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I recently graduated from the University
of Maine at Presque Isle with a
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. I
would highly recommend anyone who is looking to further their education in
either English or Education to take a closer look at UMPI. The English
department has a great staff that is willingly there to encourage and make sure
their students succeed. The course work is demanding, but doing the work will
only make one feel that much stronger in their content. Trust me- a person
wants to feel prepared. This Spring I did my student teaching and I have to say
I was very impressed that I could incorporate many of the ideas and concepts
from my English classes into my own classroom lessons. Not only did my
professors prepare me for content knowledge they also taught me different
learning techniques through combing the teaching of English with the content of
English. The English department does a great job by bridging these two together.
Students are allowed to experience writing units in their English courses which
was probably one of the most beneficial items for me when I went into my
student teaching. With all of this said the English department at UMPI will
prepare anyone that is willing to learn. If one wants to go to a campus where
the staff knows your name and cares that one exceeds than I would strongly
suggest checking out the University
of Maine at Presque Isle. --Chelsey Pettit, English Education major (graduated 2007) 
I completed my BA in English at UMPI in the fall of 2007. I
can honestly say that my time at UMPI has shaped my entire future. I had no
clear goals coming into the English program. I knew simply that I loved the
field of English, and despite not knowing where this love would take me, I
followed my passion nonetheless. In my years at UMPI, I worked very closely
with certain members of the English faculty whose guidance and encouragement
helped me to formulate my future plans. I am now embarking on a graduate career
in English Literature at the University
of New Hampshire. Because I was
able to form such a close bond with my English professors at UMPI, three of
them wrote my letters of recommendation to grad school without hesitation -
actually offering to do so without my having to ask. Strong faculty support was
without a doubt a determining factor in my acceptance to grad school where I
have been offered a Teaching Assistantship for the next two years, a role I
relish as I will be able to use the knowledge my mentors have imparted onto me
in order to teach others. This just proves that even though UMPI is a smaller
University, one can still get a great education there and find just as many
successes upon graduating as they could if they had gone to a bigger, less
affordable college. My impression of the English department at UMPI is that it is a close-knit group of individuals whose vast differences in such areas as Literature, Composition Theory, Creative Writing, and Poetry work to offer students in the field of English a well-rounded education. These same individuals are willing to push students to think beyond the preconceived ideas of texts, encourage independent thought, allow students to learn from each other, and are always available for questions or concerns outside the classroom. The English faculty at UMPI encouraged me to take part in several different events such as traveling to Utah three years in a row to the National Undergraduate Literature Conference where I read critical papers I had written for class. I also read a creative nonfiction piece at UMPI's University Day and read poetry at a reading that one of my instructor's organized. The English faculty at UMPI cares about students both during and after college and do their absolute best to make their classes interesting, progressive and inspiring. --Kathleen Harrigan, English major, attending University of New Hampshire (MA in English), graduated 2006 
I have the privilege of writing you today after finishing
the last (and hopefully successful!) round of exams for my Master of Arts in
Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies at the University ofConnecticut. Had I not taken ENG 388: Literary Theory at UMPI, I wouldn't be where I'm at today... What can UMPI's English Program do for you (besides potentially subject you to [and well prepare you for]) the 'joys' of Grad School? It can get you working at the University Times. It can get you in the way cool play. If you write well enough, it can get you to the National Undergraduate Literature Conference in Utah (yes Utah! - Hello Ogden!). You get to go to college in the County! And if that's not enough, it can appeal to your thrifty nature, because, that's right ladies and gentlemen; you can obtain a world-class English degree at bargain prices! What you do with it from there is obviously up to you, but rest assured, the standards of the department will ensure you are operating at a level comparable to the finest programs in the country. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, so stop that. You will be exposed to the latest theories, the most up to date readings in the field, and absolutely excellent professors. See if you can get them to cough up some of their evals. It's all there in the collective pudding. My undergrad degree from UMPI is in Behavioral Science - Sociology, but the classes I took in English (and the inspiration I received from Dr. Rice) prepared me well for where I'm at right now. In fact, I'll be teaching an upper division Native American Literature course for the English Department at UConn in the fall. So if you're reading this, count yourself lucky that you're considering the English Department at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. And then commit, before somebody else does, and you potentially lose a spot in the best English Department 'North of Ordinary.' You owe it to yourself, your future colleagues, and the world. Best wishes, Ted -- Theodore Van Alst Coordinator Native American Cultural Society Office University of Connecticut 860-486-9755 --Theodore Van Alst, Behavioral Science major, English minor, graduated 2004 |
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University of Maine at Presque Isle
181 Main Street
Presque Isle, ME 04769
207.768.9400
A member of the University of Maine System
181 Main Street
Presque Isle, ME 04769
207.768.9400
A member of the University of Maine System