Veterans to be honored at events across Maine’s public universities

More than 1,800 Veterans, active Maine National Guard members and Veterans’ dependents enroll each year in University of Maine System universities, which will be closed on Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day

Orono, Maine — Starting this week, Maine’s public universities will salute those who served with events on their campuses and in the community connected to Veterans Day.

The media and public are encouraged to attend these tributes across the University of Maine System (UMS), which include:

Thursday, Nov. 3

  • 6:30 p.m. University of Maine (UMaine) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) will face off against Navy ROTC in their annual flag football game at Alfond Stadium.

Monday, Nov. 7

  • 9 a.m. Maine Medal of Honor tribute and “Thank a Veteran” ribbon campaign in the University of Maine at Farmington student center (continues through Nov. 14).
  • Noon. Flag raising ceremony in front of UMaine’s Fogler Library, followed by student Veteran BBQ.
  • 1 p.m. Book reading and signing at the University of Southern Maine (USM) in 241 Luther Bonney Hall on the Portland campus featuring Ryan Stovall, UMaine alum, former Green Beret, two-time Purple Heart recipient and author of “Black Snowflakes Smothering a Torch: How to Talk to Your Veteran.”

Tuesday, Nov. 8

  • 10 a.m. Book reading and signing at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) in the HHRC Rotunda Klahr Center also featuring Ryan Stovall (see above).

Wednesday, Nov. 9

  • 10 a.m. Book reading and signing in the Bangor Room of the UMaine Memorial Union also featuring Ryan Stovall (see above).

Thursday, Nov. 10

  • 7 a.m. USM and Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) joint Veterans Appreciation breakfast at SMCC Culinary Arts Dining Room, with remarks from USM President Jacqueline Edmondson.
  • 11 a.m. Veterans cake and ice cream social hosted by UMA with the Maine Career Center in the Katz Library.

Friday, Nov. 11

  • Veterans Day recognized at all UMS universities, no classes.
  • 2 p.m. Recognition ceremony led by USM student Veterans at Scarborough Terrace (assisted living and memory care facility) to honor service members living there, including a 100-year-old female World War II Veteran.

Saturday, Nov. 12

  • 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Display honoring area Veterans in the Reynolds Center at the University of Maine at Machias.

More than 1,800 Veterans, active Maine National Guard members and Veterans’ dependents enroll each year in UMS universities, which have received national recognition for being military friendly.

Maine’s public universities provide free tuition to members of the Maine National Guard and in-state tuition rates to all Veterans with an honorable discharge and their dependents using GI Bill benefits, regardless of their residency.

The System also has a Student Military and Mobilization and Activation Policy for those called to duty. The policy extends academic accommodations, tuition and housing rebates, re-admission and a guarantee that a spouse and dependents residing in university housing can stay through a mobilization or activation period.

UMS universities also support the success of Veteran students by providing designated spaces on most campuses for Veterans to connect with one another, study and access services, like the Veterans Academic Center at UMA (External site) or the VETS Center at UMaine (External site).

About the University of Maine System

Established in 1968, the University of Maine System (UMS) unites seven Maine’s distinctive public universities, comprising 10 campuses and numerous centers, in the common purpose of providing quality higher education while delivering on its traditional tripartite mission of teaching, research, and public service.

In 2020 UMS became the first and only statewide enterprise of public higher education in the country to transition to a unified accreditation for the system. Much different than a merger or consolidation, unified accreditation is a new operating model for the University of Maine System that removes the primary barrier to inter-institutional collaboration.

A comprehensive public institution of higher education, UMS serves more than 30,000 students annually and is supported by the efforts of more than 2,000 full-time and part-time faculty, more than 3,000 regular full-time and part-time staff, and a complement of part-time temporary (adjunct) faculty.

Reaching more than 500,000 people annually through educational and cultural offerings, the University of Maine System also benefits from more than two-thirds of its alumni population residing within the state; more than 123,000 individuals.

The System consists of seven main campuses: The University of Maine (UMaine), including its regional campus the University of Maine at Machias (UMaine Machias); the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA); the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF); the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI); and the University of Southern Maine (USM). The System also includes a UMA campus in Bangor, USM campuses in Gorham and Lewiston-Auburn, the University of Maine School of Law, and the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center.

Please follow these links to the UMS Logo, UMS and individual university style guides and an image and biographical information for Chancellor Malloy.