Graduate donates American flag to alma mater

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Recent University of Maine at Presque Isle graduate Rachel Smith comes from a strong heritage of giving back to the community.
So after completing her baccalaureate degree in criminal justice it was natural Smith wanted to do something for her new alma mater. That’s why a United States flag that once flew over the nation’s capital is now atop an UMPI flagpole.
    “I have been attending UMPI for the past six years and I know that being a student there has made me who I am today,” Smith said. “I learned a lot while I was there, not just by gaining knowledge of the subjects that I was studying but about myself as well. UMPI did so much for me and I wanted to show my appreciation and give back to them in some way.”
Smith is currently working in the Presque Isle office of U.S. Congressman Michael Michaud. One day she mentioned the idea of obtaining a special Capitol flag for UMPI to a co-worker.
“She thought it was definitely a good idea and we made a couple of phone calls to the congressman telling him my plan and my intention,” Smith said. “The flag was in the Presque Isle office two days later.”
Smith did not have an easy journey on the way to her degree. Along the way she overcame health issues that included recovering from two separate car accidents.
“After the first year I was ready to give up, but I didn’t, thanks to some of the faculty on campus,” Smith said. “They were so understanding and they were extremely accommodating. If it wasn’t for my professors, I really do not think that I would be where I am today.”
Where she is today is in Michaud’s office as a constituent service representative and carrying on her family’s tradition of helping the public.
Her father is a 25-year veteran of the Maine State Police and now works with Border Protection. Her brother is also with Border Protection working at the Bangor International Airport.
“I really enjoy my job because I get to help a lot of people on a daily basis and they are not just any people, they are people from my own community,” Smith said. “I am very passionate about being able to help these people because these are the same people who helped me get where I am today. It is about time that I give back to my community.”
Smith’s degree included a minor in sociology and she hopes to return to UMPI to earn a second degree in that field.