Maine
Meet the 2026 Outstanding Graduating Students – UMaine News
Twelve undergraduates have been named 2026 Outstanding Graduating Students at the University of Maine.
Hamidah Aldarwish
College of Education and Human Development
Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Relations
Hamidah Aldarwish of Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the Outstanding Graduating International Student for the College of Education and Human Development. Aldarwish arrived in Maine in 2019 with her family — her husband, Jafar, and their three girls who are now ages 11 to 15. Aldarwish completed her capstone internship at UMaine’s Children’s Center with a focus on the application of observational and developmental principles in early childhood settings, particularly related to children with diverse developmental needs, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. After graduation, Aldarwish plans to return to Saudi Arabia to work with families and children.
A full profile of Aldarwish is online.
Ella Boxall
Maine College of Engineering and Computing
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with Minors in Sustainability and Mathematics and a Concentration in Water Resources
Ella Boxall of Kennebunkport, Maine is the Outstanding Graduating Student in the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. She has completed internships with GEI Consultants and TRC Companies, conducted research using MATLAB to project sea level rise and king tides in Bar Harbor and served as a learning assistant and grader. Her capstone project focuses on redesigning a gravity-fed water system for a salmon rearing facility in Aroostook County, highlighting creative, low-energy engineering solutions. She plans to pursue graduate studies in marine science in the United Kingdom and build a career promoting coastal and environmental resilience.
A full profile of Boxall is available online.
Dianne Brindisi
Division of Lifelong Learning
Bachelor of University Studies, Leadership Studies Track
Dianne Brindisi of Cape Neddick, Maine, is the Outstanding Graduating Student in the Division of Lifelong Learning at the University of Maine. Service has always been central to Brindisi’s life. From supporting families in need and mentoring young leaders to contributing to professional associations that advance women and industry standards, Brindisi believes leadership is inseparable from service. Looking ahead, she is committed to educating the public about the university studies program and sharing her positive experience and welcomes the opportunity to serve as a program ambassador.
A full profile of Brindisi is online.
Kate Evans
College of Education and Human Development
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a Second Major in Spanish
Kate Evans of Bangor, Maine is the Outstanding Graduating Student for the College of Education and Human Development. A single mom of four young children, whom she has homeschooled while working toward her degree, Evans earned a 4.00 GPA while pursuing double majors in secondary education and Spanish. She received the Roger Hill Humanities Scholarship and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Junior Award. Evans is an active member of her church community, where she often volunteers her time for service and educational programs. After graduating she plans to stay in the Bangor region and teach Spanish at a local high school.
A full profile of Evans is online.
Chantelle Flores
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Honors College
Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in Creative Writing
Bachelor of Arts in Art History with a Minor in Classical Studies
Chantelle Flores of Oakland, Maine is the Outstanding Graduating Student for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She was a McGillicuddy Humanities Center (MHC) Undergraduate Fellow, as well as a Zillman Art Museum Research Curatorial Fellow through the center. Flores interned at the UMaine Writing Center and served as co-editor-in-chief of Spire magazine. After graduation, she plans to pursue an internship related to literature or the arts and apply for graduate programs for art history, with the ultimate goal of acquiring a Ph.D. in contemporary art history and becoming a professor.
A full profile of Flores is online.
Zoe Furber
College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Marine Science with a Second Major in Biology with a Concentration in Marine Biology
Zoe Furber of Vancouver, British Columbia is the Outstanding Graduating International Student for the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. She has been a member of the UMaine Field Hockey team since 2022 and was appointed captain in 2025. During her time at UMaine, she completed a capstone project comparing ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Maine to heart rate metrics of blue mussels. These experiences prepared her for a career in environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability. Furber plans to complete a Master of Science in Global Strategy and Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh, where she will play field hockey for an additional year.
A full profile of Furber is online.
Ruth Griffith
College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences | Honors College
Bachelor of Science in Economics with Minors in Mathematics and International Affairs
Ruth Griffith of Parkman, Maine, is the Outstanding Graduating Student for the Honors College and the 2026 UMaine valedictorian. She is majoring in economics with minors in mathematics and international affairs. Through her honors thesis, Griffith developed a method to analyze sub-county economic trends using regional data, helping illuminate how policies impact local communities across Maine. Drawing on her background in regional economics, she adapted tools used for markets to understand disparities. Beyond academics, she has led service initiatives such as the Maine Day Meal Packout, coordinating efforts that provide tens of thousands of meals statewide. She will launch her career at TD Bank in New York City after graduation and plans to one day pursue a Master of Business Administration.
A full profile of Griffith is online.
Sarah Johnson
Maine Business School
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting with a Second Major in Business Information Systems and Security Management
Sarah Johnson of Clifton, Maine is the Outstanding Graduating Student for the Maine Business School. Johnson has completed multiple internships with both the Maine Business School and BerryDunn, an accounting and consulting services firm. She has also worked as an undergraduate assistant for UMaine’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. These roles strengthened her professional skill set, including effective communication, adaptability, critical thinking and the ability to apply feedback constructively. They also prepared her to approach problems analytically and to collaborate effectively in a professional setting. Following graduation, she will launch her career at BerryDunn as a tax specialist.
A full profile of Johnson is online.
Jasper Makowski
College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences | Honors College
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
Jasper Makowski of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, is the Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. He secured internships and part-time work with two medical facilities and UMaine’s Maginnis Lab. Working closely with associate professor of microbiology Melissa Maginnis, he researched signaling mechanisms in viruses and learned about a range of diseases. Makowski is a student organizer for the Maine Day Meal Packout. Outside of academics, he retreats to the Maine outdoors and enjoys a variety of activities, from backpacking to fly fishing. After he graduates, he is pursuing a medical degree with plans to return to rural Maine as a primary care provider.
A full profile of Makowski is online.
Andrii Obertas
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Physics
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Andrii Obertas of Lutsk, Ukraine, is the 2026 Outstanding Graduating International Student for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the 2026 UMaine co-salutatorian. Pursuing dual degrees in physics and mathematics, Obertas has distinguished himself through academic excellence and perseverance. He has conducted original research in both physics and mathematics, while also engaging in outreach efforts that bring science education to communities across Maine. His experience at UMaine has been shaped by a strong sense of community and opportunity, which he credits with providing hope for his future. After graduation, Obertas plans to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics through the accelerated 4+1 program.
A full profile of Obertas is online.
Samuel Tremblay
Maine Business School
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Management
Samuel Tremblay of Quebec City is the Outstanding Graduating International Student for the Maine Business School. Tremblay is a tutor, mentor, Maine Business School ambassador and president of the UMaine chapter of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. He is also a kicker for the UMaine Football Team, through which he became a finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award, and a representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He served as a captain on Canada’s Junior National Team at the International Federation of American Football’s World Junior Championship. After graduation, he plans to stay at UMaine and pursue a master’s degree while continuing to play football.
A full profile of Tremblay is online.
Karun Varghese
Maine College of Engineering and Computing | Honors College
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with a Minor in Robotics
Karun Varghese of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the Outstanding Graduating International Student in the Maine College of Engineering and Computing and the Honors College. Varghese assumed research roles in the Computer Vision and Autonomous Robotics Lab, the High Altitude Ballooning Lab and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center. Outside of academics, he participated in the Black Bear Robotics Club, the South Asian Association of Maine and Model United Nations. Through Model UN, he traveled internationally to Taiwan, the Philippines and Peru. After graduation, he will pursue graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute.
A full profile of Varghese is online.
Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu
“Do you ever think we could find some woods to walk in?” my outdoorsy 12-year-old asks me, every now and again. As a kid growing up in New York City, Anton appreciates all the skate parks and bagel shops, but he also really craves nature, like in his bones.
So, when school got out, I offered to take him for a weekend in Maine, a place with not only woods but also lakes and rocks and periwinkles that come out of their shells when you hum. We were both really excited.
The first night, we were lucky enough to snag a room at Aragosta, a beautiful small hotel in Deer Isle that Alison had recommended.
The chef-owner, Devin Finigan, is famous for her seasonal tasting menus, but we focused on the breakfast that came with the room, including these Maine blueberry pancakes. I don’t even usually like pancakes and these blew my mind.
We also played a LOT of chess on our little travel board.
After breakfast, we set out to hike up Blue Hill Mountain.
Here’s the summit!
In the afternoon, we explored the charming fishing village of Stonington…
…then joined my friend Julie (of Rudy Jude fame) and her family for dinner at the Burnt Cove Boil.
Basically, a crab gets plonked down in front of you, followed by a corn on the cob, then a lobster, then a classic ice-cream sandwich. Julie and her husband Anthony taught us how to get all the meat out. (Their kids were already pros.)
Afterward, the four boys scrambled around on the rocks, while the adults chatted. It’s always such a treat to hang out with people who live in the place you’re visiting, don’t you think? Julie and Anthony described how they brought their recently hatched chicks into their home to keep them warm, and all the peeping was sooooo loud — and then a cricket got into the house and added to the noise and no one could find it and everyone was going nuts, haha. Very different from city life!
The next day, Anton and I stayed at the lovely Asticou Hotel near Acadia National Park.
We drove to a couple trailheads but they were PACKED — you had to stand in a long line, just to start the hike! Luckily, we found a quieter area and took a long walk around Jordan Pond, playing Would You Rather and Categories along the way. Do you have any favorite travel games?
Finally, we skimmed stones on our last afternoon before heading back to Brooklyn.
Epic travel buddy
Oh, Maine, what a magical place! Not pictured, of course: traffic, grumpy preteen moments, locking our keys in the rental car, etc., but all that’s to be expected.
Have you been to Maine? Do you live there? What parts do you love? Any pro tips? I’d love to hear. xoxo
P.S. Our Maine trip — and another amazing hotel — when the boys were much younger, and a Maine home with a bedroom looking over water.
Maine
Matt Dunlap wins primary in Maine’s 2nd District as Democrats seek to hang on to Jared Golden’s seat
Matt Dunlap won the Democratic primary in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District after three rounds of ranked-choice voting, the state’s Secretary of State’s office announced Friday.
Democrats are seeking to hang onto a seat in a district that President Trump won in the last three presidential elections. State Sen. Joe Baldacci led after the first two rounds of ranked–choice voting, but Dunlap overtook him after challengers Paige Loud and Jordan Wood were eliminated.
Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate, is retiring after four terms. His decision not to run for reelection was a blow to Democrats’ efforts to retake the House majority.
In the 2024 election, Golden was one of 13 Democrats to win a House race in a district also won by Mr. Trump. Golden declined to endorse Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has voted with Republicans on several issues, including measures to avert a shutdown and on reining in Mr. Trump’s war powers authority.
Dunlap, the state’s auditor, will face Republican Paul LePage in November’s general election. LePage is a former two-term governor who ran unopposed in the GOP primary. As of May 20, LePage had $1.2 million cash on hand while Dunlap had less than $100,000, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Dunlap’s win marks a defeat for House Democrats’ campaign arm. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee endorsed Joe Baldacci, a state senator, saying he “has never lost an election and has consistently overperformed Democrats up and down the ballot, including a 3-point overperformance of the presidential ticket in 2024.”
Baldacci was the runner–up, the Maine Secretary of State’s office said. The results were announced 10 days after voters went to the polls due to the ranked-choice tabulations.
KENNEBUNK, Maine (WGME) — A 4-year-old girl is recovering after firefighters say she nearly drowned in a hotel pool in Kennebunk.
It happened at the Hampton Inn Saturday at around 9:30 p.m.
Kennebunk Fire Rescue says it got a call for someone not breathing.
When first responders got there, they say they found a 4-year-old in cardiac arrest after almost drowning.
That girl was flown to a Portland hospital, and she remains in critical condition.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (8)
The cause of the incident is unclear at this time.
-
Lifestyle32 minutes agoDid you know? Alan Greenspan and Ayn Rand were close friends
-
Education39 minutes agoThe Man of Faith Who Heard a Righteous Call in the Founding Credo
-
Technology42 minutes agoNvidia says its AI data center design runs hotter to use a lot less water
-
World48 minutes agoTrump says Colombia’s ‘El Tigre’ will be a ‘great president’ as socialist opponent launches legal challenge
-
Politics55 minutes agoDOJ investigating NYC coffee shop over hostile social post about pro-Israel politician
-
Health57 minutes agoPopular mommy blogger dies at 48 two years after devastating cancer diagnosis
-
Sports1 hour ago2026 World Cup Goals: Every Group-Stage Score Ranked From Best To Worst
-
Business1 hour agoBed Bath & Beyond begins reopening in California with a bonus: Old coupons will be honored
