Students in the Spotlight

  • Robin Barstow, Master of Social Work Student, is United Way's Featured Volunteer May 2012

    Posted October 9, 2012

    University of Maine Master of Social Work student Robin Barstow was United Way’s Featured Volunteer for the month of May in 2012. She is a member of United Way of Eastern Maine’s Mentor, Tutor, Reader Drive. United Way described Robin as one of their “finest volunteers” and “one of our top partners in the community working to prevent substance abuse.” As part of her Social Work program Barstow interned at Greater Old Town Communities That Care tutoring middle school students. Barstow says that “the research has found that the presence of ‘one caring adult’ is enough to have a profoundly positive effect upon a child who is facing a multitude of other risk factors.” The Mentor, Tutor, Reader Drive is a group of volunteers who work with children to help them make good decisions through the mentoring and tutoring process. Barstow also said about her experience, “A very effective general protective intervention is tutoring and the bond children form with a caring adult. Just as emotionally traumatic events can tear apart the fabric of individual psyches and families, emotions can also act as powerful catalysts for healing. In my experience, positive words and good role models have great power to elevate us all to what we really want.” For more information about this, please click here. 

  • Master of Arts in English Student, Brad Beauregard, Named Winner of Glimmer Train Stories January Competition

    Posted September 26, 2012 

    Brad Beauregard, Master of Arts in English student, has been named winner of the national Glimmer Train Stories January Competition for his short story “What’s Kept.” Glimmer Train Stories is described as, “One of the most respected short-story journals in print” and is a quarterly magazine that receives nearly 40,000 submissions per year. Beauregard, originally from Skowhegan, ME, is pursuing a concentration in creative writing and has also received an Abby Sargent Neese Scholarship in Creative Writing and a Steve Grady Award for fiction. For more information, please go here.  

  • Jennifer Hooper, Master of Arts in Intermedia Student, Partners with Local Firm to Develop BAT Bus Schedule App

    Posted September 26, 2012

    A University of Maine student is making it easier for her fellow students to catch the bus. Jennifer Hooper, a Master of Arts in Intermedia student, recently partnered with local company Sephone Interactive Media to develop the Community Connector app. Finding it difficult to navigate to the BAT online bus schedule on her phone, Hooper created a prototype for the application in one of her classes. The Community Connector app includes complete route and schedule information, and can even show the user the nearest stops to their location. Hooper says of the experience, “Sephone transformed my ideas into a real app that benefits the Bangor community. That’s the best part.” For her work, Hooper won the first ever President’s Research Impact Award at the 2012 GradExpo in April, which she shared with her advisor Dr. Owen Smith of the Intermedia MFA Program. For the full press release,  please click here. 

  • Doctor of Philosophy in History Alumna, Dr. Shannon Risk, Interviewed Helen Hunt on NBC Reality TV Show

    Posted September 26, 2012

    University of Maine Graduate Dr. Shannon Risk received her Doctoral Degree in History in 2009 and is currently an assistant professor of history at Niagara University. Risk was chosen to interview acclaimed actress Helen Hunt on NBC’s new genealogical reality show, “Who Do You Think You Are?” (March 23). “Who Do You Think You Are?” follows well-known celebrities as they seek to learn about their family history. The decision to have Risk interview Hunt was based on Risk’s doctoral dissertation regarding 19th century woman suffrage movements in Maine and New Brunswick. Hunt’s great-great grandmother was instrumental in the fight for women’s voting rights, and was included in Risk’s manuscript. On the T.V. show, Risk taught Hunt about her great-great grandparent’s lives and actions. Dr. Risk said of the experience, “It was nice for me to be a part of Helen’s journey of discovery.” Dr. Shannon Risk is also a former Fulbright scholar and has published two books. For the full story, please click here. 

more