Events

Spring Events 2023

It’s Okay to Talk About It: A Panel Discussion in Honor of Black History Month

Wednesday, February 15

5:30 pm

The Landing, Olsen Student Center Corridor

Join us for this multicultural career panel, aimed at generating authentic dialogue with professionals of different social identities and backgrounds, as they share their career journeys as people of color. Attendees will gain insight into the realities of the panelist’s experiences and learn how they navigated the ups and downs of their careers.

Panelists represent a variety of different identities, backgrounds, and stages in their professional pathways, making this event representative of multiple perspectives.

We hope that this will be the first of many in an “It’s Okay to Talk About It” series that will encourage sustained dialogue at UMF about the experiences of those with marginalized identities navigating college, career, and life.

Event sponsored by UMF Student Life and Career Services.

Global Experiences Fair

Wednesday, February 1

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Olsen Student Center Corridor

Interested in one of the many UMF Global Experiences? Maybe a travel course or semester studying/teaching abroad? Or how about a semester exchange in the U.S or Canada through the National Student Exchange program? Have you heard of UMF Virtual Global Experience courses? So many options to choose from. Stop by and talk with Global Education staff, study abroad providers, recent UMF students who have studied away, and visiting exchange students to learn more!

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Global Education.

Lunar New Year Celebration

Wednesday, January 25

11:45 am – 1:00 pm

South Dining Hall

Celebrate Lunar New Year 2023 – Year of the Rabbit by enjoying some delicious Asian cuisine! The menu will include a variety of dishes sure to please any palate!

Event sponsored by Sodexo and UMF Office of Global Education.

Fall Events 2022

International Cuisine Event

Tuesday, November 15

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

South Dining Hall

Enjoy delicious foods from Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and Japan. Menus and recipes have been provided by our international and exchange students from these countries, many of whom will be on hand to offer cultural context during the event.

Co-Sponsored by Sodexo and the Office of Global Education.

L’ofrenda por La Dia de Los Muertos (Offering for the Day of the Dead)

Monday, October 31 – Tuesday, November 1

Mantor Library, First Floor

Visit Mantor Library to see the display celebrating La Dia de Los Muertos and learn more about this holiday in Mexico and other Hispanic cultures.

Co-Sponsored by the Office of Experiential and Global Education and the Office of Student Life for Multicultural Programming.

Japanese Culture Celebration

Friday, October 21

11:45 am – 1:00 pm – Japanese Food and Activities

Fusion 101

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Screening of Howl’s Moving Castle

Roberts 023

Join us during Common Time for some delicious Japanese treats and a number of activities, including calligraphy, origami and kendama. Return in the evening for a screening of Howl’s Moving Castle, an anime anti-war film filled with magic and intrigue.

Co-Sponsored by the Office of Experiential and Global Education and the Office of Student Life for Multicultural Programming.

Annual Study Away Presentations

Wednesday, October 19

11:45 am – 1:00pm

Fusion 101

Interested in studying abroad, student teaching away/abroad or participating in travel courses?

Join us for the annual study away presentations by students who participated in study/teach away programs and/or travel courses and learn how you can embark on one of these amazing adventures! We will also announce the winners of the photo contest.

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Experiential & Global Education and Office of Student Life for Training & Multicultural Programming.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration

Wednesday, October 12

11:45am – 1:00pm – Food, Music and VGE course experiences

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Film Screening of Voices from the Barrens: Native Peoples, Blueberries and Sovereignty

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Enjoy indigenous foods, listen to LIVE Passamaquoddy music, and learn about the experiences of UMF students who attended the Mi’kmaq Gathering of Tribes during the day. In the evening join us for a film screening to be followed by a student-led discussion.

Event sponsored by UMF Experiential and Global Ed and UMF Anthropology Department.

Global Experiences Fair

Wednesday, September 14

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Olsen Student Center Corridor

Interested in one of the many UMF Global Experiences? Maybe a travel course or semester studying/teaching abroad? Or how about a semester exchange in the U.S or Canada through the National Student Exchange program? Have you heard of UMF Virtual Global Experience courses? So many options to choose from. Stop by and talk with Global Education staff, study abroad providers, recent UMF students who have studied away, and visiting exchange students to learn more!

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Global Education.

Spring Events 2022

Win a Taste of Cyprus

Tuesday, April 26

11:30 am

Olsen Student Center Corridor

Ready for a study break? A little something sweet from a sunny, warm island in the Mediterranean? Want to learn more about the people and culture of Cyprus?

Roll the dice and answer a question about Cyprus for a free piece of Baklava!

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Experiential & Global Education.

The Ukraine Crisis: Holding Putin Accountable

Friday, April 22

11:45 am – 1:00 pm

Via Zoom as Prof. Groome has been asked to return to Eastern Europe for further consultation on the Ukrainian crisis.

UMF is incredibly fortunate to have an internationally renowned war crimes prosecutor in our community, Dermot Groome, professor of law at Penn State Dickinson Law School. Prof. Groome has agreed to speak at UMF about the current Ukrainian Crisis and the international efforts to hold Putin and other Russian leaders accountable for human rights abuses in Ukraine.

Groome will discuss the historical relevance of his work to the Ukraine Crisis in light of his current role as an advisor to senior prosecutors involved in the Ukrainian war crimes investigation.

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Experiential & Global Education.

Interactive Workshop on Girls Education & Menstrual Health

Monday, April 11

11:45 am – 1:00 pm

Roberts 101

Girls and women around the world are shamed, stigmatized and forced to miss school because they cannot afford access to costly (and unsustainable) disposable menstrual pads.

Join us for an interactive workshop on the challenges low-income women face around the world — including in our own backyard — and learn how inexpensive, sustainable alternatives help them regain their dignity, autonomy and education.

Workshop will be led by our Libra Scholar, Tara Mtuy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.”>

Roundtable on the Ukrainian Crisis

Wednesday, March 9

11:45 am – 1:00 pm

Roberts 023

This roundtable will serve as a venue for UMF to discuss current events unfolding in the Ukraine, their implications for Europe, US politics and the world. Participants include Professors Scott Erb, James Melcher, and Anne Marie Wolf along with Louis Sell who has served as a member of the US diplomatic corps in Eastern Europe, and representatives from several student organizations.

Event co-sponsored by UMF Office of Global Education and UMF Democrats.

Departures: Peace Corps Pandemic Stories

March 1 – 10

Opening Reception-Tuesday, March 1, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Emery Community Arts Center, Lower-Level Atrium

Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 12pm-6pm (Closed Sundays and holidays)

Visit website for more information

The multimedia exhibit “Departures: Peace Corps Pandemic Stories” invites audiences to engage with the voices and stories of Peace Corps Volunteers and staff who were impacted by the global suspension of Peace Corps programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between February and March 2020, the United States Peace Corps–a volunteer service agency established by President John F. Kennedy–evacuated over 7,000 volunteers from sites in more than 60 countries.

A short documentary and an interactive map installation feature oral history interview excerpts, volunteer and staff photos, personal updates, press releases and other artifacts, exploring multiple experiences and meanings of departure. Additionally, a virtual version of the gallery exhibit is available for visitors to scroll through at a computer terminal or on their smartphones. An activity guide and other resources are also available for class and group visits. Adjacent to the exhibit is a Story Station where visitors may stop to sketch, write and map their own pandemic pictures, memories and journeys.

New Common’s Project: Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis

February 7 – 23

Visit the New Commons Project Website for individual event information

This New Common’s Project will offer a variety of activities and events centered around Marjane Satrapi’s landmark graphic novel about growing up during the Iranian Revolution of the 1970s.

Lunar New Year Celebration

Tuesday, February 1

4:00pm – 7:00 pm

South Dining Hall

Celebrate Lunar New Year 2022 – Year of the Tiger by enjoying some delicious Asian cuisine! The menu will include a variety of dishes sure to please any palate!

Event sponsored by UMF Office of Global Education.

Fall Events 2021

Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)

Wednesday, October 20

11:45am

Mantor Green

As part of the Virtual Global Experience (VGE) that Jesse Minor’s Geography course is doing with our Japanese partners at Akita International University, his class will be leading a Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing during Common Time. A great way to connect with one of our local forests and take a break in nature.

Coco Film Screening

Sunday, October 31

6:30pm

Lincoln Auditorium

This co-curricular activity offered as part of the Virtual Global Experience (VGE) that Natasha Lekes’ Psychology Death and Dying course is doing with Akita International University, will be a screening of the Disney/Pixar film Coco to celebrate the Day of the Dead on the eve of this Mexican holiday, Sunday October 31st (otherwise known as Halloween).

Flamenco Dance Workshop and Tapas

Thursday, December 2

5:00pm – 6:45pm

North Dining Hall

Join us for a free Flamenco class and Spanish tapas. No dance experience needed! This event is co-sponsored by the Spanish Club and the Office of Experiential and Global Education. 

Fawkes Day Bonfire

Friday, November 5

12pm – 1pm

Narrow Gauge Fire Pit

As part of the Virtual Global Experience (VGE) that Gina Oswald’s Rehabilitation course is doing with Anglia Ruskin University, her class will be leading a Fawkes Day Bonfire during Common Time.

November 15 – 17

Spring Events 2021

“To Live” (1994) Film Viewing – Friday, March 12th

“Les Miserables” (2019) Film Viewing – Friday, March 26th

“Border South” (2019) Film Viewing – Friday, April 2nd

“Kimi No na wa (Your name)” (2016) Film Viewing – Friday, April 16th

Past Events

To Live (1994)

Friday, March 12th – 6pm-9pm

Lincoln Auditorium

This film follows the married couple Fugui and Jiazhen after Fugui loses everything to gambling. The film follows them through the decades as they struggle to try and live as peasants. Join us on Friday, March 12th from 6-9pm in Lincoln Auditorium.

Les Miserables (2019)

Friday, March 26th – 6pm-9pm

Lincoln Auditorium

Join us for a viewing of the the 2019 drama “Les Miserables”. this drama is based off of the 2008 police violence that occurred on October 14th, 2008 in Paris. Join us on Friday, March 26th at 6pm in Lincoln Auditorium.

Border South (2019)

April 2nd – 6pm-9pm

Lincoln Auditorium

This documentary follows the crack down on immigration into the United States and Mexico and how this is effecting those who need to emigrate from their own country to another. Join us on Friday, April 2nd from 6-9pm when we watch and have discussion on this film in Lincoln Auditorium.

Kimi No na wa (Your name) (2016)

April 16th – 6pm-9pm

Lincoln Auditorium

This anime follows two teenagers who suddenly, and unexplainably, swap bodies. Join us when we view this film and see the beauties of Japan through the anime art form. We will be viewing the film on April 16th from 6pm-9pm in Lincoln Auditorium.

Past Events

Francophone Celebration

Farmington Fiesta

Once a year, UMF hosts a Farmington Fiesta to celebrate the cultures of those from Spanish-speaking countries. This event features food, activities, study abroad educational opportunities, as well as cultural education. The fiesta is usually hosted in partnership with the exchange students from Spanish-speaking countries. Come visit us for our next fiesta!

Portland Stage Trip

Every year the UMF MultiCultural Club hosts a trip down to Portland, ME to see a global performance done by the Portland Stage and eat an international year. Past shows have included Babette’s Feast by Rose Courtney and Refuge Malja by Bess Welden. it is a fun day for all students who attend!

Photo Contest

Once a year, typically in the Fall semester, UMF students have an opportunity to submit photos they have taken on study away & travel course opportunities. Above, is our winner of the 2020 photo contest taken by student, Riley Samson, in Tanzania! If you have studied abroad/away for a semester or taken one of our travel courses we would love to see your photos submitted in our next photo contest!

International Tea & Coffee Hour

Do you love tea and coffee? Then you will love our annual International Tea & Coffee Hour event! Students get to try delicious teas and coffees from all corners of the world and learn about some of the different customs and cultural values that come with each drink. Join us for our next International Tea & Coffee Hour event next year!

Study Away Presentations

Once a year the Department of Experiential and Global Education, in partnership with the IGS and Honors Departments, host study away presentations where students can share about their experiences studying away. Students get to learn about the different experiences that other students have had while studying away and learn about potential future study away opportunities as well.

Lunar New Year Celebration

Once a year, around the Lunar New Year, UMF offers a Lunar New Year Celebration to celebrate it. The Lunar New Year celebration features traditional food, activities, and music. This event is typically hosted in partnership with our Asian exchange students and faculty. We can’t wait for you to join us for our next Lunar New Year Celebration!

Global Experiences Fair

Interested in a global experience? Once a semester the UMF Study Away Office offers a global experiences fair in which interested students can learn about the different types of study away experiences. This fair features information for UMF travel courses, UMF direct exchange programs, national exchange, and provider programs.

Peace Corps Talks

UMF has many alumni that enter into the Peace Corps after graduating. Many are invited back to campus to give presentations about their time in the Peace Corps in hopes to encourage more students to join after they graduate. This photo is from UMF alumni, Elizabeth Ferry, who went into the Pease Corps and gave a presentation at UMF about her time in the organization.