What Students Really Say About Farmington


What initially attracted you to the University of Maine at Farmington?
I liked the quiet college town feel. The staff here is very friendly and the school was more affordable than most.

How is the UMF Arts Administration program different from a strictly Art program?
Arts Administration here focuses on bringing together finances, responsibility and creativity. It's a step different from an Arts program because it teaches you how to be financially responsible, to understand how a business works, and to hopefully not end up starving on the street performing for coins.

It's also different from a Business program because it allows you to use your creativity and imagination, and not give up your sense of aesthetics when you hit the practical world. I chose this particular program because I didn't want to give up my passion for theater, and yet I wanted have a good head on my shoulders and a better chance at finding a good paying job once I graduate.

What can you do with your Arts Administration degree?
The business aspect of it opens doors to me to enter a company and work my way up. As an artist, I could take a job working in a performance or visual art company — that's what would stimulate me, personally. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to run my own theater company.

Did you come in with this major? If not, what led you to your decision?
Actually, I came in as a Theater/Arts major, but found I wanted to learn more about the business side of theater. Arts Administration was a perfect blend of both worlds.

What does Farmington do really well?
UMF connects with students very well. It’s a small college, and that works to its benefit. No one is considered a number or a drone. At Farmington, that just doesn't happen. Each professor connects with their students and can personally see and assess strengths and weaknesses and help them build and improve on those.

Who do you go to for academic advising?
I now have two academic advisors, which is great. Andy Southard [professor of Theater] was my Theater advisor, and she remains so, as I have both theatre and business courses on my curriculum. And Waleck Dalpour [professor of Business] is my Business advisor. I go to him to plan out all my business courses.

Do you ski, bike, or hike? If so was that part of your decision to come here?
Yeah, I hike, but I wouldn't necessarily say it was part of my decision to come to UMF. The fact that Farmington is such a nice New England town did, however, contribute to my decision.

Are you in any clubs? What do you do for fun?
Ha! Naturally, I’m in the theater club, Theatre UMF. My freshman and sophomore years were definitely spent involved with a lot of on-campus clubs. My freshman year, four other Theatre UMF members and I got together and formed the now very successful UMF improv comedy troupe, the Lawn Chair Pirates.

OK, we’ve all heard of them here, but explain to those who may not know... what is the Lawn Chair Pirates?
The Lawn Chair Pirates is a UMF student comedy improv group that’s been performing here on campus and around various places in New England for about five years now. It started as an idea between Zack Cates and Joel Jordan in the fall 2000.

At a Theatre UMF meeting, they asked for someone to volunteer fronting it and getting it started — and that person was me! At our first meeting we had the three of us, then four others came and joined. What we started doing was practicing some word games, and making up situations as we went along that fit the games, sort of like the Drew Carey TV show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

We met twice a week, and the games got our energy pumping, the laughter got going and spread good feelings all around. At the end of the semester, we decided to bring our games on stage in front of a live audience and got a slot on a UMF Open Mic Night in the Latte Landing on campus. We brought down the house! And afterward, we were getting recognized walking down hallways, “Hey, you were in that show two weeks ago!” Soon, the UMF Program Board was offering to pay us to do shows. Word spread, and the Lawn Chair Pirates started getting hired off-campus and performing at other colleges around New England.

Tell me a bit about studying abroad — you studied in Ireland, right?
Yes. I was lucky enough to win a state scholarship, the George Mitchell Peace Scholarship this year. It selects students from within the UMaine System and the Maine Community College System and there's a minimum Grade Point Average required to qualify. Rob Lively [UMF Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences] was on the selection committee and has been very supportive.

Studying in Ireland was absolutely amazing!