Q&A

This summer, Meredith Madden traded her usual classroom for the sidelines of the Special Olympics USA Games, serving as Maine’s first ever medical delegate. Between pin trading, milkshake runs with athletes from across the country, and a front row seat to opening ceremonies, she came home with more than a few good stories, and one piece of advice for anyone thinking about doing the same. Read more to find out what it is.

If you’ve walked past the MIST Lab on the fifth floor of the Science Building and wondered what goes on in there, you’re not alone. Keep reading to find out what’s actually inside, who it’s for, and why more students should know about it.

Every spring, dozens of Maine middle and high school students send something they built with their own hands to the edge of space — it’s called the CubeSat Design Challenge. For the past six years it’s been led by Scott Eaton, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at USM. Keep reading for Eaton’s insights on crickets, recovery missions in the Maine woods, and what makes this program one of a kind.

Occupational therapy assistants work directly with people facing physical, cognitive or environmental challenges — but what does that actually look like day to day? John Krasnavage, an OTA and faculty member in USM’s one-of-a-kind OTA-B program, shares what drew him to the field, what the work really involves, and what prospective students should know. Find out why he calls it “the job of life.”

For students who commute to school every day, connection takes a little more intention — that’s where the University of Southern Maine’s Commuter Student Association comes in. Keep reading to hear from the outgoing president, Eliana Tardiff, on what the CSA does, how it’s grown since her freshman year, and how commuter students can stay connected year-round.

Najmo Ahmed has a lot going on. She’s finishing her bachelor’s degree in social and behavioral sciences at the University of Southern Maine, interning at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and working toward a master’s in public health — all while preparing a commencement address her mother doesn’t even know about. Keep reading to hear how she got here, what drives her, and what she wants people to take away from her story.

College Decision Day falls on May 1 — and if you’re in the middle of the process, you know how much weight this date can carry. Keep reading to hear from Ani Roberts, a USM sophomore and women’s soccer player, on what actually made a difference once she got to campus — and what she’d tell her high school self today.

Most college programs ask students to pick a lane — USM’s new Polymath Pathways program is built for those who have always been drawn to more than one. Keep reading to hear President Jacqueline Edmondson on what sparked the program and what she hopes it means for USM students.

When Lisa Struebing was in her twenties, she made a promise to her mother: she would finish the college degree that she’d started and set aside. Keep reading to hear how decades of determination, two USM degrees, and one introductory physics class led her here.

Meet Prashiddhi Pokhrel: a soon-to-be Master of Science in Statistics, a MIST Lab student employee, and one of USM’s 900+ student workers who make campus life what it is. Keep reading to hear her story — and find out why a campus job might be one of the best decisions a student can make.