The UMFK Student Success Center: Powell Hall-2nd Floor

Phone Number 834-7530
Fax Number: 834-7518
Susan Dubay, Director of Student Support Services (834-7869)
Jessica Daigle, Mental Health Counselor and Accessibility Manager (834-7532)
Liza Daigle, Academic Skills Specialist (834-7530)
Mark Kelly, Reading/Writing Skills Specialist (834-7806)
Abby Pooler, College Success Specialist - JMG (834-7531)
TBD, Academic and International Student Advisor and Success Specialist (834-7834)

The UMFK Student Success Center is an open learning environment that engages students for success while maintaining a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where students can collaborate with peers, tutors, faculty, and staff. We provide the necessary resources that empower students to become independent and resourceful learners as they pursue their academic, career, and personal goals while encouraging students to become lifelong learners and active members of their communities.

Located on the second floor of Powell Hall, the UMFK Student Success Center provides:

  • a centralized location for students to receive academic support and adjust to college life
  • quiet spaces to study in small group settings
  • access to technology
  • accommodations covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act

Academic Advising

TBD, Academic Skills Specialist (834-7548)

Academic advising is a personalized and interactive process in which the advisor supports students in achieving their academic, career, and individual goals. Advisors will assist students in choosing the courses in their field of study, including the General Education Requirements outlined by the campus catalog, and, when necessary, advisors will direct students to appropriate campus resources. Through advising, students will obtain critical information and services to make responsible decisions about their degree interests and objectives while highlighting their own abilities. Ideally, the student will build a connection with the academic advisor that includes a sense of both direction and mentorship. Furthermore, an Academic Advisor will acknowledge and support students’ responsibilities in exploring options and making decisions toward their degree completion and career goals.

UMFK Advisor Responsibilities include:

  • Serve as an advocate for UMFK students.
  • Assist students in course selection based on the student’s interests, individual abilities, and degree requirements.
  • Assist students in understanding degree requirements.
  • Understand academic programs, graduation requirements, university policies, and procedures to communicate with students.
  • Provide students with the necessary information, services, and resources available on campus.
  • Be accessible to students through office hours via email, phone, and/or scheduled appointment times.
  • Provide guidance and direction to students as they set academic, professional, and individual goals.
  • Be approachable and a responsive listener.
  • Track progress toward career and academic goals by maintaining accurate and up-to-date records.
  • Uphold confidentiality of all student academic records.

Academic and Personal Counseling Services

Jessica Daigle 834-7532

Counseling Services are available to all UMFK students who may be experiencing challenges managing stress, conflict, relationships, or academic problems. Students are encouraged to take advantage of private, personal, and confidential counseling. There are different options available to students who wish to access services.

Non-clinical personal counseling is offered in the Student Support Services office located in the UMFK Student Success Center. Students also have access to clinical counseling in the Student Health Clinic at UMFK, located in Nadeau Hall. If students choose, they may also access clinical counseling from a number of different community providers located in Fort Kent. For more information, please call 834-7530.

Basic Skills Developmental Classes

834-7530

The courses ASP 101 - College Reading and Writing & ASP 110 – Math Applications are designed to help students strengthen their basic skills so they may be successful in college-level courses. Students are directed to these courses based on the results of the Accuplacer© placement exams taken prior to their first semester in a degree program at UMFK.

CLEP/Dantes Exams

834-7530

CLEP and DSST are credit-by-examination programs conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and administered through the Student Success Center that provide an opportunity for UMFK students to receive credit for their education acquired in non-traditional environments. A complete list of available exams is available on the Student Success Center homepage.

Disability Services

Jessica Daigle 834-7532

The University of Maine at Fort Kent does not discriminate on the basis of disabilities in the recruitment and admission of students, the recruitment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities. Students with a documented disability, who need academic accommodations, are encouraged to meet with the Accessibility Coordinator located in the UMFK Student Success Center on the 2nd Floor of Powell Hall, Room 226. To ensure the timely availability of accommodation, students should request services well in advance of the start of the semester.

It is the policy of the University of Maine at Fort Kent to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities. Federal law, the Rehabilitation Act of 1993, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Maine Human Rights Act established the rights of individuals with disabilities. These laws provide that the recipients of federal funds, employers, and places of public access shall make reasonable accommodations to the known physical and mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability.

Graduate School

834-7530

The Student Success Center assists students in graduate school preparation. Materials and online resources are available to aid students in the graduate school search, essay writing, application process, and required testing (GRE, MCAT, LSAT, MAT, etc.).

Admission to the graduate school of choice may require standardized tests. Standardized tests are administered both paper-based and/or computer-based, depending on the test. Different graduate schools may require different tests, so it is always important to check with the Admissions Office early in the application process to see which test is required. The Student Success Center administers Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Students must register 48 hours in advance of taking the MAT.

All students are encouraged to seek individual career and/or graduate school counseling to identify procedures and processes with regard to applications, personal statements, resumes, cover letters, curricula vitae, etc. before they submit application materials for a job or graduate program.

JMG College Success Program (CSP)

Abby Pooler 834-7531

UMFK partners with JMG (Jobs for Maine’s Graduates) to provide critical support to students in their efforts to attain a degree. JMG’s College Success Program is a comprehensive college preparation, bridging, and retention program that starts in high school and continues seamlessly through college. The overarching goals are to help students who find themselves in a situation that can become a barrier or barriers to educational success obtain a college degree and secure meaningful and financially secure careers. In partnership with Maine’s colleges and business community, the CSP plays a critical role in students’ success and can mean the difference between a student completing college or dropping out. The program here at UMFK focuses on supporting students who were in JMG in high school, as well as foster care youth and students who dropped out of high school and received a high school equivalency credential.

JMG’s College Success Specialist at UMFK is Abby Pooler. Her office is located in Student Support Services. Abby encourages CSP students to drop by anytime with questions or just to check in. She is on campus to provide whatever support students need to ensure they are able to stay in school. This includes helping students deal with a variety of social, academic, and financial concerns or challenges that could, if not addressed, result in a student dropping out. If a student is having issues with a roommate, struggling to meet course deadlines, unsure about academic or career goals, worried about finances, or needing help connecting to campus resources or Maine employers – this is what CSP is all about.

Abby works collaboratively with other programs on campus, including TRIO, Admissions, ADA services, and faculty, along with being an adjunct faculty for UMFK’s First Year Experience class. JMG offers connections to campus by having some fun events and assisting students in obtaining scholarships and emergency funding for those that qualify. Contact information to reach Abby Pooler is – email: abigail.pooler@maine.edu, office number: 834-7531.

Suicide Prevention

Jessica Daigle 834-7532

Suicidal behavior is both complex and frightening. Suicide prevention is up to all of us.

If you are concerned about yourself or somebody else, call the crisis hotline at: 1-888-568-1112.

  • Call to speak with someone who cares.
  • Call if you feel you might be in danger of hurting yourself.
  • Call to find referrals to mental health services in your area.
  • Call to speak to a crisis worker about someone you're concerned about.

Additional supports and resources:

  • Crisis Helpline 1-800-432-7805
  • National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline 1-866-331-9474
  • Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233

Complimentary Instruction

834-7530

Complimentary Instruction (CI) is a peer-facilitated academic support program that targets historically difficult courses so as to improve student performance and retention through out-of-class review sessions. CI sessions are regularly scheduled, informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and predict test items. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. The sessions are facilitated by “CI leaders,” students who have previously done well in the course and who attend all class lectures, take notes, and act as model students.

TRIO Student Support Services Program

834-7530

Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded program available to UMFK students who meet guidelines determined by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Student Support Services office, located in the Student Success Center, is committed to assisting students in achieving the best possible academic and personal experience at UMFK. Our mission is to support low-income, first-generation, and/or disabled students, under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, who have the potential to meet the challenges of higher education by strengthening and developing their academic and self-management skills. Our focus is to ensure that our participants in the program have a realistic chance to persist in school and graduate from the University of Maine at Fort Kent. To accomplish these objectives, we provide services to enhance students' academic success, personal skills, and social skills. Providing services in these areas corresponds to the University's mission to prepare students for lifelong learning and success as professionals and engaged citizens of a democracy.

A student may apply anytime during the year to be part of the program, and participants are selected once a year, usually during the fall semester. Students in the TRIO program have access to services such as academic advising, financial literacy, assistance with financial aid, grant aid, career counseling, graduate school counseling, a laptop loan program, a book lending program, student leadership development, and cultural events.

Students who meet eligibility guidelines may apply to be part of TRIO’s Student Support Services program, which is supported by a Title IV US Department of Education grant. To be eligible for assistance, a student must be a citizen or national of the US, a permanent resident of the US, or provide evidence that they are in the US with the intention of becoming a citizen. A student must demonstrate a need for academic support and provide evidence that they are low-income, a first-generation college student, and/or are disabled under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Tutoring Services

834-7530

Peer tutoring is free of charge to all students, whether on campus or in distance education, for courses offered by UMFK. Study group sessions can also be organized upon request. Tutoring is available by appointment only, and appointments can be made online through the Student Success Center website, by visiting the Student Success Center, or by calling 207-834-7530. Appointments should be made with a minimum of 48-hour notice.

Writing Center

Mark Kelly 834-7806

Peer writing tutoring is free of charge for all students, both on campus or in distance education, at UMFK. Importantly, this is not a drop-off editing service. Rather, it is a collaborative effort between the student and tutor to improve written work and learn strategies for the writing process. Drop-in hours are posted each semester. Appointments can be made by contacting the Student Success Center at 207-834-7530.