As a recent graduate of the Muskie School of Public Service at USM, I was delighted to learn that Professor Joseph McDonnell has been tapped to serve as UMF’s interim president. As UMF prepares for the changes necessary to revitalize its programs and its community, it will need the kind of compassionate and effective leadership Professor McDonnell has demonstrated at the Muskie School. His skills as an educator and administrator, as well as his abiding belief in the liberal arts tradition, will carry UMF through this period of adjustment and into a vibrant future.
Professor McDonnell teaches students to become leaders. I had the privilege of being one of Professor McDonnell’s students, as I transitioned into a leadership position with the State of Maine. His classes on democracy, advocacy, leadership and crisis management employ the liberal arts – philosophy, psychology, history and rhetoric – to give students the tools to become open-minded critical thinkers and engaged citizens to serve Maine.
As a non-traditional student with years of public service under my belt, I believed that I had a pretty good understanding of the world. But taking Professor McDonnell’s classes opened my eyes to the gaps in my education and experience. As an attorney, I doubted there was much I could learn about advocacy and argumentation. I was wrong. Professor McDonnell led the class through readings and exercises that compelled us to question our assumptions, reframe our arguments and, perhaps most important, be willing to listen and, when appropriate, moderate our views. This fresh perspective has been invaluable in my legal career as well as in my approach to everyday life in these troubled times.
And Professor McDonnell practices what he teaches. He listens, learns and is open to fresh perspectives in the disciplines he has been teaching for years. He will build upon UMF’s rich liberal arts tradition and work imaginatively with the faculty, students, staff and the Farmington community to revitalize the university.
Liz Wyman
Falmouth
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