University of Maine at Presque Isle

Infobox_University
name = University of Maine at Presque Isle
native_name =


image_size =
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latin_name =
motto = North of Ordinary
tagline =
established = 1903
type = Public
endowment =
staff =
faculty =
president = Donald Zillman
provost =
principal =
rector =
chancellor =
vice_chancellor =
dean = Christine Corsello, Dean of Students.
head_label =
head =
students = 1,600
undergrad =
postgrad =
doctoral =
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city = Presque Isle
state = Maine
country = USA
campus = 150 acres
free_label =
free =
colors = Blue and Gold
colours =
mascot = Owl
fightsong =
nickname = Owls
affiliations =
footnotes =
website = [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/ www.umpi.maine.edu]
address = 181 Main Street
publictransit =
telephone = 207-768-9532
coor =

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is part of the University of Maine System. Located in Presque Isle, UMPI offers studies in social and life sciences, business, recreation, education, and natural sciences. Its campus radio station is WUPI.

It was founded in 1903 as Aroostook State Normal School, offering a two-year teacher preparation program. The school was renamed when it joined the new University of Maine System in 1968.

Academics

UMPI currently has 21 Baccalaureate Degrees from Accounting to Social Work, 4 Associate Degrees, and 27 Minor Programs. In addition, the university also has a 1 year Teacher Certification Program.

Northern Maine Museum of Science

The Northern Maine Museum of Science began in the early 1970s on the UMPI campus, however it officially opened on October 5, 1996. It has been maintained primarily with volunteer effort and money. Also, it is located in Folsom Hall, the primary classroom building at the university. This gives the student body the opportunity to browse the collection, throughout the three floors, in between classes. Also, this gives visitors the opportunity to tour the museum when classes are in session. Tours are available with appointments made with the Museum's Curator, Dr. Kevin McCartney. Dr. McCartney also was the driving force behind the creation of a 40 mile long solar system model. This double scale, three dimensional scale is one of the largest in the world. Folsom Hall encompasses the Sun of this model and it ends with Pluto, just outside of Houlton, Maine.

Gentile Hall

Officially opened on January 21, 2006, this building is the main fitness facility to the student body and faculty. Also, community members are allowed and encouraged to join as members of Gentile Hall. The building has been the site for numerous events, attracting many different groups and hosting birthday parties. Some aspects of this complex include:

Multipurpose Gym: This 104ft x 125ft area serves as a host for many different sports as well as a learning lab for athletic training, recreation, and physical education programs. Four layers of poured urethane create the flooring, with designated areas for seven different playing areas.

Climbing Wall: This 37ft wall is a major component of Gentile Hall and is unlike anything close to here. Over 600 holds, a bouldering area, all professionally designed are what makes this climbing wall a first-class facility.

Pool: This pool is 25 yards and has a maximum depth of 10 feet. This was built mostly for education, but students and community are encouraged to use for aerobic training and leisure. Also, the pool room is completely tiled and has an air transfer system that minimizes a chemical smell throughout the entire building.

Exercise/Physiology Lab: This is UMPI’s primary research, teaching, and testing human performance lab. Also, this serves as the site for the university’s testing of Maine Winter Sports athletes.

Gentile Hall also has an athletic training room, a mezzanine with vending machines and a reception area.

Athletics

UMPI has 12 varsity sport programs. Men's and women's sports include: Cross-Country Running, Soccer, Basketball and Nordic Skiing. Male only sports include: Golf and Baseball. Women only sports: Softball and Volleyball. In addition, the University also hosts a variety of intramural sports and one club sport, Ice Hockey. The University Ice Hockey Club Team enjoys the honor of being the first team to play in the Alfond Arena against the University of Maine Black Bears losing 4-3 on February 4, 1977. Other notable past sports teams include the 1979 Wrestling Team that captured the Northern New England Wrestling Championship and the 1978 Women’s Field Hockey Team that captured the Maine State Championships. In the last two decades, the UMPI Cross Country Teams both Men and Women has enjoyed a great reputation of having one of the best teams in its division every year. The school’s sports teams are called the Owls and team colors are blue and gold.

NAIA Honors Athletes and All-Americans

1994 Tamera Blades Scholar-Athlete Division II Women's Basketball

1996 Katherine Chabot All-American Women's Cross Country

1996 Neal Labrie Scholar-Athlete Men's Cross Country

1996 Pierre Michaud Statistical Leader Division II Men's Basketball

1997 Jason Adickes Scholar-Athlete Men's Soccer

1998 Jason Adickes Scholar-Athlete Men's Soccer

1998 Shannon Henthorn Scholar-Athlete Women's Soccer

Notable faculty and alumni

Mabel Desmond served four terms in the Maine House of Representatives, from 1994 to 2002.

Peter Fields Athletic Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Montana State University.

Caroline Gentile Field Hockey player, a nationally known educator in the field of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Andy Giles is painter, photographer, filmmaker, videographer, World War II historian, documentarian, and lecturer, Reed Art Gallery director.

James "Chico" Hernandez USA National Champion, FIAS World Cup Vice-Champion in Sombo wrestling, featured on a box of Wheaties. [http://www.dmswire.com/EnergyCrunch.htm] Karol L'Heureux Head Volleyball Coach for 28 seasons at University of New England.

John Lisnik served in the Maine House of Representatives.

Andy Palmer 1980 Olympic Trials Marathon Runner.

Cathie Pelletier Novelist of "Candles on Bay Street", "Dancing at the Harvest Moon", "Running the Bulls" and won the 2006 Paterson Prize for Fiction.

Romey Pelletier an Greco-Roman Wrestler alternate on the U.S. Olympic squad that competed in the 1984 Olympic Games at Los Angeles.

John Tuttle served in the Maine House of Representatives.

Brian Woodworth Pitcher for the Kansas City Royals Baseball Organization.

Greek life

UMPI is the location of MU Chapter of Kappa Delta Phi National Fraternity. Founded on the campus on February 10, 1952, many distinguished alumni (as well as faculty and staff members) are Brothers of this fraternity. Mu Chapter active members have consistently distinguished themselves as campus leaders and role models.

References

1. http://www.dmswire.com/EnergyCrunch.htm

External links

* [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/cms/index.php University of Maine at Presque Isle - official website]
* Academics List [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/programs/pgms/pgmalpha.htm]
* Athletics List [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/cms/athletics/]
* Northern Maine Museum of Science [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/nmms/museum.htm]
* Solar System Model [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/nmms/solar/]
* Gentile Hall Web Page [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/cms/general/gentile-hall/index-20060726592/]

Brian Mullins