VISION BLOG

Melissa Oran, MSW, is a recent graduate of the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. In this interview, she discusses why she decided to pursue her MSW, some of the standout experiences she has had in the program, and words of wisdom for future MSW students in the program.  Can you…

We interviewed Melanie Berdyk, MSAN, when she was a Student Ambassador in the Applied Nutrition program at CGPS in 2018. Here’s an update on what she’s up to, how she is using her MSAN in her career, and how her MSAN has helped her with career advancement. Can you give us an overview of what you’ve been up to since…

Sarah Kilgore is an RN in the Department of the Army in New York, and a recent UNE Online MPH graduate. Here, she talks about how her professional life has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what encouraged her to earn her MPH. What encouraged you to get your master’s in public health? I became interested in…

Megan Thompson is an alumna of the MS in Applied Nutrition program. Here, she talks about her writing career, how she got interested in the field of nutrition, and how she plans to move forward with her MSAN. Could you start out by telling us a little bit about yourself, and why you decided to pursue your Master of Science…

Amber Huff has overcome great obstacles to get her Master’s in Social Work online. Not only will she be the first in her family with an advanced degree, but this Mom of three will also be graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. A major source of her inspiration was to be a positive role model for her children, particularly…

Mona Haimour, RN, BScN, MSN, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Canada. As a 2016 inductee to UNE’s Chapter of the Delta Omega Honor Society, she also proved herself to be one of UNE’s brightest Master of Public Health students. From Jordan to Canada Originally from Jordan,…

Dianna Montfort, Ed.D. is a graduate of the UNE Doctor of Education program and was a presenter at last year’s inaugural CGPS Virtual Research and Scholarship Symposium. Here, she talks about her experience in the Ed.D. program as well as what it was like presenting at CGPS’s first Symposium in 2019. Last year you presented at our first Virtual Research…

In celebration of our Graduate Programs in Public Health’s successful CEPH reaccreditation, we sat down with Monica Huelga, MPH ’18, who found herself at UNE Online rather serendipitously. Monica is passionate about the power of communication to promote global health and equality. She completed her applied practice experience on environmental health literacy at the non-profit MEarth Carmel while working at…

Mae L’Heureux is a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health program. During her time in the program Mae served as Membership Co-Chair of the APHA-SA, and Member of the Graduate Programs in Public Health Advisory Committee here at UNE Online. Recently we had a chat about her experience in the program, how she liked the online format, and…

Bonnie Blake, Ed.D. is a graduate of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at UNE Online. Here, she talks about her experience with the online Ed.D. program, and how she is putting her dissertation research to work, planning the next steps in her career.  Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your…

Jesse Bell, MPH, is a UNE Online alumni of the MPH program and is currently working toward getting his Ph.D. We spoke to him about what compelled him to get his MPH, his experience as an online student including his practicum, and his advice for incoming online graduate students. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what…

Nicole Petrin is a student in the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. She has her undergraduate degree in social work, works in the field, and is also very active as a mentor for rising social workers. She just recently returned from an international social work conference in South Africa, and she shares her experiences with us here.…

Dr. Mike Wilber, an Ed.D. graduate, is an Adult Basic Education Instructor at the Delaware Department of Education Adult and Prison Education Resources Division in Wilmington, Delaware, helping inmates earn their GEDs and learn job skills. He is also a GED Instructor in the Adult Education Division of James H. Groves Adult High School. Dr. Wilber’s Ed.D. dissertation was designed…

Mansoor Shafqat is a public health graduate student at UNE Online, residing in California. He has had many life changes while enrolled in his program, including becoming a new parent, so he finds the flexibility of the online public health program to be essential to his success as a student. We spoke with him recently about his experience with the…

Rachael Flaxman is an elementary school teacher in Maine and a student in our online MSEd program. We celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week by speaking with some of our students who have dedicated their professional lives to education. Teachers make a profound impact on the lives they touch, so we want to honor some of these very special teachers who are…

Recently, we spoke with UNE graduate Kylie Bragdon ’11, Ed.D. ’18 who is running for the Maine State House of Representatives in District 136 this coming November. Bragdon has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from UNE and is currently working on her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) here at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. She’s studying the effect of K-12…

You could say it’s in her DNA. An Oklahoma Sauk Native, Dee Manatowa inherited her passion for social work along with a devotion to environmental justice. Her father—the late Chief Elmer Manatowa Jr. of the Sac and Fox Nation in Stroud, Oklahoma—instilled in her a love for all people and the Earth. As a tribal member, Dee knows all too…

Darryl Vincent is living proof of the power of integration. Working full-time as the then-Vice President of Programs at the U.S. Veterans Initiative while earning his MSW at UNE Online, Darryl applied his education to the workplace the moment he signed off from class. Now a COO, Darryl credits his UNE Online teachers for the successful changes he’s implemented at…

Dr. Joel Lowsky is a recent graduate of UNE Online’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Program. We recently spoke with him about his career, his research, and plans for the future. Can you tell me a little bit about your background? I earned my bachelor’s degree in humanistic studies and English literature; two areas for which it’s tough to find a…

UNE Online Alumna Dr. Vicki Rusbult fulfilled a lifelong dream last May and graduated from the College of Graduate and Professional Studies with her Ed.D. And it turns out that her dissertation wasn’t only interesting to her faculty advisor… The ‘National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Rural Transportation National Newsletter’ recently published a link to her full dissertation in their…

Tyler Blankenship, Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR), from Orlando, Florida, is a student in the Master of Science in Applied Nutrition program. Tyler’s background includes working as a chef at Walt Disney World, as a restaurant nutritionist at Sea World and also in nutrition management at a long term care facility. From Chef to Dietary Management Prior to beginning his master’s…

MPH student Alison Braid is more than halfway through her degree, and loving it. After spending over 15 years in the professional translation and website localization industry, she wanted to make a career switch. Says Alison, “I decided that it was time for a change!” Alison is based in New York City, and most recently managed a localization team of…

UNE Online graduate wins award of excellence Karen Aldworth, recent UNE MSEd: CTE graduate, was nominated for and won the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education (IACTE) New Teacher of the Year award and represented Illinois at the Region III Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) conference on June 15-17th, 2016. Karen is a Health Science / Certified…

Katy Krings is in her final semester of the MPH program and is an excellent example of how online education can be used as a powerful tool to reach qualified individuals who wouldn’t otherwise have access to higher education. Originally from Wisconsin, Katy now lives and works as a public health nurse in rural Southwest Alaska. In fact, the area in which Katy…