Here at the University of Maine Pulp + Paper Foundation (UMPPF), we’re all about hands-on, real-world learning. It’s the very reason we require students to participate in co-ops and internships. Both offer unmatched opportunities to network, enhance skill-building, and even build confidence.
The learning experience begins before students even step foot on site at their co-op placements. From resume building to interviews, students first practice the important steps of landing a job. This ensures students are well-prepared to make a lasting impression on potential employers down the road.
Then, after securing a co-op position, adventure awaits! Our students journey to different parts of the country—some leaving the state for the first time ever—for the learning experience of a lifetime. Some might say that’s when the real fun begins…
Let’s see what our students have been up to this summer!
Some UMPPF students are completing their co-op alongside their peers. Jacob and Silvia, both civil engineering majors, are finishing their first co-op term at Clearwater Paper Corporation in Augusta, Georgia. As seen here, they are getting introduced to tons of different equipment, technology, and processes.
Kenzie, CHE ’26, and Collin, ELE ’26, are spending the summer in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, at Proctor & Gamble. Partway through her co-op, Kenzie shared, “I’m thrilled to have completed the first month of my manufacturing internship in Family Care with Procter & Gamble! I am grateful to be able to complete this journey alongside Collin, a fellow scholarship recipient through The University of Maine Pulp & Paper Foundation. I am excited to learn what the next few months have in store!”
Josie, a first-year chemical engineering student, is staying plenty busy at her first-year internship at Sappi Somerset in the Environmental Department! Here she is collecting stormwater samples for lab testing.
Nicholas, a mechanical engineering student, is donning head to toe PPE at his second co-op term at Graphic Packaging in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Last summer, he co-oped at their Texarkana, Texas, location.
Jacob, a chemical engineering student, is spending his summer at Packaging Corporation of America in Filer, MI. In this photo, he’s joined by a handful of UMPPF alums! From left to right, you’ll see Elaina Stefanick, CHE ‘19, Joe Lancaster, CHE ‘18, Ethan Dapice, CHE ‘19, Mackenzie Ladd, MEE ‘22, Alia Parsons, CHE ’23, and co-op Jacob Levesque, CHE ’26.
Fun Fact: Both Elaina and Mackenzie co-oped at PCA Filer and were offered fulltime positions before returning for their senior year at UMaine.
Reflecting on his co-op experience thus far, Jacob shared, “Time flies when you’re learning and growing! It’s hard to believe that it’s been a little over a month since I started my co-op at Packaging Corporation of America. It has been an incredible journey filled with new experiences, valuable lessons, and amazing people.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a talented and supportive team. A special thank you to Elaina Stefanick, who has provided invaluable guidance along with many other mentors and colleagues. I am looking forward to continuing to learn and contribute in the coming months!”
Throughout their co-op and internship experiences, each of these students not only contributes to meaningful projects and gains professional experience. They also expand their horizons and forms connections with industry professionals that will last a lifetime. These transformative experiences are shaping them into well-rounded professionals who are ready to take on the pulp and paper world with confidence and enthusiasm.
We look forward to their return to campus this fall, eagerly awaiting their stories, lessons learned, and newfound perspectives. To our UMPPF students, embrace these new experiences and absorb all there is to know. You got this!