By Dan Elliott

With the end of the fall semester (and subsequently the year itself) on fast approach, the collective of students and faculty are brimming with anticipation for the chance to enjoy some downtime, cherish the holiday season with friends and family, and perhaps most importantly, the chance to breathe a sigh of relief after months of hard work. Yet while we bid farewell to 2017, we have the Spring semester in sight on the horizon, and with it is coming a slew of new experiences, some coming in the form of new courses coming to us here at the Midcoast Campus.

One of the new classes being offered to Brunswick students is Beginning French I (FREN 101 BK), being taught by newcoming instructor Demba Boundy. Boundy, who originates from Mali, Africa, has had a lengthy history of the French dialect-thirty years of it. Now, with his experiences from growing up in Franco-African communities, he is eager to motivate and impart his knowledge to students here in Maine, who holds the highest percentage of French-Americans in the country. The course itself is open to all skill-levels, and will focus on basic oral and written skills for the language, and will incorporate such resources as guest speakers and a complimentary lab component as well. When asked if he had anything he’d like to say to those looking to learn the language he responded, saying “J’aime le francais. J’espere que vous aimez le francais aussi. Venez apprendre le francais avec moi.” (I love French. I hope you do, too. Come learn French with me!) With the addition of Demba Boundy’s Beginning French course and Cristina Moreno’s Beginning Spanish Class, The Midcoast Campus is building a solid foundation for those looking to learn a secondary language, or for those who are looking to fulfill their humanities elective requirement.

Foreign language isn’t the only subject getting a boost in course diversification this spring. A new fine art course is arriving as well, in the form of The Art of Maine (ARTH 110 BK). Taught by longtime adjunct art instructor Mike Branca, the course provides a unique perspective into the world of fine art through the lens of our own local community. As a painter, Branca derives a great deal of inspiration from the state and the beautiful vistas contained within its borders. Through his love of fine art he has discovered an untapped wealth of history of the fine arts in Maine. The course will challenge students to break through the preconceived notions they might have about Maine, such as symbols like lighthouses and lobsters. Instead, the course will focus on the vast history of Maine, as well as contemporary artists that rival their urban counterparts. Branca emphasizes that the course is much more than an art history course, and that the majority of assignments will be creative art projects that reflect each students own personal relationship with Maine. Like Boundy’s French course, The Art of Maine is open to students of all artistic levels and backgrounds, as students will be focusing on their own personal journey into how they perceive the state they live in through their own expression of art.

These are not the only new courses being made available in 2018; students should spend some time perusing their new options under the ‘my courses’ option in My Maine Guide. With the Midcoast Campus constantly expanding it’s course selection, it is constantly growing out from a mere satellite campus to becoming a bastion of knowledge serving the needs of the local residents. Whatever you choose to embark on for the upcoming spring, remember to give yourself a pat on the back for making it through this semester and get plenty of rest and relaxation before the New Year get rung in.