Six to be honored with UMPI alumni awards

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Alumni Association will present six awards of distinction during the upcoming Homecoming 2022 activities. The annual alumni awards presentations will be made during the Alumni and Friends Blue and Gold Evening to be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. in the Campus Center. To reserve your ticket, please contact Lynelle Foster at lynnelle.foster@maine.edu.

Oz Sailors, Class of 2015, will receive the Graduate of the Last Decade Award. This distinction is presented to an UMPI alumnus/alumna for outstanding professional achievement, contributions to community, and exemplary service to the University. The recipient must have completed their degree within the last 10 years.

Sailors, originally from southern California, received her bachelor’s degree in physical education from UMPI in 2015. After breaking barriers in high school baseball in California, Sailors became one of the only women at the time playing NCAA Division III college baseball when she joined the UMPI Owls. She held her own against her male counterparts, including impressive outings against Division I UMaine. She was the first woman to pitch in a baseball game against a NCAA Division I opponent, was a NCAA Woman of the Year 2015 nominee, and the first woman to captain a NCAA men’s baseball team. She received mentions in national publications and used her platform to inspire other girls to follow in her footsteps.

Christopher Smith, Class of 1983, will be honored with the Distinguished Staff Award. This award is presented to a current or former staff member for their positive impact on the alumni of the University. Nominations for this award are accepted from members of the alumni association, with any staff member past or present eligible for consideration.

Smith, who has served at UMPI for over 30 years, is the associate director of Wieden Hall and head coach for the women’s and men’s cross country teams. He received his bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from UMPI in 1983, his bachelor’s degree in physical education – teaching from UMPI in 1988, and his master’s degree in education from the University of Maine in 2002. He is a USATF Level I coach and is certified as an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist.

He has coached his teams to 18 team championships, been named cross country Coach of the Year 11 times, and has had more than 150 of his athletes earn spots on all conference, all-district, all-region, all-Dirigo Cup, and NCAA Association of Division III Independents teams

Shirley Rush, past UMPI professor of social work and BSW program director, will be presented with the Distinguished Faculty Award, presented to an UMPI faculty member for exemplary service and positive impact on University alumni. Nominations are accepted from members of the alumni association with any faculty member past or present eligible for consideration.

Rush recently retired after serving as a professor at UMPI since 1998. In addition to her faculty service on various campus committees, she was the longtime advisor of UMPI’s Student Organization of Social Workers. She is known for her work promoting social justice and international social work through trips she has helped to facilitate for her students to the United Nations in New York City, and further afield, to places like Guatemala and Tanzania. She was twice named the Social Worker of the Year (in 2000 and 2009) by the Maine chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

Stephen and Kim Perreault, both Class of 1980, husband, wife, and respected educators will both be awarded with the Distinguished Educator Award. This award is presented to an UMPI alumnus/alumna who has received ongoing recognition as an outstanding educator. This recipient may also have shown active or supportive involvement with the Alumni Association and/or the University or the community in which he/she lives or works and is an individual who has served as an educator for at least 20 years.

Stephen Perreault graduated from UMPI with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education – history and a minor in psychology. Perreault spent most of his career, more than 40 years, teaching science and social studies at Caribou Middle School. He held Maine certifications in grades 7-12 history, life science and physical science as well as K-8 elementary education. He has served for 40 years as the Caribou Middle School and Community School boys soccer coach, 38 years coaching the Caribou Middle School boys basketball team, five years as a middle school girls softball coach, and 12 years as a Caribou Little League baseball coach.  

Kim Perreault graduated from UMPI with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education – science and math. She taught grades 7-9 math, science and reading at Caribou Middle School from 1980-98. She went on to teach physical science and then math at Caribou High School until she retired from teaching 2017. During her career in education, she served as a department chair for the Caribou High School Math Department, a CHS Accreditation Committee Chairperson, a committee member for moving RSU 30 toward proficiency-based learning and was a mentor to new, academic and vocational teachers in her district.

Her community service efforts include serving as president of the Caribou Music Boosters, class advisor, Catholic catechism teacher and cheerleading advisor. After her retirement in 2017, she has served as a math tutor for UMPI and for the Caribou Community School children in grades 5-6. She cannot let go of her passion for math and students, which has led her to accepting a new position with Fort Fairfield High School, teaching math this semester.  

Paul Stearns, Class of 1977, will be presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is presented to an alumnus/alumna who has made long-term contributions to the Alumni Association or the University, or has received professional recognition that reflects positively on the University.

Stearns earned a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from UMPI and began his career as a physical education instructor in  SAD 4, Guilford. He took on duties of athletic director, assistant principal and coaching along the way. During his time as boys soccer coach at Piscataquis Community High School, his teams garnered four Eastern Maine championships and one state championship. 

A lifelong learner, he acquired a master of education degree from UMaine in 1992 while serving as principal of the Upper Kennebec Valley Memorial Sr./Jr. High School in Bingham. In 1999, he obtained his Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from UMaine and took on a new position as principal for SeDoMoCha Middle School in Dover-Foxcroft. He finished out his career in education as the superintendent of schools for SAD 4 from 2003-13.

All awardees will be honored during the Alumni and Friends Blue and Gold Evening slated for Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. in the Campus Center, located on the UMPI campus. For more information on the Alumni Association awards, please contact Sharon Roix at roix@maine.edu or to reserve your ticket please contact Lynelle Foster at lynnelle.foster@maine.edu.