ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation was incorporated in 1952 by 12 UMaine graduates financially supporting and preparing well-educated engineering students for careers in the pulp and paper and allied industries.
The foundation is supported by annual gifts from more than 70 companies in 50 states, as well as individual gifts from more than 250 alumni and friends.
The Maine Pulp & Paper Foundation currently supports more than 130 engineering and forestry students with merit based scholarships and boasts having the most alumni in the paper industry.
Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with senior Justin Pelletier. We asked him a few questions about his experiences at UMaine.
What attracted you to Chemical Engineering and the UMaine PPF?
It took me a long time to figure out what path I wanted to take after high school. My sister had come to UMaine for Chemical Engineering as well, and had recommended that I apply for "Consider Engineering" to gain exposure into engineering as a whole. I learned very quickly at the summer camp that my interests in math and science along with my satisfaction for problem solving was fully met in the field. Also during the camp, I was able to hear about UMPPF from students and learn about the tools they provide for students to succeed. (UMaine Pulp and Paper Foundation Program Director) Jen (Ireland) and (UMaine Pulp and Paper Foundation President) Carrie (Enos) were so welcoming, and I was given a good sense of the mentorship I'd have if I were to join the program. I knew shortly after leaving Consider Engineering that I wanted to be a part of UMPPF and UMaine's Chemical Engineering program.
Were you looking into pulp and paper when you were in high school?
I'd consider myself as someone who gets bored easily, and while initially I had no idea what I wanted to do, I did know that my future job would need to challenge my brain in different ways every day. My hometown of Madawaska, is home to one of Maine's pulp and paper facilities, Twin Rivers. Having many relatives go through the facility, I had a pretty good idea of what an engineering job in the mill might look like. As I mentioned earlier, Consider Engineering gave me the opportunity to speak to engineers in industry to further my curiosity for the industry. Each person I'd talked to would always say something like, "Every day looks different, and there's always a problem that needs fixing." This really appealed to me because it showed me that an engineering job in this field would keep my brain occupied every single day.
Tell us about the internships and/or co-ops you've had.
I completed a first-year internship at SAPPI Somerset in Skowhegan, Maine and two more terms of a co-op for PCA in Filer City, Michigan. My internship at SAPPI was a union lab testing job which allowed me to get my feet wet in the industry. I didn't have any strict projects, rather daily and monthly reports that needed to be completed each shift. Many of the tests I would run on a daily basis provided good background knowledge for understanding the inner workings of the process. Doing the tests assigned and communicating the data to different areas of the mill showed me how the different departments connect to each other. I'm glad for the first year experience, because when I went to PCA for a co-op role with slightly more responsibility, I felt much more prepared. At PCA, all of the process co-ops started off in a lab position, and eventually were given individual projects once they were ready. I feel like in this role, I got a true taste for what being an engineer in industry was like. The words of my mentors saying that "every day in the paper mill looks different," was finally confirmed to be true in my mind. Whether it was completing daily consistency checks, completing monthly secondary fiber audits, supervising jobs on shutdowns, or shadowing a shift supervisor, each day would always pass by incredibly fast. I knew that this meant that my brain was being tested and that I was truly in the right career path.
What does this program mean to you?
The program has been my home for the last 4 years. Jen and Carrie have been some of the best mentors I've ever had in life and are certainly two individuals that I look up to the most in life. From the second I joined the program as a freshman, I was greeted warmly with a great sense of community. The program does a great job of bringing together students, and creating the best environment possible to succeed. I also believe that this program finally allowed me to come out of my shell as a person. Growing up, I was always more quiet, and usually struggled with public speaking. Being a part of UMPPF gave me plenty of opportunities to speak publicly and learn how to network effectively. When I look at myself 4 years ago and compare it to now, the biggest difference is how much confidence I have gained in the social setting. My biggest fear used to be public speaking, and while it may never be my greatest asset, I can fully credit the skill to UMPPF.
Where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years, and what are your career aspirations?
I'm not really sure I have a great answer to this question yet. As I mentioned earlier, I've never fully had a concrete plan that far ahead at any point in my life. I do know that eventually, I'd like to be in a role where I could travel the world. Traveling is one of my passions and there's so many places on my bucket list that I'd eventually like to see. Currently, I've accepted a job at PCA in Filer City, Michigan to work as a process engineer. I really enjoyed my co-op experience there and I'm really excited to continue my work with them.
What would you recommend to anyone who might be interested in getting into pulp and paper?
I would recommend applying to be a part of the Pulp and Paper Foundation at UMaine. Not only do they aid you financially, but they also guide you through what can be an initially intimidating industry. As daunting as the real world may be, the foundation prepares students as best as possible and will guarantee you a career when you leave college. Because of the Foundation, I completed 14 interviews my sophomore year when searching for a co-op. I can't say this would've been true if I didn't have the resources around me that the UMPPF brings. Furthermore, I had accepted a full-time offer before even starting my senior year, alleviating the stress of completing interviews during my senior year. I can attribute this early success, to the guidance I've had from UMPPF.
Please tell us what year you are in your program, your hometown, and anything interesting you might do in your free time.
I am a graduating senior in chemical engineering from Madawaska Maine. In my spare time I love being outdoors, hiking, and playing sports with friends. In the last few years I've picked up marathon running (which I can attribute to some people I met during my co-op in Michigan) and completed my first two marathons in 2024! During the winters I love Nordic skiing, as well as just about any other winter sport you could think of.
