Naomie Bisimwa, ’26, BS Biology

Portland, ME

Naomie's fascination with the living world began on her father's farm in the Congo, but it was a USM ecology class that transformed that curiosity into a calling. A Summer Research Fellowship at the MDI Biological Laboratory led her to present vaccine research findings to U.S. Senators Collins and King in Washington, D.C. She went on to gain industry experience at Marin Skincare in Portland before diving into cancer cell research at the MaineHealth Institute for Research (MHIR). Naomie served as a Promise Peer Leader, founded "Afrochella" through the Women of Color Student Organization, and earned the 2026 McGoldrick Family Commitment to Service Award. This summer, she continues at MHIR using silkworm cocoons to build 3D tissue models — bringing her full circle from that Congolese farm to the forefront of biomedical research.

Deklin Fitzgerald, ’26, BA Media Studies

Rockland, ME

Deklin's time at USM was defined by pushing above and beyond — most notably in his Communication & Media Studies capstone, where he led social media, fundraising, and community outreach for Chaos, Maine's only certified Crisis Response Canine. When a fellow student's passing shook the campus community, Deklin quickly arranged for Canine Chaos to visit and provide comfort to grieving peers. His path evolved alongside his ambitions: a pivot toward public relations and public policy, a Political Science minor, and a role with Connections For Kids — a nonprofit supporting children in the foster care system — gave him both professional grounding and deeply personal purpose. Deklin has been accepted into USM's Muskie School of Public Service to pursue a Master's in Policy, Planning, and Management, where he plans to draw on his lived experience within the foster care and adoption systems to drive meaningful reform.

Caydince Bumpus, ’26, BA Criminology

South Paris, ME

Caydince always dreamed of college but wasn't sure how to get there — until a phone call from a Camp Susan Curtis staff member introduced her to the Promise Scholarship. Once on campus, she found her footing through writing, joining USM's student newspaper The Free Press as a poetry contributor before growing into the Community Editor role, covering everything from campus safety to dining hall reviews. Her Criminology coursework — especially Gender & Crime — deepened her commitment to supporting vulnerable populations and sharpened her focus on domestic violence advocacy. This summer, she is applying for roles at local teen shelters as the first step toward a career where she hopes to be the same steady, caring presence for others that her camp counselors and USM professors were for her.

Paul Liwanga, ’26, BA Sport & Esports Management

Portland, ME

As a freshman, Paul secured an internship at Maine Community Bank, where his friendly demeanor and clear sense of direction made him stand out immediately — what started as a one-semester opportunity kept him at the bank for four years. Alongside his work at the bank, he competed on the USM Men's Soccer team, began coaching, and joined the game operations team for Portland's newest club, the Hearts of Pine. This fall, he continues his educational journey by pursuing his Master's in Business Administration at the University of Maine.

Emily Myers, ’26, BS Elementary Education

Bath, ME

Emily's path to teaching was shaped by two high school educators who changed everything — an art teacher who offered a safe, creative outlet during her hardest moments, and a math teacher who turned a once-impossible subject into her strongest. Together, they showed her what it means to support a student both academically and emotionally. She's already putting it into practice — from student teaching math at Westbrook Middle School to leading summer STEM camp sessions in astrophysics and Lego robotics at USM. Her next goal? Landing a teaching position in her hometown of Bath this fall.