PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Officials with the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Lighthouse, Inc. gathered in UMPI’s MMG Center for Professional Development on Wednesday to sign a memorandum that will enhance internship and career opportunities for current UMPI students.
The Campus to Career Memorandum of Understanding, the first of its kind in Aroostook County, according to the officials, states that UMPI will provide a career readiness program for students while Northern Lighthouse will give those students opportunities for internships and other experiential learning experiences to increase their communication and leadership skills as future employers.
Northern Lighthouse provides both residential and outpatient mental and behavioral health therapy from locations in Presque Isle, Caribou, Mars Hill, Houlton and Waterville.
UMPI students majoring in a variety of subjects such as business, social work, psychology, behavioral science and English can benefit from internships in a variety of the company’s departments, such as billing, human resources, Section 28 children’s services, and Section 21 and 29 adult services. Students can also learn from job shadowing experiences with case managers and clinicians. Another option is for students to work in Northern Lighthouse’s direct care program, which does not require a bachelor’s degree, while enrolled at UMPI.
Student interns and employees at Northern Lighthouse will have direct access to job openings at the company, an essential part of the memorandum that will benefit both UMPI students and Northern Lighthouse.
“Through the career readiness program, this partnership will allow UMPI to provide marketable work opportunities for students while Northern Lighthouse [staffers] serve as mentors and provide information about job postings,” UMPI President Ray Rice said. “At the same time Northern Lighthouse gets to better prepare their future employees and strengthen Aroostook County’s workforce.”
Conversations regarding a partnership between UMPI and Northern Lighthouse began a few months ago when Cody Tompkins, human resources manager at Northern Lighthouse, suggested the idea at an administrative company meeting. After much discussion, both institutions agreed that having a formal agreement would take everyone’s commitment to serving future employees one step further.
“We have a lot of job openings for students from the billing department for business majors to case management for those in behavioral science, social work or psychology. Right now we’re looking for a grant writer, which would be a good option for an English major,” Tompkins said. “The partnership with UMPI will help us grow as an organization and expand our pool of qualified employees.”
Though the Campus to Career Memorandum is UMPI’s first formal professional development partnership with a local employer, the university has helped students find internships for many years, in part through its recently-established Career Readiness program.
Austin Daniels, an UMPI senior majoring in psychology with a business concentration, has worked under Tompkins in Northern Lighthouse’s human resources department during his final semester. Daniels has assisted with the hiring and firing process and insurance coverage for employees and now has access to potential employment after he graduates in May.
“The internship has given me a chance to be part of the work that I’ve been preparing for in class and opportunities to jump right into the workforce after college,” Daniels said.
Rice stated that UMPI has already begun discussions with various other Aroostook County employers about signing their own Campus to Career Memorandums to establish more internship and career learning experiences across all majors.
“A lot of our students already participate in internships, but having formal agreements will allow us to show prospective and current students that they can earn their degree in four years and have a pathway into a career,” Rice said. “We have had ongoing partners for decades, but now we can provide a stronger future for Maine, particularly here in Aroostook County.”
Students interested in opportunities through UMPI and Northern Lighthouse’s Campus to Career Memorandum should contact Nicole Fournier, UMPI director of career readiness, at (207) 768-9589 or nicole.l.fournier@maine.edu.
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- UMPI President Ray Rice and Northern Lighthouse, Inc. CEO Tiffany Faulkner sign the first-ever Campus to Career Memorandum of Understanding at UMPI on Wednesday, March 28. The memorandum will provide current UMPI students with internships and experiential learning opportunities at Northern Lighthouse, further preparing them for their future careers. (Melissa Lizotte)
