TRiO Recognition Night

The UMA Cornerstone Program invites you to take part in its First Annual TRiO Recognition Night on Wednesday August 28th 5:30-7pm in the Fireplace Lounge on the second floor of Randall Student Center in Augusta.

There will be free food and drinks. You are more than welcome to invite along your families and friends. Keynote speakers include President Handley and Cornestone Peer Mentors about the impact that TRiO has had on them.

For more information or to RSVP for this event, please email Tony Staffiere at anthony.staffiere@maine.edu

Tips for the upcoming semester

The fall semester is rapidly creeping upon us. Just over a week left until we begin yet another semester on our way to success. Whether this be your first semester, your second, or even if you will be graduating in December, there are important things that you should take into consideration when beginning a new semester in college.

1.       Set goals for yourself. Every semester you should choose new goals to accomplish. This should be more than “I want to pass all my classes.” We all want to pass our classes, because if we didn’t we wouldn’t be in college.

2.       Read your syllabus for each class. In every class that you take, the professor will give you a syllabus. READ IT. This document will contain important information regarding assignment due dates and exams.

3.       Be on time to class. Professors are not fond of students who come into class late.  Be early. Give yourself time to sit down and relax. If you come in late you may also miss some very important information that may be on exams, reminders, or changes to the syllabus.

4.       Ask questions. If you have them, ask them. Do not be afraid to speak up in class and be heard. Questions and comments are one of the best ways to learn in a class. If you do not ask questions, you may miss the concept and that could reflect on your papers and exams. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION!

5.       Establish a study routine. Do not cram for exams at the last minute. This is ineffective and should never be done. Instead, begin studying for exams 3 days ahead of time. If you have questions contact your professor. Take breaks when you are studying. Study for 15-20 minutes at a time.

6.       Avoid plagiarism. Taking credit for someone else’s work can cause you to be expelled. Learn how to properly cite your sources so you do not run into this dilemma.

7.       Find a tutor if you need help. Most campuses have staff and peer tutors that can help in every subject matter. If they don’t, ask. It is important that you get the most out of your education and peer to peer tutoring really does help one succeed.

8.       Get to know your professors. In big classes you may think that this is impossible. It’s not. Getting to know your professors will come in handy if you ever find yourself needing a job recommendation or a graduate school recommendation. Introduce yourself through email before the semester begins and again introduce yourself in person during the first day of class.

9.       Get involved with campus activities. Join a club. Go to every event (or as many as you can) during the semester and get to know your campus mates. Studies have shown that campus involvement increases retention rates.

10.   Use a planner. Get organized. Know what is due and when. College can get overwhelming and when you are organized it can help relieve some of that stress.

College can be stressful. Just know where your resources are. Cornerstone TRiO is here to meet your needs as a student. We offer peer to peer support, financial literacy assistance, advising, grant aid, and so much more.

If you are interested in learning more please contact Tony Staffiere at  anthony.staffiere@maine.edu or stop into 195 Jewett Hall and speak to a staff member of the Cornerstone team. We are here for Student Success  

The Blueberry Muffin

 In our COL 100 class, Introduction to the College Experience, students were asked to create a "dream poster" that they could reflect back on as the continue on their college path. Every student had a different way of presenting the way that they see their life heading. One student, Lynn Merrill, took another approach to expressing her dreams.


The Blueberry Muffin

One thing I haven’t accomplished is earning my college degree.  During my younger years I was too busy for that.  My husband and children were my first priority second to my career.  I was fortunate to have a job that paid well and allowed for upward mobility.  At the age of 39, I had to face the fact that my lifestyle needed to change due to blindness.  With determination and resourcefulness, I was able to remain competent and capable at home and work for 6 years after loosing my vision but had to make the difficult decision to retire early due to the blindness.  I immediately immersed myself into raising my 7 grandchildren while their parents worked and realized that I was doing something that was meaningful to the children as well as myself.  Now they are all in school.

Hello world, it’s me, Lynn, and I’m back.  Where do I go from here?  I’m 56 years old, with a relatively successful career behind me.  I’ve ended a 38 year marriage; I’ve raised three children and 7 grandchildren.  I’ve lived overseas and around the United States for 20 years before coming back to my roots in Maine.  I’m 56 years old and still have a long way to go but where?  That college degree is still waiting for me.

The assignment is to make a Dream Poster.  Something we can keep with us during our college career to reflect upon and use as a motivational tool when our determination or confidence wanes.  A poster.  Hmmmmmm, how will I reflect upon a poster?  I can’t see it.  I need something tactile, something I can hold in my hands and reflect upon by touch.  What is my dream?  I’ve never really felt whole and complete because of the absence of that degree.

The blueberry muffin.  In my years, I’ve made hundreds of blueberry muffins.  They are my comfort food.  To me they symbolize family, comfort, gatherings, Americana, and now, my dream of earning a college degree.  The muffin will be my poster.  How can a blueberry muffin represent my dream poster?  It’s easy to understand; just think about the ingredients.

The primary ingredient, flour, represents me.  I am the one most responsible for succeeding in earning that degree.  But just as flour alone does not constitute a blueberry muffin, I alone cannot earn that degree.  There needs to be support.  The sugar, representing my children, grandchildren, sisters, family and friends will add the flavor and sweetness that I will need in order to make the muffin.  It needs to be sweet or it won’t be desirable.  The eggs, the binder, are my volunteer activities to which I will remain committed as they give to me a sense of accomplishment which is a necessary part of my mental health; sound mental health will hold me together.  The salt represents the currency that I will gain after I reach my goal.  The blueberries, and I’ll add a few more than called for in the recipe, are the anti-oxidants that will foster the intelligence I’ll need to succeed.  Let’s top the muffins with some cinnamon crunch topping.  Cinnamon gives me heartburn.  It will represent the difficult times, the sleepless nights, and the stress that I will need to endure in order to enjoy the muffin.  Now I mix all the ingredients carefully and bake for an hour.  Of course, the baking is the semesters upon semesters that I will travel in order to enjoy my whole muffin, my whole person.