General Information

UMFK Mission Statement

UMFK will nurture and engage a diversity of learners and aspiring professionals in Maine’s rural communities and beyond through affordable, technologically-enhanced, and professionally-focused educational programs.

A Short History of UMFK

The University of Maine at Fort Kent, one of seven campuses of the University of Maine System, was established in February 1878 as the Madawaska Training School (MTS). The initial mission of MTS was to train bilingual teachers for the schools of the St. John Valley. The first graduating class consisted of only eight students, four of whom understood little or no English when they enrolled. Under the leadership of the first principal, Vetal Cyr, MTS grew and made its influence felt in the St. John Valley, and beyond.

Mary P. Nowland became head of MTS when Vetal Cyr died in 1897 and served as principal until 1926. The opening of the Fish River branch of the Aroostook Railway made travel to the area easier and enrollment grew. In 1913, MTS was connected to the Fort Kent water system, and students no longer had to haul water from the Fish River. Electric lights replaced kerosene lamps that same year. During World War I, five of the six male teachers went off to war, but new faculty was recruited and enrollment held steady.

When Nowland retired after 29 years, Richard F. Crocker, an MTS teacher, replaced her. Entrance requirements became more stringent and curriculum changes were made. A physical education program began in 1929 when a new gymnasium (now part of Waneta Blake Library) was completed.

After 41 years (29 as principal), Crocker retired in 1955 and was replaced by Joseph Fox. The name of the school was changed to Fort Kent State Normal School. Cyr Hall was completed in 1959, and Crocker Hall was ready for residents in 1961. The 1960s were a time of building: Powell and Nowland halls were built, and the old gym was converted into a library.

In 1966 Fort Kent State Normal School became Fort Kent State College. After only two years, the institution joined the newly formed University of Maine System and became the University of Maine at Fort Kent in 1968. Dr. Richard Spath became the fifth president in 1971, and the campus celebrated its first century in 1978.

The sixth president was Dr. Barbara Leondar, who took office in 1986. During her tenure, the addition to the Blake Library was built, and a U.S. Congressional Women’s Caucus cited UMFK as having one of the better small day care centers in the U.S. New majors in computer applications and nursing were added, and a new science wing was funded by referendum. Upon Dr. Leondar’s resignation in 1989, Dr. Richard G. Dumont was appointed interim president. Dr. Dumont was then named UMFK’s seventh president in January 1990. His mission was to build on the strengths of the campus — its distinctive bilingual and bicultural location and traditions, its natural environment, its small size and its dedicated faculty and staff.

During 1990-91, UMFK established the Acadian Archives with the assistance of a special legislative appropriation. The legislature approved continued funding, and the Acadian Archives is now a permanent part of UMFK.

In January 1991, the UMFK Science and Technology wing of Cyr Hall opened to faculty and students. The addition contains science labs, multi-purpose classrooms and a computer classroom with state-of-the-art equipment.

Dr. Dumont retired in June 1996. In January 1997, after being interim president for six months, Dr. Charles Lyons was appointed as UMFK’s eighth president. Dr. Lyons ended his presidency at UMFK in 2000.

In the fall of 2001, the University officially opened Nadeau Hall. Incorporated into the facilities is a space for the health sciences center, which serves as a new home for UMFK’s division of nursing, a state of the art teleconferencing facility, and offices for faculty and support staff. Nadeau Hall also houses the new Student Health Clinic. In August of 2002, the University community welcomed its ninth President, Dr. Richard Cost.

During the 2003-2004 academic year, UMFK saw the construction of two new facilities. A new 150-bed dormitory was constructed on the north side of the campus Sports Center. The facility was ready for student occupancy in the fall of 2004.

A new home for the University’s Acadian Archives also was completed in 2004. The facility connects Powell Hall and the Blake Library.

In 2006 the University purchased the Gagne House, located on Pleasant Street near Nowland Hall. Two years later, the University purchased the Cyr House, located next to the St. David (Admissions) House.

Powell Hall was renovated in the spring of 2010. That June, Dr. Cost retired after serving as president for eight years. In July, the campus welcomed Wilson G. Hess as the University’s 10th president.

In August 2011, the campus earned an unprecedented three national awards for excellence from The Princeton Review, Colleges of Distinction, and U.S. News and World Report.

Under the campaign name of La Cloche de Fer, the UMFK Foundation launched the first-ever comprehensive capital and endowment campaign in the 134-year history of the University in March of 2012.

Other significant milestones achieved in 2012 were: LEED certification was awarded to the renovations of Powell Hall; the installation of a biomass boiler serving the Sports Center and the Lodge; the completion of a student services “One-Stop” on the first floor of Cyr Hall.

Area Points of Interest

Fort Kent Blockhouse - Maine’s northern post during the International Border Dispute of 1839-1842. Located on the banks of the St. John and Fish Rivers, it had an important role in securing the state and national border. Open daily, from Memorial Day to Labor Day free of charge.

Lonesome Pine Ski Trails - Within walking distance of campus, Lonesome Pine Trails offers 13 well-groomed trails for both alpine and Nordic skiing, as well as snowboarding. Both skiers and boarders can enjoy the scenic international view of Canada, the St. John River Valley and the town of Fort Kent as they ski the slopes.

Fish River Falls - Scenic waterfalls on the Fish River six miles from Fort Kent. A popular site for picnics in the summer months and a place to snowshoe in the winter months.

Fournier Biological Park - is a 16-acre natural area that serves as an outdoor classroom for local elementary, secondary, and University students and their families. A campus entrance begins just west of the soccer field.

The Allagash Wilderness Waterway - a 100-mile-long waterway flowing northward that crosses a number of streams and lakes and ends in the town of Allagash (30 miles west of Fort Kent) where the waterway flows into the St. John River. The St. John, for the most part, forms the border between Maine and Canada. No motorized boats are allowed on the wilderness waterway, and canoes challenge the fast white-water on a trip unequalled in the northeastern U.S.

Fort Kent Outdoor Center/Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon Facility - The facility was home to the 2004 & 2011 Biathlon World Cups and the 2005 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships. The Maine Winter Sports Center’s (now called Fort Kent Outdoor Center) cross-country skiing and biathlon facility is located just one mile from UMFK. Designed for world-class competition, the trails offer challenging ascents, banked corners and thrilling downhill tracks. Skating and classic tracks are groomed daily in the winter. As an added advantage, the trails form a larger network with the Violette Settlement trails and the Fort Kent High School trails. There is also a pet loop for dog owners. Over 20 km of groomed trails can be accessed either from the Maine Winter Sports Center parking lot off Route 11, or from the Lonesome Pine Trails Lodge.

As the site of the 2000/2001 Jr. National Biathlon Championships and of the 2000 North American, Canadian, and U.S. National Biathlon Championships, the biathlon venue has earned a highly respected reputation within the North American biathlon community. Biathlon is a Winter Olympic sport that grew from hunting origins and currently combines the precision of rifle marksmanship with the exhilaration of cross-country skiing. Dependable snow cover throughout the season, and a commitment to excellence and warm hospitality, makes the Fort Kent Outdoor Center in Fort Kent a premier skiing destination.

New to the facility are: a paved roller ski loop for off-season training, a lit ski loop for night skiing, and a lodge to facilitate racing events and training. A heated, indoor space is available for public use. Runners, walkers, and mountain bikers all are welcomed to use the trail network in the summer and fall. Motorized vehicles are strictly prohibited. For more information check out the Fort Kent Outdoor Center website.