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If you have noticed women on campus wearing white sweaters and pine tree stickers on their faces, you have run into members of the All Maine Women honor society.
All Maine Women was founded in 1925 to bring the best women in the senior class together to act as role models and do volunteer work, said Shirar Wilder, a senior public management major and this year’s president of All Maine Women.
“The purpose [of the group] is to recognize leadership, scholarship and service to the University of Maine by outstanding female members of the incoming senior class,” Wilder said. “All Maine Women pledges to uphold and promote ideals, standards and traditions of the university.”
Every Thursday all 12 members wear white sweaters, pins and Pine Tree stickers on their face to distinguish themselves.
“[It's] a symbol of pride in our accomplishments and to let people know who we are,” Wilder said.
The All Maine Women group has been involved in many on and off campus activities this school year. Their activities included Homecoming weekend, Family and Friends weekend, making Thanksgiving baskets for Spruce Run and helping Borders book store’s Angel Book program. They plan to be involved in Winterfest, Winter Carnival and Maine Day, Wilder said.
The group recruits new members every year because it is comprised entirely of seniors. Women of junior standing are nominated by faculty and staff according based on the ideals set forth by the All Maine Women.
“This is based on their academic achievement, leadership on campus, character, integrity, Maine spirit and potential for continued contributions to UMaine,” Wilder said.
Members of the group have joined for different reasons, but mostly to have an opportunity to do volunteer work.
Samantha Brann, a senior social work major and a member, wanted to get involved in volunteer work outside of campus.
“I wanted to be an All Maine Woman to represent my school and do good deeds for the community,” Brann said.
“I wanted a chance, as a senior, to give back to UMaine,” Amy Ruksznis, a senior animal and veterinary sciences major and member of the group said. “I wanted to make sure that other women get the opportunities to get involved with things that we’ve had here for years and years.”
All Maine Women are busy people who come from a variety of backgrounds.
“Members of this year’s class participate in athletics, student government, Greek life, the honors program and various honors societies, ROTC, various students groups, Resident Life and Programs as Resident Assistants and various personal volunteer efforts,” Wilder said.
Ruksznis said this is why many members often miss the weekly meetings.
“There are 12 women who were chosen to represent the class of 2001 in All Maine Women,” Ruksznis said. “Only about half of us show up regularly. Now we are strapped for help when we volunteer and we can’t get out names out as easily … We were all chosen for this group because of our campus involvement, so it is understandable that we find little time to do extra stuff for public relations.”
Having so little time to spend with the incoming members is something Brann would change about the group’s setup.
“I think we should pick next year’s group earlier so that we can have time to bond with them before we leave,” Brann said.
Melinda Roy, a senior Elementary Education major and an All Maine Woman believes that the group is important because it gives recognition to hard working women.
“It is important for women to be recognized for their dedication and hard work that they give to the university and the community surrounding it,” Roy said. “It is also a good way for women with common interests to get together to share experiences.”
Ruksznis agrees, and adds that it is the variety of women that makes the group successful.
“It’s nice to think that someone, when they nominated us, really did see us as people who could join together to make things happen on campus,” Ruksznis said. “We pull all of our traits together and our connections to different aspects of UMaine help us to achieve what we need to for All Maine Women.”
