UMA Alumni

✨ University of Maine at Augusta is pleased to recognize two outstanding alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Award at its 2025 Commencement on May 10, 2025. This year’s honorees are Justin Chenette '21, a public servant and communications leader, and Mary E. Gibson ’07, a nationally recognized archivist and advocate for Indigenous cultural preservation.

This award is a celebration of those who inspire others through their leadership, who use their talents to serve their communities, and who truly embody UMA’s mission in action. This year's honorees remind us that success isn’t just about what you achieve—it’s about how you lift others along the way. One act of advocacy, one project, one student, one story at a time.

💙 Read more and join us in celebrating these two remarkable alumni: https://www.uma.edu/news/trailblazing-alumni-to-be-recognized-at-university-of-maine-at-augustas-2025-commencement-may-10/

It’s here: UMA’s first-ever Give Forward Week is live!

This week, we’re inviting alumni, students, faculty, and friends to join us in honoring the faculty and staff who are making a difference. The professors who believed in us. The advisors who guided us along the way. The people who made us feel like we belonged.

💙 Make a gift in someone’s honor.
📚 Help us support current and future UMA students.
📖 Share and read stories from alumni whose lives were changed at UMA.

Join us. Give back to give forward!
https://www.givecampus.com/schools/UniversityofMaineatAugusta/give-forward-week

❤️🫎 ❤️🫎

“UMA brought us together, and for that, I am forever grateful.” - Kellie

For Kellie Mason Padgett ‘11 and Jeff Padgett ‘13, UMA was more than a place to earn a degree. It was where their paths crossed, where their friendship grew, and where their love story began.

Jeff enrolled at UMA in 2005 as a first-generation student and the only among five siblings to pursue higher education, choosing the school for its proximity to home. He initially pursued mental health and human services before switching to applied science. Two years later, Kellie transferred to UMA, majoring in mental health and human services and playing basketball.

Their shared coursework led to shared time in the classroom, and soon, their connection deepened. Over the years, they worked full-time jobs while attending school, supporting each other through their education. In September 2015, Kellie and Jeff were married, celebrating the bond that had started years earlier at UMA!

After graduating, both dedicated their careers to helping others. Kellie built a lengthy career in education working with children with special needs. She is now a case manager, working with children and adults in the mental health field. Jeff also pursued a career in special education, where he was known for his patience and passion. He spent the last four years of his life making a difference in the lives of students at Cony Middle and High School.

Jeff passed away on November 16, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, dedication and love.

Reflecting on their time at UMA, Kellie shared how much it meant to them both. “Going to school together strengthened our relationship. UMA brought us together, and for that, I am forever grateful.” ❤️

Do you know of a UMA Moose Match? Share your story!
🔗https://forms.gle/SiZE2zZXhD6rvj6P6