Calendar of Events

Future Leaders' Voices: Student Perspectives on Pluralism and Democracy in America
2026-03-25 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Hannaford Hall — Abromson Community Education Center, 88 Bedford St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Our USM Forum on American Democracy concludes with an evening centered on the voices of students — our next generation of civic leaders. In this culminating event, our Forum Scholars will share their reflections on pluralism and democracy in today’s America.
Forum Scholars are students nominated by USM’s three college deans for their interest in leadership and civic life. Over the course of the year, they participated in a seminar with President Edmondson, engaging deeply with the ideas presented throughout the Forum on American Democracy series. This event will showcase their perspectives, insights, and visions for a more inclusive and democratic future.
Join us in celebrating their contributions — and in listening to the thoughtful, challenging, and hopeful ideas they bring to the table.

This event is free and open to the public, and registration is required in advance.

Meeting friends for the event? Wander over the street to the Husky Brew in the McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success for a drink, coffee, or bite before or after the event!

About the Forum Scholars
The Forum Scholars program brings together a select group of students from across USM’s colleges for a year-long exploration of democratic ideals, civic responsibility, and pluralism. Through readings, discussions, and dialogue with campus and national leaders, these students deepen their understanding of what it means to lead in a complex, diverse society.
Each Forum Scholar will be recognized during the event and presented with a certificate honoring their participation and contributions.

About the Forum
The USM Forum on American Democracy is a year-long public series designed to engage the University of Southern Maine (USM) and the broader community in thoughtful conversations on the foundations and future of a democratic society. Hosted by President Edmondson, the Forum invites multiple perspectives on timely civic topics through keynote speakers, panel discussions, and campus-wide engagement.
Check out the full event series

Special Thanks
This event is made possible by the generous support of the Pond Family Foundation.

Notre Rêve Américain - Movie Showing
2026-03-25 18:00 - 19:00 | Franco-American Collection — LAC, 51 Westminster St, Lewiston, ME, 04240, United States
The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to join us at the university’s Lewiston campus at 51 Westminster St., in room 170 on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 6:00 pm for a showing of the Quebecois film Notre Rêve Américain, and the signing of our yearly “Fleur de Lis” partnership agreement with the Quebec Delegation in Boston. The event is free and open to the public, thanks to the generous support of Schooner Estates, TV5MONDE, The Quebec Delegation in Boston, the Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn Riverwatch, and Severin and Cynthia Beliveau.
Notre Rêve Américain follows rapper Biz and globe-trotter Jean-Michel Dufaux as they follow in the footsteps of French Canadians who immigrated to America. The movie will be shown in French with English subtitles.
For more information or to register to attend this event in-person, contact the FAC archivist, Anna Faherty, at anna.faherty@maine.edu, or by phone at (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

Birth of a Family - Film Showing
2026-03-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Franco-American Collection — LAC, 51 Westminster St, Lewiston, ME, 04240, United States
The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to join us at the university’s Lewiston campus at 51 Westminster St., in room 170 on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 6:00 pm for a showing of the film Birth of a Family, and remarks from Marie-Josée Duquette, Attachée à la Culture et aux Affaires francophones et éducatives with the Quebec Delegation in Boston, the sponsor of this event. The event is free and open to the public, thanks to the generous support of Schooner Estates, TV5MONDE, The Quebec Delegation in Boston, the Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn Riverwatch, and Severin and Cynthia Beliveau.
Birth of a Family follows siblings Betty Ann, Esther, Rosalie and Ben – four of the 20,000 Indigenous Canadian children taken from their families between 1955-1985 to be adopted into white families or live in foster care. As the four siblings piece together their shared history, their connection deepens, and their family begins to take shape.
We had previously advertised another film for 3/25, but due to a last minute and unforeseen licensing issue, we were not able to show it. Consequently we have opted to present this very moving documentary about people who were affected by the “60’s Scoop.” If you have seen conflicting advertisements we apologize!
For more information or to register to attend this event in-person, contact the FAC archivist, Anna Faherty, at anna.faherty@maine.edu, or by phone at (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

University of Southern Maine Women's Lacrosse vs Bowdoin College
2026-03-25 19:00 - 22:00
University of Southern Maine Women’s Lacrosse vs Bowdoin College
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Men's Track and Field at SNHU Spring Open - Note new date
2026-03-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Manchester, NH, Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
University of Southern Maine Men’s Track and Field at SNHU Spring Open – Note new date
Streaming Video: https://www.flotrack.org/live/247005

University of Southern Maine Women's Track and Field at SNHU Spring Open - Note new date
2026-03-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Manchester, NH, Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
University of Southern Maine Women’s Track and Field at SNHU Spring Open – Note new date
Streaming Video: https://www.flotrack.org/live/247005

Employer On-Campus Visits: Total Care ABA
2026-03-26 11:00 - 14:00 | McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, 35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME, 04101
Network with local employers without having to leave campus! Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the first floor of the McGoldrick Center on the Portland campus, various employers will be on campus to talk about their work and answer any questions.

University of Southern Maine Men's Track and Field at Emory Thrills in the Hills
2026-03-26 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-27 11:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-28 09:15 - 12:15 | Atlanta, GA, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
University of Southern Maine Men’s Track and Field at Emory Thrills in the Hills

University of Southern Maine Women's Track and Field at Emory Thrills in the Hills
2026-03-26 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-27 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-28 09:15 - 12:15 | Atlanta, GA, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
University of Southern Maine Women’s Track and Field at Emory Thrills in the Hills

Dinosaurs at Dusk
2026-03-26 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
You’ll travel back in time to meet the pterosaurs and the ancestors of modern-day birds: the feathered dinosaurs. Lucy and her father navigate from continent to continent, looking for clues about the origins of flight. When time runs out they experience first-hand the cataclysmic “last day” of the dinosaurs.

University of Southern Maine Softball vs Saint Joseph's College of Maine - Note time and location change
2026-03-26 15:30 - 17:30, 2026-03-26 17:30 - 19:30 | Standish, ME, Standish, Maine, United States
University of Southern Maine Softball vs Saint Joseph’s College of Maine – Note time and location change
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Men's Tennis at Thomas College
2026-03-26 16:00 - 19:00 | Waterville, ME, Waterville, Maine, United States
University of Southern Maine Men’s Tennis at Thomas College

Student Recital Series: Grant Kelly
2026-03-26 19:30 - 20:30 | Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The Osher School of Music is pleased to present Grant Kelly in his junior piano recital. Grant is the student of Laura Kargul.
Student recitals are free and open to the public.

Event Details
Parking
Due to limited resources, parking is not free on our Portland and Gorham campuses. You must purchase a parking permit or paid parking session to park on campus. We recommend reserving your parking in advance at https://events.parkengage.com/usm.
For easy access to the Crewe Center for the Arts, choose either Parking Garage 1 (attached to the Abromson Community Education Center), Lot P1 (off of Bedford St. by Luther Bonney) or Lot P6 (off of Exeter St. or Deering Ave by the former Maine Law building).
Reserve Your Parking

Disability Access and Accommodations
If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Hanna Flewelling at (207) 780-5256 or hanna.flewelling@maine.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

Subscribe to our patron newsletter to stay up-to-date on all Osher School of Music events.
Join the Osher School of Music as a volunteer usher.

Culinary Arts Therapy with Julie Ohana
2026-03-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-27 12:45 - 14:15 | McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, 35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME, 04101
CAT In Practice (Free Workshop only open to students)
10am – 11am

McGoldrick Salons

Feeling a bit anxious? Overwhelmed? Stressed? Cooking with Julie can help with that!

This hands-on session is limited to 20 participants.

Register here

CAT In Theory (Free Academic Talk open to all)

12:45pm – 2:15pm

McGoldrick Salons

Julie will talk about her master’s thesis on the therapeutic value of cooking, incorporating cooking as a behavioral activation tool in her work to help clients establish mindfulness practices, reduce stress and anxiety, improve levels of patience and communication, and writing a book about CAT.
Register here

Meditations on Perihelion
2026-03-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
Welcome to a live performance of original electronic music and immersive visuals on the planetarium’s dome.
The “Meditations” are a personal exploration of the human experience of the passage of time during the various cycles that the Earth moves through over time. The performance invites contemplation of the wonder and enormity of the cosmos and attempts to highlight the connections between art and science.
For some in the audience it can be a meditation, for others an active listening and perceptual experience. This event invites listeners to sink and settle into an evolving musical and visual journey.
The music, conceived and performed by Tom Luther, is inspired and informed by the changes in the Earth’s orbit from a single year to the large scale 100,000 year cycle. While falling into the general category of “Ambient” or “Space” music, Luther has drawn on his experience as an improviser, composer, and pianist to extend at the conventions of the genre.
This year’s program is focused on the idea of the slow change of polar orientation caused by the tilt of the earth and the effect on its orbit. Luther explores offset patterns of rhythm and shifting melodies to reflect the slow change of direction.

Fantasy & Folklore
2026-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Performance Hall — Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
This wide-ranging program brings together composers from across the globe, offering a rich mix of styles, sounds, and traditions. Romantic elegance meets modern boldness. Intimate moments sit beside dramatic flair.
You’ll hear the lush lyricism of Edvard Grieg and the playful, folk-inspired writing of Lukas Foss. Margaret Sutherland’s Nocturne offers a quiet, reflective beauty, while Fazıl Say’s Black Earth is earthy, intense, and deeply expressive. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Fantasy for Solo Violin is daring and virtuosic. And in Chen Yi’s From Old Peking Folklore, traditional Chinese melodies come alive with color and energy.
This is a concert about connection—across cultures, through time, and between performer and listener.
Program
Sonata No. 3 | Edvard Grieg
Three American Pieces | Lukas Foss
Nocturne | Margaret Sutherland
Black Earth | Fazil Say
Fantasy for Solo Violin | Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
From Old Peking Folklore | Chen Yi
Performers
Robert Lehmann, violin
Chiharu Naruse, piano

Tickets go on-sale September 5th.
Tickets available through PortTIX, the official box office for the Osher School of Music.
PHONE 207-842-0800
ONLINE www.porttix.com
IN-PERSON 400 Congress St Suite A, Portland, ME 04101

Event Details
Parking
Due to limited resources, parking is not free on our Portland and Gorham campuses. You must purchase a parking permit or paid parking session to park on campus. We recommend reserving your parking in advance at https://events.parkengage.com/usm.
For easy access to the Crewe Center for the Arts, choose either Parking Garage 1 (attached to the Abromson Community Education Center), Lot P1 (off of Bedford St. by Luther Bonney) or Lot P6 (off of Exeter St. or Deering Ave by the former Maine Law building).
Disability Access and Accommodations
If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Hanna Flewelling at (207) 780-5256 or hanna.flewelling@maine.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

Subscribe to our patron newsletter to stay up-to-date on all Osher School of Music events.
Join the Osher School of Music as a volunteer usher.

WORKSHOP: Pop-Up Puppet Theater with Sarah Frechette
2026-03-28 09:00 - 16:00 | Book Arts Studio — Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Pop-Up Puppet Theater—Fold, Pull, Pop & Perform with Sarah Frechette
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Time: 9 AM – 4 PM (with an hour lunch break; please bring your own lunch or available to purchase at the USM Cafeteria)
Location: KCC’83CBA Book Arts Studio, Studio160, Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St. Portland, ME 04103
Workshop Fee: $80 (price includes materials and one ticket to Sarah Frechette’s performance at Mayo Street Arts on Friday, 3/27)
Maximum Enrollment: 15 (middle school ages and Above)

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:
In this full-day workshop, participants will learn how to incorporate various mechanisms and rigging points into paper pop-ups to turn them into animatable or puppeteer-able, hand-held (also known as: direct contact), and/or table-top puppets.
Instructor, Sarah Frechette, will also demonstrate how to direct intention, concentration, and energy from within oneself, down the arms, into the hands, and through a paper puppet to give it its own independent focus and breath – the two elements that give any object life.
Participants will experiment with one of the following: immersive experience, forced perspective, or symbolism—to recreate a moment in the form of a short story, knowing that each of these provides different information that shapes and directly influences how their story or memory unfolds.
Finally, participants will present their projects to each other. For some, this will be a new challenge and like stepping outside their comfort zone; however, everyone should feel supported during this brave step so it feels both personally and creatively fulfilling, as well as productive. Each artist needs to gather information individually to continue developing their puppet pieces and to feel empowered outside the classroom.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Sarah Frechette is an award winning puppetry artist, teaching artist and stop-motion animation fabricator. As art director for PuppetKabob, she produces original programs, tours internationally and received the prestigious UNIMA-USA citation of excellence for her Vermont based solo show “The Snowflake Man”. Sarah is also a Vermont Arts Council Teaching Artist creating unique theater experiences for all ages.
Studied from 2002 to 2009 with Legendary German Puppeteer Albrecht Roser absorbing his theories on zen and the art of puppetry. Sarah has exhibited at the Shelburne Museum and is currently on exhibit at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry. Co-producer and host of Vermont’s first and phinest Creemee Dreemee Puppet Slam which swirls forth the underground to the avant-garde. In addition to her personal puppet practice Sarah has worked in stop-motion animation building miniature costumes and large-scale puppets for such films as LAIKA’s “ParaNorman”, and Netflix’s “Wendell & Wild”.
Sarah has been Guest Artist at the University of Connecticut, MECCA+D, Willamette University; and has led the Marionette Performance strand at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center National Puppetry Conference.

PARKING DETAILS:
Parking is available in our University of Southern Maine Portland Garages 1 and 2, or in Parking Lot P6, at a rate of $4.15 per hour. You may reserve your parking ahead of time via the USM Parking Interface. Additionally, the Portland METRO Husky Bus and the METRO #4 pickup/drop-off about a three-minute walk from the Crewe Center for the Arts. An updated bus schedule can be found on the METRO website and bus fair is $2 each way.

University of Southern Maine Softball at Eastern Connecticut State
2026-03-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Willimantic, CT, Windham, Connecticut, United States
University of Southern Maine Softball at Eastern Connecticut State
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Baseball vs Rhode Island College
2026-03-28 12:00 - 15:00
University of Southern Maine Baseball vs Rhode Island College
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Men's Lacrosse at Keene State
2026-03-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Keene, NH, Keene, New Hampshire, United States
University of Southern Maine Men’s Lacrosse at Keene State
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Women's Lacrosse at Eastern Connecticut State
2026-03-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Willimantic, CT, Windham, Connecticut, United States
University of Southern Maine Women’s Lacrosse at Eastern Connecticut State
Streaming Video: https://flosports.link/40b4Ijo

University of Southern Maine Men's Tennis at Bridgewater State University
2026-03-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Bridgewater, MA, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 02324, United States
University of Southern Maine Men’s Tennis at Bridgewater State University
