more information. Outdoor recreation and physical activities are core focuses of the University of Maine and the surrounding community. So the opportunity to expand opportunities to do so will likely be looked on favorably.

While the coronavirus pandemic has made student life challenging for the University of Maine, the campus is still committed to getting students the resources they need to achieve success. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., UMaine hosted a virtual career fair, which was available to all students. Here, students would be able to learn about both local businesses, as well as some outside the state of Maine.

The entire event was hosted on CareerLink. CareerLink is a service run by the University of Maine Career Center that operates similarly to Linkedin. Students create a profile, input their field of study and year in school and are able to upload and edit their resume. They can also get in contact with employers based on their field of study, and set up interviews for prospective job offers. 

The career fair hosted over 138 different businesses, including Hannaford, Key Bank, Lacasse and Weston Inc, Hartney Greymont, Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park and many more. Normally, the career fair would take place in the New Balance Student Recreation Center. There, students would be able to walk freely, approaching employers that they had interest in to learn more about them. The virtual system adapted this by creating meeting rooms. Students were able to speak to employers for shorter one-on-one sessions in order to get a better feel for what the field was like and what certain jobs entailed. The virtual one-on-one sessions acted as a suitable substitute for meeting an employer in person. Students were still able to have the face-to-face interaction in a safe, online environment. With the vast amount of companies in attendance, it can be easy for students to get lost, or not know who to talk to. However, the career fair allowed students to filter businesses to certain keywords that better described what field they were looking at entering.

While the career fair was different this year changes were necessary to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Even with all the challenges that this pandemic has presented to both students and faculty alike, UMaine is still determined to help students find a path forward. Students looking to find additional resources, or want to try reaching out to businesses present at the career fair, can do so by creating a CareerLink account. There will likely be more career fairs throughout the year, so students should keep an eye out for any announcements made by the career center on campus regarding dates, times and sign-up periods.