Patricia Mew

Background

I came to Maine and to USM from a community college in Western Massachusetts where I was an advisor for incoming students.  Prior to that, I worked in K-12 and adult education in several different settings: a public high school, a prison, a workplace education site and a mental hospital, to name a few.  I was a certified teacher in Massachusetts for 34 years before moving to Maine.  I also provided training for adult educators - primarily assessment and curriculum development training - for a period of ten years through the Massachusetts community college system of adult education support.  My undergraduate degree is in Theater.  I founded and, for many years, coordinated the WMass Social Action Theater Group that continues to use theater as a tool to educate people about social issues.  This group was and is inspired by the work of Brazilian theater artist, Augusto Boal.  It was a way to combine my two areas of professional focus: education and theater. 

Intellectual Pursuits

I continue to pursue my love of theater and writing here at USM and in the Portland area.  I am involved with classes in fiction writing and with theater - both as a student of acting and as a social action theater artist.  I am also a semi-professional photographer whose work is on display in a gallery in South Portland. 

Personal Side

I am the proud parent of a 28-year old daughter who is currently a graduate student in Public Policy in Massachusetts.  My two sisters still live in Massachusetts as well.  I have been a community and professional actress in Mass. for many years and enjoy kayaking, beach walking, photographing, hiking, reading and political activism here in Maine.