UMM Student Amanda Smith Selected for Maine Campus Compact Award

University of Maine at Machias student Amanda Smith of Machias has received the Maine Campus Compact Heart and Soul Student Award.
Maine Campus Compact is a coalition of 18 member campuses aimed at reinvigorating the public purposes and civic missions of higher education. Smith is one of six students in Maine to be honored with the award.
“I’ve lived in Washington county my whole life,” Smith said. “My community holds my past and my future, and therefore, my dedication and passion are in helping to making this area as healthy, safe, and inclusive as I can, especially in regards to the substance abuse epidemic we find ourselves in now.”
Smith was one of several UMM students that recently “Rural Dirt,” a documentary on the Washington County opiate abuse epidemic. “I also told my personal story of recovery in the documentary ‘Whatever Works’, that was created by UMM students last fall.” Smith was a part of Maine New Leadership 2016 and was an intern for Colleen Morton, who ran for the House of Representatives for District 139. She helped create and institutionalize an ongoing program evaluation tool assessing the Psychology and Community Studies program’s learning outcomes.
“At UMM, my Psychology and Community Studies professors have pushed me to be more than I ever thought I could be,” Smith said. “They have helped me gain the confidence and skills necessary to become more engaged, both within UMM and in our community.  Words can’t truly express how grateful and honored I feel to have been chosen for this prestigious award.”
Smith will be honored at the Maine Compact Awards Ceremony in Portland in late April.