USM Public Affairs

Carl Little, Visiting Scholar in the Lecture Series of the Visual Arts, photograph by Lincoln Benedict

* USM’s Gorham Art Gallery will host the Art Talk, “Exploring the Ekphrastic: The Art-Poetry Connection,” by poet and art writer Carl Little. This free talk will take place at 1 p.m., Friday, November 12 in the Burnham Lounge of Robie Andrews Hall on USM’s Gorham campus. For more information, call the Art Gallery at 780-5008.

Little is USM’s visiting scholar in the Lecture Series of the Visual Arts.  He is the director of communications and marketing of the Maine Community Foundation and is the former director of the College of the Atlantic’s Ethel H. Blum Gallery. Little is a poet, critic and author of many art books, including “The Watercolors of John Singer Sargent” and “The Art of Dahlov Ipcar.”  He also writes for regional and national publications including Art New England and Art in America. He was presented with the Acadia Arts Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the arts on Mount Desert Island where he lives and writes.

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Pictured above (left to right) are Chief Officer of Auburn Savings Bank Allen Sterling, President and CEO of Mechanic Savings Richard J. Vail, USM LAC Dean Joyce Gibson, Chair of the USM LAC Community Advisory Board Marcel Gagne, and Chief Officer of Androscoggin Bank Paul Andersen.

Three local banks have challenged the citizens of Androscoggin County to join them in creating $1,000 scholarships, renewable over four years, that will help 12 students afford an education at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College.

Under the terms of the “Community Banks of Androscoggin County Scholarship Challenge,” Androscoggin Bank, Auburn Savings Bank and Mechanics Savings Bank will match dollar-for-dollar up to $24,000 in community donations. On a pooled basis, the scholarship fund will generate up to $48,000 in support of Androscoggin County students who attend LAC College on a full-time basis. The $48,000 will provide 12 scholarships of $1,000 each per year, for four years. (more…)

Portland, Maine—Researchers at the USM Muskie School have received a two-year grant from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop and test patient safety practices that improve communication and information flow during transitions of patients and care between nursing facilities, emergency medical services and critical access hospitals.

Hands-off and care transition errors are among the most common and consequential errors in health care. Transfers between nursing homes and hospitals present significant challenges because they involve multiple settings, many different health care providers and exchange of patient care information.

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The combination of violin and piano has been a favorite among musicians and audiences for centuries. Violinist Ronald Lantz, of the Portland String Quartet, and pianist Laura Kargul, of the USM School of Music, are an exciting new addition to the ranks of this popular pairing of instruments. They will give their first concert in Maine on Saturday, October 30, at 8 p.m. in Corthell Hall, USM Gorham. (more…)

The University of Southern Maine’s three-member team of marketing students, under the guidance of Professor Jeanne Munger, was selected as one of just 10 teams in the nation in a marketing competition sponsored by Honda.  The goal of the competition is to harness the energy and creativity of university students to help Honda create buzz among younger drivers about its CR-Z hybrid sports car. (more…)

Read the October 21 Portland Press Herald to learn more about best-selling author Greg Mortensen’s planned appearance at USM.

President Botman’s latest column in the October 22 Portland Press Herald is about USM’s new Pioneer honors program for STEM students.

The Portland Press Herald events calendar for the week of October 21 includes information about the USM Planetarium’s “Moonstruck” event on October 27.

During an October 19 interview about the national drop out rates of college students on Maine Public Radio, Chancellor Richard Pattenaude cited USM’s Student Success Centers as an example of what can be done to help students continue their educations.

Read a feature story about Add Verb Productions’ LBGTQ performance in USM’s Russell Hall Theater in the October 19 Portland Press Herald.