Congratulations on your big move! I hope it's everything you wish for and more. You will be missed Kelly... (btw - take Mary Kate up on her offer, Aisling is great fun!) Danette On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 1:56 PM, Kelly Ilseman <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Good Morning MEEOA, > > > It is with bittersweet emotions that I let you know I have decided to > attend acupuncture and herbal medicine school in Portland, Oregon, starting > in September! > > > I’m fully grateful for my time with and connection to the University of > Maine Upward Bound Math Science Program, and to the students and staff who > have been a part of it over the years, and to the TRIO community. You have > all been my home since 2001. Each of you has served as a huge inspiration > to me, and it has been a pleasure and a gift to work with every single one > of you. Each student and staff member who came to the program back in the > days of regional UBMS from all over New England and now from our 8 schools > in Maine, have desired to learn, to grow personally, to create the > foundations for their academic futures, and to shape their personal paths > and professional visions – seeing and knowing these things within them and > also within you has given me confidence, encouragement, and inspiration. > Watching students undertake advanced research projects fueled by their own > interests, literally creating the reality they want to exist for > themselves, has shown me that I can do the same. I have been so inspired by > you all, have been so grateful for you all to share your life journeys with > me in close confidence. Your passions for self-growth, discovery, and > actualization are mine as well, your aspirations and your successes > embolden me and give me strength, direction, and satisfaction. I feel your > struggles too. I admire all of you every day and will continue to have hope > for your best realizations my heart. > > > UBMS has been the most tremendous personal and professional growth > experience I could ever have hoped for and I will always gather > inspirational energy from my TRIO family. I have learned as much as any > student from being part of the program. There is always more work to be > done, and it is beyond hard to sever ties and to discontinue projects for > which I still have great passion and energy. But I know that others will > continue these with new vision and creativity. I thank you TRIO family for > the 17 years of my life I have spent with you. I will forever hold TRIO and > all of you dear to my heart, forever be a resource to you, a help to you if > needed, always willing to write a recommendation letter, or to provide > humble life coaching direction if I might, and will always, always love to > hear where you are, what you are doing, and how you are doing. I want to > you know this sincerely. Your journeys have been my delight; it has been my > honor and pleasure to take part in them. > > > In many ways, I am not leaving, but simply building and growing on the > strong foundation you have given me. I will always continue to believe in > the educational and social justice work that you are all doing. Our > inherent belief in the value, worth, and potential for growth in every > individual are one and the same. The challenges tha arise to prevent access > to educational opportunity are still mine to rally for alongside you > everyone has equal access to the things they need. Activism and educational > opportunity will always be at the center of what I hold dear and I will > raise my voice and offer my support for TRIO for ever. > > > So, it is with love, sadness, and utmost gratefulness that I embark on my > new journey. It’s time for me to take on new challenges! I am seeking the > next adventure of my education, studying Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine at > the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. This degree, Master’s of > Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM), will afford me opportunities to > move more fully into education, health, and healing. It will also allow me > to be involved with some incredibly valuable cutting edge medical research > and community outreach. It is a very exciting time to be involved with this > medicine as east now truly meets west, and the integration and acceptance > of both modalities gains traction at a fast pace. > > > Leaving the gorgeous state of Maine, and all it’s beautiful, lovely, > creative people - all of you, and my profession, feels as scary as the > first day of nursery school. When I think ahead to September, it seems > foreign to think of being anywhere but in Maine. There is so much yet to > unfold, but I'm looking forward to the new connections that I will make, > trusting in the direction this path is leading. I am truly and always will > be a lifelong learner seeking adventures in the spirit of the 2016 UBMS > theme: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things > that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. > Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Dream. > Explore. Discover." > > > In love and gratitude, > Kelly > > > > > -------------------- > Kelly Ann Ilseman > Upward Bound Math/Science Program > Assistant Director/Academic Curriculum Coordinator/Academic Counselor > > Best ways to reach me: > call or text: 617.784.2320 > kelly.ilseman@m <[log in to unmask]>*aine.edu <http://aine.edu>* > > other ways to reach me: > 800.581.2522 > 207.581.3720 > fax: 207.581.2710 > > snail mail: > University of Maine > Upward Bound Math/Science Program > 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Rm 224 > Orono, ME 04469-5713 > > http://umaine.edu/ub/ > > > *Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. > -- *Danette Madore* *Coordinator - Upward Bound* *TRiO College Access Services* *University of Maine at Presque Isle* *181 Main Street* *Presque Isle, Maine 04769* *work - 207.768.9618 cell - 207.551.8787 fax - 207.768.9464* *New email - [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>*